Oscar de la Renta, a legend in the fashion world, who had spent his life creating haute couture for movie stars, artists and politicians died at the age of 82. He had been described as the “sultan of the suave”. His designs were worn by high class society, from Hollywood actresses to politician wives. Among those who wore his elegant creations were: Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Hillary Clinton, Jacqueline Kennedy and more recently, Amal Alamuddin, George Clooney’s wife. It was a known fact that Oscar de la Renta had been diagnosed with cancer in 2006. Last year, however, he declared that he had been completely cured. Oscar de la Renta died on Ocober 20, 2014 in Kent, Connecticut. The cause of his death has not yet been disclosed by his close family members or friends. Rumors say that the cancer had come back and cause the complication that lead to the designer’s death.
Oscar de la Renta was born on the 23rd of July, 1932 in the Dominican Republic. He was the only boy out of seven children. He talked about his family in an interview a while back: “My father had different aspirations for me than I had for myself. If I ever told my father I would become a fashion designer, he would drop dead on the spot”. He later went on to study at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid.
Oscar de la Renta launched his fashion brand in 1965. He described his customers as “successful working women”. Later on, he expanded his industry and designed perfumes and furniture. Oscar de la Renta said about himself: “I’m a very restless person. I’m always doing something. The creative process never stops”. He had a long successful run. His creations were often spotted on the red carpet and in the Oval Office.
Laura Bush spoke about Oscar de la Renta, after hearing of his passing: “We will always remember him as the man who made women look and feel beautiful. Oscar de la Renta was the one who designed the wedding dress for her daughter. Alina Cho, the editor of Random House declared: “He was a true, true gentlemen, in the truest sense of the word — a real bright light — and this is just a terrible, terrible loss for the fashion world”. He leaves behind his wife, Annette Engelhard Reed, whom he married in 1989 and his son.