TRIBUTE: OSCAR DE LA RENTA

July 22,1932-October 20, 2014

By Erika Fischer

On October 20,2014, the fashion world and fashion lovers from all over the world mourned the passing of legendary designer Oscar de la Renta.

Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, he he was trained by Cristóbal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo. De la Renta began his career in 1961 working in Paris for Lavin-Castillo and he became internationally known in the 1960s as one of the couturiers who dressed Jacqueline Kennedy.  He went on to launch his own ready-to-wear line in 1965.

In 1967, de la Renta became the third husband of Françoise de Langlade (1921–1983), an editor-in-chief of French Vogue who once worked for the fashion house of Elsa Schiaparelli. They were married until she died of cancer in 1983. 

After her death, de la Renta adopted a boy from the Dominican Republic and named him Moises.  In 1989, the designer married Annette Engelhard, to whom he was married until his death.

In 1977 he debuted his first perfume line, OSCAR. In the upcoming years he also debuted in 2001 an accessories line, 2002 a housewares line, and in 2004 a more affordable clothing line simply known as O.

He was awarded the prestigious Coty Award twice and was also inducted into its Hall of Fame. He served as Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) twice and won their Designer of the Year Award in 2000 and 2007, as well their Lifetime Achievement Award.

During his fabled career, De la Renta was a favorite designer for many A-List celebrities including Emma Watson, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Nicole Kidman. He was also the designer of choice for fashion icons and  First Ladies like Nancy Reagan, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Laura Bush.

In addition to being an amazing designer Oscar de la Renta was also a generous philanthropist, most recently recreating his Spring 2014 presentation (Designed For A Cure 2014) to raise money for the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

De la Renta was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and died of complications from cancer on October 20, 2014, at his home in Kent, Connecticut, at the age of 82

In remembrance of his work, we’ve created a collage of some of our favorite Oscar de la Renta looks which you can view here: http://instagram.com/p/ua1mbpF7xu/?modal=true

An artist, humanitarian and unofficial ambassador for his native Dominican Republic, Wiles remembers the “Sultan of Suave” and a legacy that will live on both on and off the runway.