Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta dies at 82 - CNN.com 1 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – In 2011, Penelope Cruz stole the spotlight at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala. The actress, who attended the event with de la Renta, wore a black silk organza gown from the designer's fall 2011 collection. Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Jennifer Lawrence's dress at the 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards was as bright as her rising star in Hollywood. Lawrence's hot-pink de la Renta number landed the actress on People magazine's best-dressed list for the event. Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – The handcrafted Oscar de la Renta gown that Amy Adams wore to the 2013 Oscars was so ethereal it almost looked as though the actress was floating on air.

Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – While de la Renta was known for his show-stopping dresses with full skirts or elongated trains, he could also make a simple shift sing. Anne Hathaway wore this short, breezy and sparkling de la Renta number to the Sydney premiere of "Love & Other Drugs" in 2010. Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta wasn't just the designer of choice for actresses -- musicians adored him, too. His penchant for bold designs attracted Nicki Minaj, who donned one of his creations for the 2011 American Music Awards. Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta knew his way around a floral pattern, inventing silhouettes that wouldn't overwhelm the wearer.

Look at the clean lines he gave this eye-catching gown, which Scarlett Johansson wore to the 2009 premiere of "He's Just Not That Into You." Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – For an occasion as big as her final "Harry Potter" premiere, actress Emma Watson chose a designer she knew would have a timeless and memorable look. Seen here at the 2011 premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Pt. 2," Watson's voluminous de la Renta dress perfectly matched the emotional scale of the event. Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – At the 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Tina Fey turned heads -- and landed on best-dressed lists -- in a sleek column gown from de la Renta. The sweetheart cut of the strapless dress was alluring without being overtly provocative, a combination that the designer nailed every time.

Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Taylor Swift is a professed devotee of Oscar de la Renta, and she chose to wear one of the designer's structurally impressive confections to the 2014 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Upon de la Renta's death, Swift shared her condolences on Twitter: "Oscar, it was an honor to wear your creations and to know you," the singer said . Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – This kicky black de la Renta dress, worn to the 2005 Golden Globes, is one of Eva Longoria's most memorable red-carpet looks. The actress was starring on "Desperate Housewives" at the time, and her impeccably detailed cocktail number was like the luxe item a '50s housewife would kill to add to her collection.

Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Beyonce is another famous name who can be counted as a fan of de la Renta's. The superstar singer, seen here at the designer's fall 2005 fashion show in New York, later wore a red de la Renta dress to meet President Obama in 2012. Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Sarah Jessica Parker is one of de la Renta's more ardent supporters, often choosing to wear the designer on the red carpet. One of our favorite all-time Emmys looks is the feathery pink de la Renta dress SJP wore to the 2000 event. It was fun and, perhaps more importantly, it was unique. Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Jessica Biel is another actress you'll often see rocking a de la Renta label.

At the 2009 Vanity Fair Oscars party, Biel's gown had all the designer's hallmarks: bold use of color and flattering to the female form. Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Cameron Diaz could've been mistaken as the night's top prize at the 2010 Oscars, where she wore a golden de la Renta gown that was breathtaking thanks to its layers of tulle and embroidery. Hide Caption 15 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Jennifer Garner looked stunning at the 2014 Oscars, thanks not in small part to the tiered, fringed de la Renta dress she wore. "He always wanted women to be the star of the look," Garner told USA Today upon the designer's death. "The sketches that he did for me at the Oscars last year, every single one of them he sketched my face in. It wasn't just a sketch of some dress — it was how it would be on me, specifically.

I was so lucky to get to work with him and to know him even just a little bit." Hide Caption 16 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Of all the dresses de la Renta has placed on celebrities over the years, this navy blue item, worn by Oprah Winfrey to the 2010 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is easily one of the most memorable. Taken separately, the elements have the potential to sound boring: a navy color, long sleeves and a skirt that's floor-length. But tailored properly and with attention to special details, this is a de la Renta gem. Hide Caption 17 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta's designs were loved among political figures, too. Hillary Clinton joined de la Renta onstage at the CFDA Fashion Awards last year in New York.

Hide Caption 18 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – And in 2005, first lady Laura Bush wore a sophisticated silver de la Renta gown to celebrate the inauguration of her husband, President George W. Bush. Hide Caption 19 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta even made his stamp among brides. Most recently, he designed the wedding gown worn by George Clooney's bride, Amal Alamuddin. Hide Caption 20 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – And in 2010, Chelsea Clinton -- the daughter of President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton -- went with a de la Renta dress when she wed Marc Mezvinsky.

Hide Caption Designer Oscar de la Renta dies aged 82 - BBC News BBC News Designer Oscar de la Renta dies aged 82 21 October 2014 Close share panel Media captionThe BBC's David Willis looks back at the life of Oscar de la Renta Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who dressed former first ladies Jackie Kennedy and Hillary Clinton, has died aged 82, his family has confirmed. De la Renta, who most recently designed Amal Clooney's wedding dress, was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. Born in the Dominican Republic in 1932, he left home at 18 to study painting in Madrid, Spain. He soon developed a love of fashion design and began an apprenticeship with Spain's designer Cristobal Balenciaga. De la Renta made his name in the early 1960s when the then first lady, Jackie Kennedy, frequently wore his designs. He launched his own label several years later. Over the following decades he dressed nearly every first lady up to and including Michelle Obama, who he once chided for not wearing American designers.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Oscar de la Renta made his name in the early 1960s Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Oscar de la Renta continued to enjoy success worldwide Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush all opted for De la Renta gowns. Laura Bush described the designer as "the man who made women look and feel beautiful". Mrs Obama eventually made her first appearance in one of his dresses at a White House reception in October. At a ceremony honouring the designer this year, Hillary Clinton heaped praise upon De la Renta. "This man has been working for more than 20 years to turn me into a fashion icon," she said. De la Renta rose to further prominence after being chosen by Amal Alamuddin to design the gown for her wedding to George Clooney. "George and I wanted a wedding that was romantic and elegant, and I can't imagine anyone more able than Oscar to capture this mood in a dress," Mrs Clooney told Vogue .

"Meeting him made the design process all the more magical, as he is so warm and such a gentleman." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Former US First Lady Jackie Kennedy famously wore De la Renta's designs Image copyright AFP Image caption Laura Bush, wife of President George W Bush, was another of the designer's fans De la Renta passed away at his home in Connecticut, reports say. The cause of his death was not immediately clear, although he had been diagnosed with cancer. His stepdaughter Eliza Reed Bolan said in a statement that De la Renta had passed away surrounded by family and friends and "more than a few dogs". "While our hearts are broken by the idea of life without Oscar, he is still very much with us," the statement said. "All that we have done, and all that we will do, is informed by his values and his spirit." What are your memories of Oscar de la Renta? Did you meet him? Please share your tributes and pictures by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please leave your contact details if you are happy to speak to a BBC journalist.

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here . Oscar De La Renta Dead: Legendary Fashion Designer Dies At 82 | The Huffington Post Oscar De La Renta Dead: Legendary Fashion Designer Dies At 82 10/20/2014 10:18 pm ET | Updated Oct 21, 2014 3.1k Jamie Feldman Associate Style Editor, The Huffington Post Legendary fashion designer Oscar de la Renta died on Monday at the age of 82, ABC News reported . The cause of death was complications from cancer, his wife confirmed to The New York Times . De la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932. He left home at the age of 18 to study painting in Madrid, Spain but decided instead to pursue fashion design. He eventually worked as an apprentice to Cristobal Balenciaga, Spain's most celebrated couturier .

The young designer made a name for himself when he dressed former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the 1960s. After launching his own line, de la Renta became known for creating elaborate, feminine gowns that were often worn by first ladies including Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. "Oscar’s remarkable eye was matched only by his generous heart. His legacy of philanthropy extended from children in his home country who now have access to education and healthcare, to some of New York’s finest artists whose creativity has been sustained through his support," Bill and Hillary Clinton said in a statement. "We will always be grateful to Oscar for the love he showed us, and for sharing his talent on some of the most important occasions of our lives." De la Renta also dressed socialites in his couture creations, and his gowns were red carpet staples as celebrities including Oprah, Sarah Jessica Parker and more wore his designs year after year. Most recently, he collaborated with Amal Clooney on her wedding gown, which was accompanied by a spread in the November issue of Vogue . "Style begins by looking good naked," he told The Telegraph in a 2013 interview . "It's a discipline.

And if you don't dress well every day, you lose the habit. It's not about what you wear, but about how you live your life." De la Renta was married twice. His first wife, Françoise de Langlade, was a former editor of French Vogue. She died of bone cancer in 1983. The couple had been married for 16 years. The designer adopted a son soon after his first wife's death and married socialite Annette Engelhard Reed in 1989. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. De la Renta presented his Spring 2015 collection at New York Fashion Week in September. When reviewing the show, New York Times fashion director and chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman wrote of the designer and his collection , "He has a respect for the classic forms (lunching suits, tea dresses, straight trousers — even full-blown ball gowns) that is almost palpable, not to mention an appreciation of the power of decoration and the allure it can bestow." Last week, the fashion house announced that it had named Peter Copping as creative director .

In a tribute film recorded by friends in 2013, de la Renta said, "I feel very privileged, lucky, that I have had a wonderful life. And that I have been always been allowed to do what I loved." Related on HuffPost: Oscar de la Renta's Early Years: Tracing the Designer's Beginnings - Vogue Vogue The Making of an Icon: Sarah Mower on Oscar de la Renta’s Early Years October 21, 2014 4:25 pm email Expand Oscar’s first dress was made for the U.S. ambassador’s daughter Beatrice Lodge for her coming-out ball in Madrid, 1956. Photo: Getty Images Chronologically impossible as this is, I almost felt I knew Oscar de la Renta as a young man. In 2001, I spent many days with him, recording his memories: of his matriarch of a Dominican grandmother who dressed in starched white ruffles, of his uncle’s Russian showgirl mistress, of gypsies and bullfights and flamenco—and of dancing with Ava Gardner (for goodness sake!), in a nightclub in Madrid.

Parties, balls, nightlife, music: Oscar’s story of his climb from virtually nowhere, armed only with a slight art-school experience, oodles of charm, and an eye for opportunity, was as improbably vivid an odyssey as I’d ever heard. Parts of fashion history which seemed almost mythological to me—how he worked at Eisa, Cristóbal Balenciaga’s house in fifties Madrid, how he started on the couture career ladder in sixties Paris—were brought to life with a wicked twinkle and plenty of mordantly hilarious recall about the personalities and the hard graft of it all. No matter how “haute” his surroundings were (or weren’t, in the beginning), a person would have to be dead from the neck down not to want to have Oscar sparking up social proceedings. He was a sunny life-enhancer, and a great dancer from the beginning—both talents which stood him in very good stead. Every chapter of Oscar’s story of how a boy born in Santo Domingo in 1932 had managed to travel through the haute couture houses of Europe and finish up at the top of New York fashion, with friends throughout American politics, Hollywood, and culture was absolutely riveting.

Still, for me by far the best bits of the conversations we recorded for his memoir, Oscar: The Style, Inspiration and Life of Oscar de la Renta, all took place before he even thought of setting foot in the United States. I worked out long ago that everything a fashion designer does is usually determined by everything she or he has seen and felt and done before the age of 25, and that was true, with bows and ruffles on, in the case of young Oscar de la Renta. At nineteen, he left home and sailed to Spain, to live in Madrid and soak up the culture, in the hope of earning a living as an artist. He bought a third-class train ticket to see the country, was befriended by a family of gypsies on board and invited to a three-day wedding. The music and the flounces and the shawls and the color stayed with him forever, as did the sight of the splendid embroidery and swagger of the matadors’ costumes at bullfights. It was at a Madrid bullring that he first set eyes on Ava Gardner, who he charmed and later met in a nightclub. “And I danced with Ava Gardner,” he told me.

“I remember the color of her blue-green eyes, her very matte skin, her chiseled nose and cheekbones—just unbelievably beautiful.” Expand An early design by Oscar de la Renta. Photographed by Henry Clarke, Vogue, December 1968 Oscar didn’t start out as a fashion designer, but as a sketcher, contributing drawings that were sent out to Balenciaga’s couture clients in Spain. He began to live the life: “Quickly, I became a señorito—an upper-class dandy with my custom-made suit, high starched collars, and always a red carnation in my buttonhole,” he laughed, adding, “But it had to be the right red: only very, very dark would do.” That very precise taste for the right dash and flourish of color was a constant with him, but even more so was the keenness of his eye for what made women happy.

When he went to Paris to seek work, landing in the house of Lanvin-Castillo (where the resident designer was Spanish; Oscar could speak very little French when he arrived), he bluffed his way in on the strength of having worked with Balenciaga: “[I] exaggerated my experience at Balenciaga, so I practically became his most important assistant.” After looking up a fashion school in the telephone directory, he laughed, he was all set after two weeks of lessons for his nascent rise in early sixties haute couture. Still, it wasn’t Oscar’s tales of designing dresses that stayed with me. It was his frank, fan-boy admiration of well-dressed women. He told me about eavesdropping on Gloria Guinness’s conversations with Castillo, hearing she was about to go to lunch at Maxim’s with him, and hiding on a street corner to see her. His recall was exact: “She was wearing a white Balenciaga suit with a short, loose jacket, with the three-quarter-length sleeves he did, white gloves and tiny-heeled, long, low, Roger Vivier heels. Her very dark hair was up in a French twist.

She had a long, long, neck and a pillbox perched way back on the back of her head. Just impeccable.” My absolute favorite picture of Oscar in sixties Paris is of him at Régine’s discothèque, rubbing shoulders every night with the likes of Catherine Deneuve and Elizabeth Taylor. Régine handpicked the young and the beautiful as guests. She was so keen on Oscar as an innate party-starter—he was an early and brilliant adopter of the Twist—that the boy rarely had to buy his own drinks. It was after that he met and married Françoise de Langlade, the fashion editor and editor-in-chief of French Vogue, and then Oscar was on his way to a lifetime filled with family, houses, gardens, and a myriad of friends—and of course, with fashion. Still, what’s stayed with me long afterward are his friends’ stories of how, after all was said and done at dinner in his superb home at Punta Cana, no one could wait till the moment Oscar would get up and start dancing the merengue. Exactly as he did as a boy.

Expand Legendary designer Oscar de la Renta has died FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Legendary designer Oscar de la Renta has died One of the world's most legendary fashion designers, Oscar de la Renta, has died, reports ABC News and Univision. He was 82. De la Renta's health was described earlier this month by the New York Times as "precarious." Post to Facebook Legendary designer Oscar de la Renta has died One of the world's most legendary fashion designers, Oscar de la Renta, has died, reports ABC News and Univision. He was 82. De la Renta's health was described earlier this month by the New York Times as "precarious." Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 40 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Legendary designer Oscar de la Renta has died Ann Oldenburg , USA TODAY Published 9:42 p.m. ET Oct. 20, 2014 | Updated 10:56 a.m. ET Oct.

21, 2014 CLOSE x Share Oscar de la Renta, one of the world's most legendary fashion designers, died Monday. He was 82. VPC Designer Oscar de la Renta (center) and model Karlie Kloss (left) walk the runway at the Oscar De La Renta fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 on Sept. 9, 2014 in New York City. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic, Getty Images) 25747 CONNECT TWEET 54 LINKEDIN 40 COMMENTEMAILMORE One of the world's most legendary fashion designers, Oscar de la Renta, died Monday. He was 82. De la Renta's health was described earlier this month by the New York Times as "precarious." He had cancer in 2006, and at his women's wear show in September looked "frail." Known for dressing celebrities, stateswomen and fashionistas of all kinds, de la Renta's most recent famous moment came when he designed Amal Clooney's wedding dress just last month.

But the Dominican Republic-born designer, the only son of seven children in a middle-class household in Santo Domingo, really made a name for himself in the 1960s when he dressed Jacqueline Kennedy. He launched his ready-to-wear label in 1965 in New York. Along with being a favorite of the Ladies-Who-Lunch crowd, the always tanned and smiling de la Renta was popular on the red carpet. Through the years, his elegant yet showy creations were worn by celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Lea Michele, Jennifer Garner, Sarah Jessica Parker and many more. CLOSE x Share At the Elle magazine Women in Hollywood event, Jennifer Garner, Tina Fey and Jessica Lange react to the news that iconic designer Oscar De La Renta passed away on Monday at age 82. (Oct. 21) AP Politicos loved him, too. He dressed first lady Nancy Reagan in the 1980s, and provided the gowns for inaugural events for both Hillary Clinton in 1997 and Laura Bush in 2005. Michelle Obama, who had irked the designer by not wearing his clothes throughout her seven years as First Lady, finally wore one of his dresses this month.

CLOSE x Share The Fashion Institute of Technology presented Oscar de la Renta with the 2012 Couture Council Award for Artistry Wednesday. Before the ceremony, the legendary designer expressed his concerns about celebrity designers. (Sept. 5) AP Last year at a New York City's 92Y "Fashion Talks" event, Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Executive Director Fern Mallis called him "the sultan of suave." At that event, he spoke of his cancer, saying, "Yes, I had cancer. Right now, I am totally clean. The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die. We always think we are going to live forever. The dying aspect we will never accept. The one thing about having this kind of warning is how you appreciate every single day of life." The fashion world remembers Oscar de le Renta De la Renta was married twice. His first wife, Francoise de Langlade, died in 1983, of bone cancer. Shortly after her death, he adopted a son from an orphanage in his native country. In 1989, he married socialite Annette Engelhard Reed, 74. On Oct.

13, the de la Renta design house announced it had named Peter Copping as creative director. As news spread of his death Monday night, fans and friends reacted, remembering the fashion icon as a star and a gentleman. "We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Oscar de la Renta," said Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton in a lengthy statement . "His singular talent and exquisite taste elevated American fashion, and his warmth and friendship will be missed by our family and all whose lives he touched in his extraordinary journey." Laura Bush also noted the designer's passing . "George and I are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend, Oscar de la Renta. We will miss Oscar's generous and warm personality, his charm, and his wonderful talents." RIP iconic designer Oscar De La Renta,who was a big part of 3 of my life's biggest moments.Much love & peace2 his family& all who loved him! Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer, dies at 82 - The Washington Post Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer, dies at 82 The inside track on Washington politics. Be the first to know about new stories from PowerPost.

Sign up to follow, and we’ll e-mail you free updates as they’re published. You’ll receive free e-mail news updates each time a new story is published. You’re all set! Got it Oscar de la Renta left an indelible impact in the world of fashion, setting a high standard for first ladies’ formal wear. The Washington Post’s Robin Givhan revisits some of de la Renta’s most famous creations. (JulieAnn McKellogg and Alice Li/The Washington Post) By Jura Koncius and Ned Martel By Jura Koncius and Ned Martel October 20, 2014 Follow @jurakoncius Oscar de la Renta, the Dominican-born fashion designer who reshaped the public image of first ladies, society muses and red-carpet regulars with grand evening wear that celebrated Latin sensuality, European refinement and American versatility, died Oct. 20 at his home in Kent, Conn. He was 82. A family representative answering the phone at his home confirmed the death but did not provide further details. He revealed in 2011 that he had a bout with cancer earlier that year.

An astute businessman with an eye for vibrant color, Mr. de la Renta polished his eponymous label into a global empire that sold perfume, accessories, furniture and, above all, elegant clothing. During a half-century of prominence on New York’s fashion nexus — Seventh Avenue — he asserted himself as a creative entrepreneur and vivacious society player who gained access to the nation’s most esteemed women and an invitation to define how the public saw them. He was the first Latino to be accepted into the exclusive ranks of Parisian fashion houses. Later as a U.S. citizen, he became the first American to design for a French couture house. All the while, Mr. de la Renta was building a brand that, in exclusive circles and in small-town bridal salons alike, was known by one word: Oscar. 1 of 38 The life and fashions of Oscar de la Renta View Photos The Dominican-born fashion designer has died. He was 82. Caption Dec. 6, 2010 Designer Oscar de la Renta attends the Oscar de la Renta pre-fall 2011 collection show in New York. Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

His exuberant frocks won the trust of customers and he set formal standards for women of taste. He gave them — no matter their age or shape — the confidence to be eye-catching. “I love all his clothes because of his sense of color,” Nancy Kissinger, wife of former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, said in a 2002 pictorial biography of the designer. “There’s something very staggering about the combinations he chooses.” Mr. de la Renta, whose dresses cost many thousands of dollars, was the master of entrance-making looks. Manhattan doyennes, Hollywood stars and Washington figures sought out his label. He designed then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s coral swearing-in ensemble in 1997, first lady Laura Bush’s twinkling beaded inaugural gown in 2005, and senatorial spouse Cindy McCain’s golden full-skirted dress for the 2008 Republican National Convention. Just last month, he provided Amal Alamuddin’s gown for her wedding to George Clooney. Formal gowns have long favored pale goddess-style silhouettes, and daywear often dwelled on the drab.

But Valerie Steele, a historian at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, saw Mr. de la Renta’s couture influence in his bright combinations and full skirts and sleeves. “He’s a really good colorist,” and his clothes project “a European sense of decorum, a magnificence,” she said. “He has not stuck to one look; he’s evolved as fashion has evolved.” Mr. de la Renta told The Washington Post in 2001: “When I started designing clothes for women in the ’60s, my typical customer got dressed in a suit and had lunch with friends. Today she’s on the list of endangered species.” Many of today’s customers, even the ones with packed social calendars, now wake up in the morning and head to an office. Mr. de la Renta, through his well-cut pantsuits and jackets, goes along with them. Lavished with attention Oscar Aristides Renta Fiallo was born in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, on July 22, 1932. His father, who had come from Puerto Rico, owned an insurance business and expected his only son to follow him into the family trade.

But his mother and six sisters lavished the boy with attention, and the family priest, a Spaniard, encouraged his aesthetic interests and bought him a set of paints. Against his father’s inclination, Mr. de la Renta enrolled in art school. 1 of 16 Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. After his mother’s death, the 18-year-old Mr. de la Renta embarked on a European ad­ven­ture that began in the salons of Madrid, where he had introductions. Though interested in abstract painting, he sketched a gown that caught the eye of the wife of the U.S. ambassador to Spain, John Lodge. She commissioned a gown for their debutante daughter, Beatrice, who wore it on the cover of Life magazine . Mr. de la Renta set aside his brushes and proceeded to fashion design jobs at Balenciaga and Lanvin-Castillo, first in Madrid, then in Paris. At night, he danced at Regine’s, among young Parisian swells such as actress Catherine Deneuve and director Roger Vadim.

At a runway show, he met Françoise de Langlade, the fashion editor of French Vogue, 12 years his senior and with far more tastemaking influence than the suave newcomer. The two began a relationship after he moved in 1963 to New York, where he set about to meet Elizabeth Arden, the clothing and cosmetics empress. He surmised later that, for all his attempts to dazzle Arden with letters and designs, she probably hired him to steal away talent from his boss, Antonio Castillo, who had long ago left her employ. As Mr. de la Renta was launching his own line, de Langlade joined him in the United States. Later, as a married couple, the two opened their exotic and warm apartment and Connecticut country house to uptowners and creative professionals, with Mr. de la Renta honing his skills at entertaining and decorating. As he and Françoise appeared in society pages and luxury magazines, his business took off, reinforcing that a designer could project an entire lifestyle that he inhabited.

Because of the public persona that he and a few peers were developing, retail executives made an unusual business decision for that age: to leave the designer’s label in the garment instead of the store’s alone. American shopping was never the same. In 1972, Mr. de la Renta built a grand vacation house in his native country, and even as his international status rose, he knew that acceptance was complicated. In December 1974, the de la Rentas attended their first White House state dinner, in honor of West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. In a 2002 interview for an authorized biography, Mr. de la Renta recalled getting ready at the Watergate Hotel. “When we were dressing, I put my arm in my shirt and it wouldn’t go in! The maid had packed Françoise’s tuxedo shirt instead of mine,” he said. Mr. de la Renta ran to the only Watergate shop still open at 7 p.m. and bought the only option: a white shirt with ruffles edged in black. “It was my worst nightmare come true!” he said in the biography.

“You know, I really admire people who wear colored shirts, shirts with flowers on them — but I am always afraid that if I do, someone will say, ‘Sorry, the Latin band goes in the other door.’ ” Mr. de la Renta’s camera-ready gowns were favored by his tall and tasteful friends such as Kissinger and Pat Buckley, the socialite wife of conservative writer William F. Buckley Jr. Vogue in the early 1980s was dressing its youthful cover subjects (Brooke Shields, Kim Alexis, Sheila Johnson) in de la Renta. But he didn’t work only for the elites — in 1980, he redesigned the Boy Scout uniform. Amid his growing fortunes was a personal tragedy. In 1983, Françoise died of breast cancer. A year later, Mr. de la Renta was moved by the story of an abandoned infant being cared for at the orphanage he supported in the Dominican Republic. He adopted the boy, Moises. In 1989, Mr. de la Renta married Annette Reed, an heiress and widow with three children. Besides his wife, survivors include Moises and three stepchildren.

White House glamour Nancy Reagan included Mr. de la Renta among her preferred designers, along with James Galanos and Bill Blass. Her mission to bring glamour back to the White House made Mr. de la Renta, known for gentlemanly manners, a natural confidant to a first lady. He touted her as a “model-size” political wife who “knew what looked good on her and had a true sense of fashion.” She rewarded him with many invitations to the White House. Years later, Mr. de la Renta persuaded Clinton to put aside her mostly safe wardrobe in favor of dramatic pastels. An early signature look was the pale-blue suit she wore at the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Then when word leaked out that Clinton had chosen Mr. de la Renta to design her wardrobe for her husband’s second inauguration, he would not dish before the event. “She wants to have some element of surprise,” the designer told The Washington Post’s Robin Givhan in January 1997. Clinton lit up the parade route in a de la Renta coral suit and then dazzled the balls in a gold-lace gown, with matching cape.

Soon she posed for Annie Leibovitz in the Red Room in a black velvet de la Renta dress for the December 1998 cover of Vogue , the first president’s wife to do so. In their post-presidency years, both Clintons, now New Yorkers, grew personally closer to the de la Rentas. Laura Bush became a de la Renta devotee after her husband was elected president. She wore some of his clothes at her own Vogue session with Leibovitz. “After the photo shoot, we called for a look book,” Laura Bush recalled in an interview with The Post. “I went to his studio and of course . . . like all women, I was immediately in love with Oscar.” For her husband’s 2005 swearing-in, Bush wore a winter white coat and suit by Mr. de la Renta, and the ice-blue tulle gown she wore that night remains her favorite by him. Mr. de la Renta’s clothes became a staple of Bush women’s wardrobes; he designed first daughter Jenna’s wedding gown, as well as Laura Bush’s turquoise mother-of-the-bride dress. “What I will miss so much about Oscar is that confidence he gave me,” Laura Bush said.

“He had a wonderful talent — for being able to see what looks best on women, what shapes make women look their best and what colors are the most flattering.” Mr. de la Renta was one of a very few American designers who drew the eye of an international clientele that favored the haute-couture houses of Europe. As a sign of his social smarts, he charmed those clients — Marie-Helene de Rothschild, Marella Agnelli, Babe Paley — as well as his fellow couturiers — Yves Saint Laurent, Blass, Valentino. Plus, he has attracted red-carpet icons-in-the-making: Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Hudson, Lea Michele. His prices reflect his stature: $5,845 for a ruffled one-shoulder crepe gown, $6,235 for a feather-trimmed jersey gown, $13,990 for an embroidered floral cloque gown. As much as the influential set shaped his reputation, he insisted that the customer was always right. “Unfortunately, success is not what fashion editors like: That is something that comes when an anonymous woman in the street wants to wear it,” he said in the biography.

Throughout his life, he emanated a joie de vivre that made him seem as if he had it all. “If my life were to end now, I would have no regrets,” he said on his 40th birthday, as recounted in “The Fashion Makers,” a 1978 survey of U.S. designers. “I’ve lived every day to the fullest, and I’ve had a marvelous time. I’ve tried to be nice to the people I care about, and ignore the ones I don’t. I enjoy what I’ve done.” jura.koncius@washpost.com Martel is a former Washington Post staff writer. lifestyle Oscar de la Renta - Biography - IMDb Oscar de la Renta Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trivia (6) | Personal Quotes (24) Overview (3) Oscar Aristides Ortiz de la Renta Fiallo Mini Bio (1) Oscar de la Renta was born on July 22, 1932 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as Oscar Aristides Ortiz de la Renta Fiallo.

He was a costume designer and executive, known for The September Issue (2009), Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011) and Beautopia (1998). He was married to Annette Reed and Françoise de Langlade. He died on October 20, 2014 in Kent, Connecticut, USA. Spouse (2) ( 26 December 1989 - 20 October 2014) (his death) (1 child) Françoise de Langlade ( 31 October 1967 - 17 June 1983) (her death) Trivia (6) Although born in the Dominican Republic, he is half-Dominican (on his mother's side) and half-Puerto Rican (on his father's side). As a result of his father's nationality, he was an American citizen, and lived most of his adult life in the United States. Adopted son, Moises de la Renta, with his second wife, Annette Reed de la Renta. Had step-children from both of his marriages.

Designed gowns worn by First Ladies of the United States beginning with Jacqueline Kennedy , and including Lady Bird Johnson , Pat Nixon , Betty Ford , Rosalynn Carter , Nancy Reagan , Barbara Bush , Hillary Clinton , Laura Bush , and Michelle Obama , an unbroken string of ten presidential wives in a row. Maintained homes in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA; Kent, Connecticut, USA; and in the Dominican Republic, the country of his birth. Pictured on a 250p Dominican Republic commemorative postage stamp issued 13 October 2015. Personal Quotes (24) We live in an era of globalization and the era of the woman. Never in the history of the world have women been more in control of their destiny. I always say: To be well dressed you must be well naked. The qualities I most admire in women are confidence and kindness. The great thing about fashion is that it always looks forward. Fashion is about dressing according to what's fashionable. Style is more about being yourself. I like light, color, luminosity. I like things full of color and vibrant. I want to make clothes that people will wear, not styles that will make a big splash on the runway.

There is always an emotional element to anything that you make. I'm a very restless person. I'm always doing something. The creative process never stops. Now is the most exciting time in fashion. Women are controlling their destiny now, the consumer is more knowledgeable, and I have to be better every single day. I am not interested in shock tactics. I just want to make beautiful clothes. Gardening is how I relax. It's another form of creating and playing with colors. I have this complex that if I walk into a place wearing a colorful shirt someone will stop me and say, 'I'm sorry, but the Latin band comes through the other door.' I don't really know how to do casual clothes. I wanted this, I wanted to do this, but my work is me, and it has to be right. We're dealing with sophisticated customers. What's most important to these women is individuality. I have to create things she'll want to wear, no matter who she is. Regardless of how good or bad a collection might be, it's a letdown after the show is over. It's done. Something you've worked on for months is just over.

I do not have one theme for each season, I just try to make beautiful clothes all year round. Every season I am inspired by women. If you want to establish an international presence you can't do so from New York. You need the consecration of Paris. Although I have no plans to tweet, I am fascinated by developments on the Internet. I was surrounded by sisters. My childhood was all women. Online media is increasingly influential in fashion. My customers are successful workingwomen.

See also Oscar de la Renta: Acclaimed fashion designer known as 'The Sultan of Suave' who dressed US First Ladies from Kennedy to Obama | The Independent People Oscar de la Renta: Acclaimed fashion designer known as 'The Sultan of Suave' who dressed US First Ladies from Kennedy to Obama Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, with six older sisters, he was surrounded by females from an early age Tuesday 21 October 2014 17:47 BST Click to follow The Independent Online De la Renta with Oprah Winfrey at a benefit gala in 2010; he assiduously networked among America's elite EPA "The most important thing in fashion is to have the memory of a mosquito," Oscar de la Renta told Gotham magazine. "Don't ever look back. Always look forward. You are only as good as your last collection." Known as "The Sultan of Suave", De la Renta was elegance personified, dressed impeccably, smelling beautifully, living a luxurious existence alien to mere mortals; the key to De la Renta was not his expensive aura but his charismatic character.

Elizabeth Musmanno, President of the Fragrance Foundation, who travelled extensively with De la Renta in the 1990s, told the New York Post, "He would laugh. He would cry. He would sing. He was the master at the art of conversation.' De la Renta's disarming charm was legendary. During a career which spanned more than half a century he dressed Hollywood celebrities, social A-listers and a succession of First Ladies which began with Jacqueline Kennedy and ended with Michelle Obama. In between there was Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. In each case he wasn't simply their couturier of choice but the kind of friend close enough to deliver deadpan criticism. "I told her a while back she should cut her hair," he said of Clinton, who wore his dark crimson velvet dress on the cover of American Vogue. "He's been working for 20 years to turn me into a fashion icon," she said. His frankness occasionally caused ripples. When he commented publicly about Michelle Obama's wardrobe to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace he was snubbed. But eventually he smoothed the way for a sartorial entrée. "I would love to dress Mrs Obama " he told CBS.

"I think she's a very stylish lady. " She was dressed in De la Renta at the White House Fashion Education Workshop she recently hosted. Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, with six older sisters, he was surrounded by females from an early age. The family business was insurance and it was assumed he would follow suit. Already with his eye on fashion, he had other ideas. With his mother's support he attended art school and at 15 was doing life drawing. His mother died of multiple sclerosis. He tried his hand at fashion illustrations and landed a job at Balenciaga's Madrid boutique via a friend. Chosen as an unknown to make the "coming out " dress for the daughter of the American ambassador to Spain, De la Renta had a Life cover story by the time he was 19. In 1961 he went to work with Antonio del Castillo at Lanvin in Paris. Sensing that the future of fashion was in ready-to-wear rather than couture, De la Renta arrived in America in 1963.

It was standard practice for the department store – not the designer – to have their name on the garment, but De la Renta was one of the new breed of designers who changed that. Before long he had met the cosmetics guru, Elizabeth Arden, in New York and was advised by Diana Vreeland to take a post with her because it would be a quicker way to make his name. By 1965 he had joined Jane Derby, a Seventh Avenue organisation, taking over when Derby died. De la Renta formed his own company in 1967. He cited Coco Chanel as the designer he most admired. "She really created the modern woman of today, " he said. "She was the most creative and innovative designer of the 20th century. In common with the legends of fashion design – Givenchy, Valentino, Balenciaga – De la Renta was the complete package. His style was never just about clothes. Elegant dressing. Chic houses. Beautiful surroundings. Delicious cuisine. The garden of his Connecticut country house was renowned for its taste. "I have made so many mistakes with the garden, " he said. "It's like fashion. Every time you plant something you learn, and it's different.

" Gregarious, and admitting that his Achilles' heel was that he wasn't comfortable being alone, De la Renta preferred the workroom to his office. Since the early days he had grasped that the key to success was continual reinvention. In the 1970s he attracted a new customer base which included Lauren Hutton, Liza Minnelli and Ali McGraw. Fast-forward to the 21st century, and De la Renta was being worn by Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman. Continually socialising with America's elite, he was accompanied by Oprah Winfrey to the Met Ball in 2010. His most recent triumph was creating the wedding dress for George Clooney's wife, Amal Alamuddin, for her Venice wedding. "George and I wanted a wedding that was romantic and elegant, " Alamuddin told American Vogue.

"Meeting Oscar made the design process all the more magical, as he is so warm and such a gentleman." With a rumoured intervention from American Vogue's Anna Wintour, De la Renta gave John Galliano the opportunity to re-engage with international fashion following the drunken, antisemitic rant which had ended his tenure at Dior and made him persona non grata. "John is one of the great talents of our times, " De la Renta told Vanity Fair. "It's always great to have another eye challenging you and we had a wonderful time working together. If you ask me the question, would you like to have him again? Yes." Apart from his talent to create delicious dresses, Oscar De la Renta, who also founded the Casa del Niño orphanage in La Romana in the Dominican Republic, will be remembered for his humanity, humour and generosity.

Oscar Aristides Renta Fiallo (Oscar de la Renta), fashion designer: born Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 22 July 1932; married 1967 Françoise de Langlade (died 1983), 1989 Annette Engelhard; died Kent, Connecticut 20 October 2014.

Question: In which country was designer Oscar de la Renta born?
Answer: The Dominican Republic