Oscar de la Renta – A Legacy of Beauty
American fashion has lost one of its greats. Oscar de la Renta , who became synonymous with soigné American taste, first ladies and the bevy of celebrities who graced the red carpet in his elegant designs, continuously embraced femininity and polite elegance throughout his star-studded career. His work –though not the most modern– was, by all accounts, beautiful and chic.
Oscar in his fabulous home in Punta Cana.
Oscar de la Renta – Fall 2013-Winter 2014
Oscar de la Renta – Fall 2011-Winter 2012
Oscar de la Renta – Fall 2013-Winter 2014
Oscar de la Renta – Fall 2012-Winter 2013
Oscar de la Renta: A Life of Beauty
Before becoming a feature in New York’s society circles, Oscar de la Renta (born Óscar Arístides de la Renta Fiallo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) went to Spain and then France to hone his tailoring and draping skills in the established haute couture tradition.
Oscar de la Renta working the last details onto a wedding gown, 1956
Oscar fitting a model for his Fall 1979-Winter 1980 collection
Lee Radziwill, Peter Tuffe, Oscar de la Renta, and Françoise de la Renta (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Oscar backstage with models during his Fall 2005 fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in New York
By the time he arrived in the US and was discovered by Elizabeth Arden, the young designer had simplified his moniker to de la Renta. He quickly began his rise to prominence in New York’s fashion scene, rubbing elbows with society doyennes that became his greatest champions. His influence grew beyond conventional settings as he expanded his formidable brand to include menswear licenses and home furnishings.
Oscar poses with two of his models after the presentation of the 1998-1999 fall:winter haute couture collection he designed for Balmain in Paris.
Vogue editor Anna Wintour and Oscar attend the Diane Von Furstenberg fall 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Theater at Lincoln Center in New York.
Oscar de la Renta advertisement with Cindy Crawford, 1988
Barbara Walters, left, Oscar de la Renta and actress Sarah Jessica Parker attend a benefit screening of “The Family Stone” at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York.
Like his close friend Bill Blass, he is credited for dressing multiple First Ladies for presidential inaugurals and official events and creating countless extraordinary wedding gowns for high-profile nuptials, including his last one just this past month for Amal Alamuddin, George Clooney’s wife. Oscar de la Renta’s affinity for beautiful, classic clothing earned him a position at the top of the fashion pantheon.
Oscar and Nancy Reagan presents philanthropist Brooke Astor with an award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton in an Oscar de la Renta suit, wave to the crowd as they walk down 15th Street in Washington during the inaugural parade on January 20, 1993.
Laura Bush and Oscar pose for photographers with an outfit she is donating to the Heart Truth 2004 collection in New York. The outfit was designed by de la Renta, Feb. 9, 2004
Oscar with friend and fellow designer Carolina Herrera
Amal Alamuddin at a final fitting, with Oscar de la Renta (right) and head tailor Raffaele Ilardo, in the designer’s New York studio. Oscar de la Renta ivory beaded-tulle dress with Chantilly-lace appliqué. Vogue, October 2014
He is survived by his son Moises and second wife, Annette. Though we mourn his passing, we celebrate his many achievements and a legacy that will live on for many generations.
Oscar with his son Moises
Oscar de la Renta, by Irving Penn, Vogue, May 1982
