the designer Oscar de la Renta What many have called a magician, a fashion colossus or the great knight of the Sui kingdom, was born on July 22, 1932 in a middle-class home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he grew up with six sisters.
How did Oscar de la Renta become famous?
At the age of eighteen, Oscar left Santo Domingo for Madrid, encouraged by his father, a famous insurance agent, who did not hesitate to support his son when he told him that he wanted to devote himself to abstract painting, so he financed a trip. . Study in the Spanish capital Royal School of Art, San Fernando.
However, fate led him to work in the Madrid workshop of the Great Cristobal Balenciagawhere he achieved his first success, for from his hand came a great costume sketch Beatriz LodgeDaughter of the then US Ambassador to Spain.
As luck would have it, young Beatriz was on the cover of the weekly the life The creation of Óscar de la Renta, with whom this design spread around the world and began to be heard in the most influential circles of fashion.
In 1961 he went to Paris to collaborate Antonio CastilloBalenciaga’s assistant, who had just received an attractive offer from the firm Lanvin From Paris they worked together for two years, because in his constant search for new things, de la Renta decided to try his luck in New York, a city that would eventually become his permanent residence.
Another great man in New York, Elizabeth Ardennoticed her and offered her a position as a haute couture and clothing designer at his house, where she also managed the beauty sector.
1965: De la Renta forms his own firm
He remained in the house from 1963 to 1965, the year he placed himself under the orders of the North American designer. Jane Derbywhich he replaces when he dies. On the basis of this fashion house, de la Renta decided to create his own clothing brand, with which he would achieve great success.
In 1967 she married the then fashion editor enjoying france, Francois LangladeWhich makes him the center of all eyes. She is in charge of introducing her husband to the elite of fashion society and over time designs exquisitely tasteful dresses for this class of women who become her clients. Jacqueline KennedyMadonna’s courage or sophistication Sarah Jessica Parker.
Her long list of clients, who loved her fine silk fabrics, her studied ruffles and her studied silhouettes, never tired of dressing up her looks and each of her collections was more admired than the last. Her clothing was informal luxury and she offered a perfume for those who could not afford her clothes. his first Oscar Perfume It debuted in 1977 and quickly became a hit.
Respected by his contemporaries, de la Renta served as its president Council of Fashion Designers of America 1973 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988.
Death of his wife Francoise Langlade
However, while he was in the midst of one of the best moments of his career, Oscar de la Renta died of cancer in 1983. The couple had no children at the time and the designer, feeling very lonely, decided to adopt a child, MosesisIn an orphanage in his homeland and made his second home, a Caribbean paradise where all his friends were invited and where he displayed his great skills as a singer and dancer.
Recovering from this terrible loss, de la Renta married a second time in 1990 to a philanthropist and philanthropist. Annette Engelhard Reed.
Thus, if in the 90s he conquered half of Hollywood, in the 2000s he became the favorite couturier of the first lady of the United States, from Jackie Kennedy. Hillary Clintonpassing through Nancy Reagan And Laura Bush.
What disease did Oscar de la Renta suffer from?
Always tanned and impeccably dressed, He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 And far from abandoning his workshop or abandoning the needle, the master continued to work until the end but not a trivial task, no, because destiny had prepared for him a great farewell: designing clothes that Amal Alamuddin She wore it with her Venetian wedding day George Clooney.
Genius in its purest form, Oscar de la Renta’s life ended forever on October 20, 2014of complications from his illness at the age of 82 in Kent, Connecticut.
Who got the Oscar de la Renta brand?
After his death, Eliza BoleynAnnette’s daughter, along with her husband, took over the reins of the de la Renta empire and they decided to settle Peter Copping in the position of creative director until replaced by designers in 2017 Fernando Garcia and Laura KimFor those who started their careers alongside de la Renta and who were trained by the designer himself, it seemed logical that they would return to their roots to continue the brand’s legacy.
