Key facts about Oscar De La Renta

October 23, 2014

Fashion designer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and fashion icon Oscar de la Renta passed away at age 82 at his home in Kent, Connecticut. Some of the important facts of his life are:-

De la Renta was born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic in 1932 in a middle class family.
Later, he moved to Madrid, Spain and studied at the Academy of San Fernando. He was meant to study painting, but he accidentally got involved in designing.
In Spain, he worked in the ateliers of Balenciaga, Dior and Lanvin
He, then moved to USA to work for Elizabeth Arden
In 1965, he launched his own ready to wear label. His style is described as modern, yet feminine
He has designed for CEOs, first wives, political icons, socialites and Hollywood elites for the last five decades.
He served as President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America from 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988
Between 1993 to 2002, de la Renta designed haute couture collections for Pierre Balmain, single-handedly helping the revival of fashion house which has been witnessing disappointing sales
Also, he has served on the boards of The Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall amongst others. He also supports several cultural institutions, including New Yorkers for Children, the Americas Society and the Spanish Institute. He also supports an orphanage in the Dominican
The Dominican Republic has awarded him the Order of Juan Pablo Duarte and the Order of Cristóbal Colón
In 2002, he introduced his own furniture line. His brand also has a line of perfumes & fragrance which is sold in over 70 countries
He has been battling cancer since 2006, and is believed to have passed away due to the disease. Before his death, he appointed British designer Peter Copping as his successor to the Oscar de la Renta brand
De la Renta is survived by his wife, Annette Engelhard; his son, Moises; three sisters; three step-children and nine step-grandchildren