An Ode to Oscar

It is with a heavy heart to say goodbye to such an iconic designer. Oscar de la Renta passed away today, October 20th at the age of 82. The cause of death has not yet been released. 

Born on July 22, 1932 in the Dominican Republic, he was the only son of seven children. At the age of 18, he went to study painting in Madrid, but quickly fell in love with the world of fashion where he began to sketch for well known fashion houses. Under the guidance and mentorship of Cristóbal Balenciaga, Oscar worked as an apprentice where he worked on perfecting his craft. Later, he left Spain to work for Antonio del Castillo as an assistant at Lanvin. Over the years, Oscar worked his way up through the business by staying motivated to one day launch his own label. In 1965, he did so. 

From 1993 to 2002, he designed the haute couture collection for Balmain. In 2006, he established a bridal wear line. For nearly half a century, Oscar got the opportunity to have many high profile women wear his designs. There were many including, Oprah, Jackie Kenndy, Taylor Swift and most recently, Amal Aladmuddin who was dressed in a couture bridal gown for her wedding to George Clooney. A-Listers trusted his eye for class, sophistication and impeccable taste.