Óscar de la Renta | |
|---|---|
 De la Renta in 2008 | |
| Born | Óscar Arístides de la Renta y Fiallo (1932-07-22)22 July 1932 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| Died | 20 October 2014(2014-10-20) (aged 82) Kent, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Citizenship | Dominican Republic United States |
| Education | Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando |
| Label | Oscar de la Renta |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Moisés de la Renta |
| Relatives | Luis Álvarez Renta (nephew) Fabio Fiallo (uncle) Luis Arístides Fiallo (uncle) Viriato Fiallo (cousin) Larimar Fiallo (first cousin-twice removed) José Ortíz de la Renta (great-great-grandfather) |
| Awards | CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award, American Fashion Critic's Award,Order ofJuan Pablo Duarte, Order ofCristóbal Colón |
| Website | www |
Óscar Arístides de la Renta y Fiallo (22 July 1932 – 20 October 2014), known professionally asÓscarde la Renta, was a Dominicanfashion designer. Born inSanto Domingo, he was trained byCristóbal Balenciaga andAntonio del Castillo. De la Renta became internationally known in the 1960s as one of thecouturiers who dressedJacqueline Kennedy. He worked forLanvin andBalmain. Hiseponymous fashion house has boutiques around the world, and isheadquartered onMadison Avenue inManhattan.
De la Renta, the youngest of seven children and the only boy in his family,[1] was born inSanto Domingo,Dominican Republic, to a Dominican mother, Carmen María Antonia Fiallo and a Puerto Rican father,[2] Óscar Avelino de la Renta, owner of aninsurance company. The Fiallos, De la Renta's mother's family, were embedded inDominican society, and counted poets, scholars, businessmen, and top army brass among their members.[3] Their origin in the island can be traced back to the foundation ofSan Carlos de Tenerife in 1685 byCanarian settlers.[4]
A maternal uncle,Luis Arístides Fiallo Cabral, was a doctor, lawyer, and architect, who received every degree theUniversity of Santo Domingo could offer.[5] Another maternal uncle,Fabio Fiallo, was a diplomat and poet.[5] On his father's side, De la Renta's great-great-grandfatherJosé Ortíz de la Renta was the first mayor ofPonce, Puerto Rico, elected by popular vote and who had the distinction of serving as mayor eight times, the most ever for the city.[6]
De la Renta was raisedCatholic in a protective family.[7][8] His mother died from complications ofmultiple sclerosis when he was 18.[7]
At the age of 18, he went to study painting in Spain at theRoyal Academy of San Fernando inMadrid.[1][7][9] For extra money, he drew clothes for newspapers and fashion houses.[1] AfterFrancesca Lodge, the wife ofJohn Davis Lodge, theU.S. Ambassador to Spain, saw some of his dress sketches, she commissioned de la Renta to design a gown for her daughter.[1] The dress appeared on the cover ofLife magazine that fall.[9] He quickly became interested in the world of fashion design and began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses, which soon led to an apprenticeship with Spain's most renownedcouturier,Cristóbal Balenciaga. He considered Cristóbal Balenciaga his mentor.[10] In 1961, de la Renta left Spain to joinAntonio del Castillo as a couture assistant atLanvin inParis.[11]
In 1963, de la Renta turned toDiana Vreeland, the editor-in-chief ofVogue, for advice, saying that what he really wanted was to "get into ready to wear, because that's where the money is".[12] Vreeland replied, "Then go toArden because you will make your reputation faster. She is not a designer, so she will promote you. At the other place, you will always be eclipsed by the name ofDior."[13] De la Renta proceeded to work for Arden for two years inNew York City before he went to work forJane Derby, an American fashion house.[14] When Derby died in August 1965, de la Renta took over the label.[15]
From 1993 to 2002, de la Renta designed thehaute couture collection for the house ofBalmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house.[16][17] In 2006, the Oscar de la Renta label diversified into bridal wear.[18]
De la Renta's designs have been worn by a diverse group of distinguished women and celebrities, including pop star Taylor Swift.[11] De la Renta's brand saw internationalwholesale growth beginning in 2003, under the direction of CEO Alex Bolen, from five to seventy-five locations.[19] De la Renta's designs are available in his retail stores, online, and with select wholesale partners worldwide.[20]
In 2014, theGeorge W. Bush Presidential Center hosted an exhibit titled "Oscar de la Renta: Five Decades of Style" which shared the designer's creations for Mrs. Bush and America's First Ladies.[21]
In 1977, de la Renta launched his fragrance,OSCAR,[22] followed by an accessories line in 2001[23] and a homewares line in 2002.[24] The new business venture included 100 home furnishings for Century Furniture featuring dining tables, upholstered chairs, and couches. In 2004, he added a less expensive line of clothing called O Oscar. De la Renta said he wanted to attract new customers whom he could not previously reach.[25]
In 2006, de la Renta designed Tortuga Bay, a boutique hotel atPuntacana Resort and Club. The hotel is part of the luxury hotel collection, The Leading Hotels of the World.[26]
In 1967 and 1968, de la Renta won theCoty Award (the U.S. fashion industry "Oscars") and in 1973 was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame.[27]
From 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988, he served as President of theCFDA.[28] He is also a two-time winner of the American Fashion Critic's Award and was inducted into the Fame in 1973.[11]
De la Renta's talents received continual international recognition. Among them, he received theCouncil of Fashion Designers Designer of the Year Award in 2000 and in 2007 (tied withProenza Schouler). In February 1990, he was honored with theCFDA Lifetime Achievement Award.[29] KingJuan Carlos of Spain bestowed de la Renta with two awards, the Gold Medal of Bellas Artes and theLa Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil.[11] He was recognized by the French government with theLégion d'honneur as a Commandeur.[11]
Oscar de la Renta was named to theInternational Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.[30]
The Dominican Republic honored him with theOrder of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella and theOrder of Christopher Columbus. De la Renta founded the Casa del Niño orphanage inLa Romana[31] He contributed extensively in the construction of a much needed school near his home at thePunta Cana Resort and Club inPunta Cana.[citation needed]
De la Renta held dual citizenship in theDominican Republic and the United States.[5] He was anAmbassador-at-Large of the Dominican Republic.[5]
De la Renta served as a board member of theMetropolitan Opera,Carnegie Hall andWNET. He served on the boards of several charitable institutions such as New Yorkers for Children, the America's Society. He was chairman of theQueen Sofía Spanish Institute.[11] He received an honorary degree fromHamilton College on 26 May 2013.
In February 2014, Oscar de la Renta recreated his entire Spring presentation,Designed for A Cure 2014 collection, to raise money for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at theMiller School of Medicine at theUniversity of Miami.[32]
In 1991, de la Renta was the recipient of the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement.[33] In 2014, de la Renta was the recipient of the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence.[34]In 2017, de la Renta was honored by the United States Postal Service with an eleven stamp series, featuring a black and white photo of him and ten details from his fashion designs.[35]
In 1966, de la Renta became the third husband ofFrançoise de Langlade (1921–1983),[36] an editor-in-chief ofFrench Vogue who once worked for the fashion house ofElsa Schiaparelli. They were married until she died of cancer in 1983.[8] After her death, de la Renta adopted a boy from the Dominican Republic and named him Moisés.[8]
In 1990, the designer marriedAnnette Engelhard (born 1939), daughter ofFritz Mannheimer and his wifeJane née Reiss, and adoptive daughter of her mother's second husband,Charles W. Engelhard, Jr. De la Renta had stepchildren from both marriages. His son-in-law Alex Bolen currently operates as chief executive officer, and stepdaughter Eliza Bolen serves as Vice President of Licensing at Oscar de la Renta, LLC.[37][38]
De la Renta was regarded as an unofficial ambassador of theDominican Republic, his home country, and held a diplomatic passport. He had homes there inCasa de Campo andPunta Cana, in addition to his residence inKent, Connecticut.[1]
De la Renta was diagnosed withcancer in 2006.[39] A year later at theCFDA "Fashion Talks" event, Executive DirectorFern 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.[40]
De la Renta died of complications from cancer on 20 October 2014, at his home inKent, Connecticut, at the age of 82.[1][41]
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