Oscar de la Renta, legendary fashion designer, dead at 82
NEW YORK – Oscar de la Renta, who dressed first ladies, socialites and Hollywood stars for more than four decades, has died. He was 82.
Family members said the Dominican-born de la Renta died Monday evening at his Connecticut home.
De la Renta was among a group of designers that also included Bill Blass and Geoffrey Beene who helped put the United States on the map in the late 1960s as a home of serious fashion.
His specialty was elaborate, embroidered eveningwear. First ladies Laura Bush and Hilary Clinton both wore de la Renta gowns to their inaugural balls, and Penelope Cruz and Sandra Bullock wore his work on the red carpet.
De la Renta catered mostly to his very high-end clients, but eyed more mass appeal with several fragrances and accessories licenses.
De la Renta died surrounded by family, friends and “more than a few dogs,” according to his stepdaughter, Eliza Reed Bolen.
The statement did not specify a cause of death, but de la Renta had spoken in the past of having cancer.
“While our hearts are broken by the idea of life without Oscar, he is still very much with us. Oscar’s hard work, his intelligence and his love of life are at the heart of our company,” the statement said. “All that we have done, and all that we will do, is informed by his values and his spirit.”
The late ’60s and early ’70s were a defining moment in U.S. fashion as New York-based designers carved out a look of their own that was finally taken seriously by Europeans. De la Renta and his peers defined American style – and their influence is still spotted today.
De la Renta’s specialty was eveningwear, though he also was known for chic daytime suits favored by the women who would gather at the Four Seasons or Le Cirque at lunchtime. His signature looks were voluminous skirts, exquisite embroideries and rich colors.
Earlier this month, first lady Michelle Obama notably wore a de la Renta dress for the first time. De la Renta had criticized her several years earlier, for not wearing an American label to a state dinner in 2011.
Among Obama’s predecessors favoring de la Renta were Laura Bush, who wore an icy blue gown by de la Renta to the 2005 inaugural ball, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who wore a gold de la Renta in 1997.