Oscar de la Renta

De la Renta, the youngest of seven children and the only boy in his family, Óscar Avelino de la Renta, owner of an insurance company. The Fiallos, De la Renta's mother's family, were embedded in Dominican society, and counted poets, scholars, businessmen, and top army brass among their members. Their origin in the island can be traced back to the foundation of San Carlos de Tenerife in 1685 by Canarian settlers. A maternal uncle, Luis Arístides Fiallo Cabral, was a noted polymath. Another maternal uncle, Fabio Fiallo, was a diplomat and poet. De la Renta was raised Catholic. At the age of 18, he went to study painting in Spain at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. For extra money, he drew clothes for newspapers and fashion houses. In 1961, de la Renta left Spain to join Antonio del Castillo as a couture assistant at Lanvin in Paris. == Career ==

In 1963, de la Renta turned to Diana Vreeland, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, for advice. Vreeland advised de la Renta to work for Elizabeth Arden. De la Renta proceeded to work for Arden for two years in New York City before he went to work for Jane Derby, an American fashion house. When Derby died in August 1965, de la Renta took over the label. From 1993 to 2002, de la Renta designed the haute couture collection for the house of Balmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house. In 2006, the Oscar de la Renta label diversified into bridal wear. De la Renta's designs have been worn by a diverse group of distinguished women and celebrities, including pop star Taylor Swift. File:1966 Oscar de la Renta cocktail minidress, embroidered and beaded lace.jpg|1966 beaded cellophane lace cocktail minidress File:1977 evening ensemble, embroidered silk blouse and skirt, by Oscar de la Renta.jpg|1977 embroidered taffeta evening ensemble File:Oscar de la Renta pantsuit, late 1990s, red silk with multicoloured brocade pattern 1.jpg|Late 1990s red brocade pantsuit In 2014, the George 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. == Other enterprises ==

In 1977, de la Renta launched his fragrance, OSCAR, followed by an accessories line in 2001 and a homewares line in 2002. 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. In 2006, de la Renta designed Tortuga Bay, a boutique hotel at Puntacana Resort and Club. == Awards, honors, and philanthropic endeavors ==

Design awards In 1967 and 1968, de la Renta won the now-defunct Coty Award and in 1973 was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame. From 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988, he served as President of the CFDA. He is also a two-time winner of the American Fashion Critic's Award and was inducted into its hall of fame in 1973. King Juan Carlos of Spain bestowed de la Renta with two awards, the Gold Medal of Bellas Artes and the La Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil. The Dominican Republic honored him with the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella and the Order of Christopher Columbus. De la Renta founded the Casa del Niño orphanage in La Romana He contributed extensively in the construction of a much needed school near his home at the Punta Cana Resort and Club in Punta Cana. De la Renta held dual citizenship in the Dominican Republic and the United States., Carnegie Hall and WNET. He served on the boards of several charitable institutions such as New Yorkers for Children, the America's Society. He was chairman of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute. Honors In 1991, de la Renta was the recipient of the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement. In 2014, de la Renta was the recipient of the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence. In 2017, de la Renta was featured by the United States Postal Service with an eleven stamp series. == Personal life ==

In 1966, de la Renta became the third husband of Françoise de Langlade (1921–1983), an editor-in-chief of French Vogue who once worked for the fashion house of Elsa Schiaparelli. They were married until she died of cancer in 1983. In 1990, the designer married Annette Engelhard (born 1939), daughter of Fritz Mannheimer and his wife Jane 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. De la Renta was regarded as an unofficial ambassador of the Dominican Republic, his home country, and held a diplomatic passport. He had homes there in Casa de Campo and Punta Cana, in addition to his residence in Kent, Connecticut. == Later life and death ==

De la Renta was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. A year later at the CFDA "Fashion Talks" event, Executive Director Fern Mallis called him "The Sultan of Suave". At that event, he spoke of his cancer, saying: De la Renta died of complications from cancer on 20 October 2014, at his home in Kent, Connecticut, at the age of 82. == See also ==