An overview of Oscar de la Renta’s life and career

The young painter wanted to prove to his father that he was serious about painting, so he enrolled in art classes while studying for his high school diploma in his native Santo Domingo.

The young aspiring artist moved to Madrid after reaching majority to train at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, but not everything would be easy. He found himself in quite a financial bind after his father stopped sending him money, seeing that he was not interested in the family business.

He began selling haute couture sketches to the most prestigious magazines in Spain when he had to work to pay for his expenses for the first time in his life. As an apprentice in Cristóbal Balenciaga’s personal workshop, he developed his talent and caught the attention of the renowned fashion designer.

According to Oscar de la Renta, elegance is like a discipline of life.

In those days, the then apprentice moved to Paris to work with the house of Lanvin, where he spent several years.

The Birth of an Empire: Oscar de la Renta

He opened his first store in the United States, determined to create his own brand. A few years later, the Dominican began designing for celebrities such as Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan.

Scar decided to branch out into the design of shoes, belts and bags after creating a fashion empire.

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During that time, the North American nation did not allow dual citizenship, so de la Renta renounced his Dominican nationality when he obtained the American one. Even so, he always stressed that he felt Dominican at heart.

In 2002, scar de la Renta founded California-based scar de la Renta Home, a store that specializes in household items.

Fatherhood is his dream

A piece of news would leave his heart shattered: Françoise de Langlade, his wife, was dying of cancer. Sadly, the designer’s beloved departed for a better world soon after, leaving him without children.

His wife passed away unexpectedly, so Scar moved to his native Dominican Republic to adopt a child, Moisés.

He married Anne France Engelhard, a single mother, after meeting her as a single father. His private life, despite his notoriety, was kept hidden from the public eye, so no further details are available.

Scar de la Renta suffered from cancer more than once in his life, but this time in his own body. In his home at age 82, the dressmaker died after a long fight.