By Adedayo Odulaja
The death, which occurred late yesterday, October 20, 2014, was confirmed by his wife, Annette de la Renta with cause of death linked to complications from cancer, against which the celebrated fashion legend, who clothed stars for decades, fought for about 8 years.
With a business that grew by 50 percent to not less than $150 million in sales and his name linked to celebrity events like the Oscars, de la Renta would be remembered as a star in his own right especially with the likes of Amy Adams, Sarah Jessica Parker and Penélope Cruz among actresses who wore his clothes in recent times.
Despite his terminal illness, he forged ahead with remarkable resilience and even the recent celebrity wedding between Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney in Venice didn’t do without his distinct designs in which the bride sparkled.
Renowned for clothing several Hollywood celebrities as well as four American first ladies including Nancy Reagan, Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama, de la Renta’s legacy as a consummate artist noted for his classic designs is firmly established.
With two homes in the Dominican Republic, Oscar de la Renta is noted as a fearless fashion guru who once chided Michelle Obama for wearing foreign labels.
He is survived by the former Annette Engelhard Reed, whom he married in 1989 following the death of his first wife, Francois, also from cancer in 1983 and a son, Moises as well as 3 sisters, 3 stepchildren and 9 step-grandchildren.
Oscar Aristedes de la Renta was born in Santo Domingo on July 22, 1932. The youngest of seven children and the only boy, he finished high school in Santo Domingo, and although his father preferred that he join him in the insurance business, young Oscar persuaded his mother to send him to Madrid to study art.
Unknown to all, it was the beginning of a journey to global fame and fortune for the 19-year old who left home shortly after the death of his mother.
