Fashion icon Oscar de la Renta has died at 82 years old, his family told ABC News. The legendary designer was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 but has remained one of the most sought after designers, recently designing the wedding dress of Amal Clooney for her wedding to George Clooney.
De la Renta began his career at 18 when he left his home in the Dominican Republic to study painting in Madrid and fell in love with fashion. After finding his passion, he began an apprenticeship with mentor Cristobal Balenciaga, later landing a job in Paris with Lanvin.
Celebrities have long worn his designs, but it was Jaqueline Kennedy who helped launch him into fashion stardom as she was frequently spotted wearing his designs. The credibility and prominence from that exposure helped him launch his own ready-to-wear label in 1965 in New York. Kennedy was not the only First Lady to wear his elegant gowns either. Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Betty Ford were also fans. Celebrities Oprah Winfrey, Lea Michele, Jennifer Garner, and Sarah Jessica Parker are just a few of the many celebrities to be seen in his creations.
The New York Times described the designers health earlier this month as “precarious,” and in September he was described as looking “frail.” At an event last year, de la Renta talked about his battle with cancer “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,” USA Today reported.
The designer will be remembered as the tanned, exuberant man who was always a gentleman.
Oscar de la Renta Diane Cohen/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
