Oscar de la Renta

Today we pay homage to a man of many talents, a worldly designer, who changed the face of fashion forever. The newly departed Oscar de la Renta had a huge influence that shaped the wardrobes of socialites and Hollywood stars alike. His path to fame started when he left his native Dominican Republic at age 18 to study painting in Spain but soon became sidetracked by fashion. The wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain saw some of his sketches and asked him to make a dress for her daughter — a dress that landed on the cover of Life magazine.

The spotlight of the Life magazine cover led to an apprenticeship with Cristobal Balenciaga, and then de la Renta moved to France to work for couture house Lanvin. By 1963, he was working for Elizabeth Arden couture in New York and in 1965 had launched his own label. The late ‘60s and early ‘70s were a defining moment in U.S. fashion as New York-based designers finally carved 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. His signature looks were voluminous skirts, exquisite embroideries and rich colors. Most recently, Amal Alamuddin wore a de la Renta-designed wedding dress when she married George Clooney. And here at Devour the Details, we could not thank him more for that! He created a marvelous gown that truly captured the essence of Amal Alamuddin on her wedding day.

His bridal collection is a dream come true so we are truly sad to have to let this wonderful man go. It is an honor to have had the pleasure of observing his fashions. In his life, he has inspired many other designers, so it is without question that a little piece of him will carry on in all of their work. Learn more about Oscar de la Renta, his life, collections, his ten most memorable gowns according to the Washington Post and swoon over every, single, extraordinary piece.