Fashion Designer Profile: Oscar de la Renta
In 1932 Oscar de la Renta was born in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. From 1950 to 1952, he studied at the National School of Art, in Santo Domingo. In 1952, he moved to Madrid in Spain, and studied at the Academia de San Fernando, Madrid. He had intended to study abstract painting but he was more interested in fashion drawing.

In 1956, Mrs. John Lodge, the wife of the US Ambassador to Spain, saw some of his drawings and commissioned him to make a dress for her daughter Beatrice.

Oscar came to the attention of Cristobal Balenciaga, the famous designer, who took him on at his Eisa atelier in Madrid. In 1961 Oscar de la Renta went to Paris as an assistant to Antonio del Castillo at the house of Lanvin.

In 1963 he moved to Elizabeth Arden couture and ready-to-wear salon in New York. In 1965 De la Renta moved to Jane Derby and when she died in 1969, he took over the firm and gave it his own name.

During the sixties, he developed a reputation as a designer of extravagant, opulent yet tasteful clothes. He created a variety of theme collections based on fashions of the belle epoque, abstract art prints, orientally inspired evening clothes and exotic flamenco dresses. His day clothes by comparison, were almost austere: little coats made lavish only by the fur trim.

In 1967 his Gypsy collection attracted a great deal of attention. His clothes had become ornate and witty, such as bejewelled hot pants worn under a silk mini-dress and coats made of bandanna-printed denim. In 1969 Djellabahs appeared, with scrolling Moroccan braid enhanced by pearls and gems.

Oscar married Francoise de Langlade in 1967. She was the editor-in-chief of French Vogue. She died in 1983. He married for the second time to Annette Reed in 1989 and they have a son Moises.

By the early seventies, his day clothes had become more casual. Although some of his soft chiffon evening dresses followed the current silhouette, he maintained his tradition of a close-fitting waist and a deep V-neckline.

In 1974 he presented almost the exact evening dress that would make waves for Yves St; Laurent two years later, a floor length dirndl skirt with black puffed-sleeved peplum bodice.

In 1990 Oscar de la Renta was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award by the CFDA.

From 1993, Oscar de la Renta began designing for the elegant Paris house of Pierre Balmain in addition to his own collections. He was the first American designer to head a Parisian couture house. He designed for Balmain for nearly a decade, presenting his last collection in 2001

All his life, Oscar de la Renta has been donating money and time to the less fortunate in the Dominican Republic. He helped build schools and day-care centres and has been honoured as it's best known native son.

In 1997 De la Renta launched his less-expensive line OSCAR designed for the working woman.

In the year 2001, the city of New York decided to honour American fashion designers by placing bronze plaques along 7th Avenue, the great street of fashion in New York. This has been called the "FASHION WALK OF FAME." Oscar de la Renta was one of those honoured, and here is a picture of his plaque.

In 2001, he started dressing the new First Lady, Laura Bush, wife of US President George W. Bush.

Spring/Summer 2003 Ready-to-Wear

  • Oscar de la Renta showed the Spring/Summer 2003 Ready-to-Wear collection at the New York Fashion Week in September 2002, which was greeting with aclaim.

    Autumn/Winter 2003 Ready-to-Wear
    New York - February 2003

  • As ever, Oscar's collections are all about ladylike dressing. His perfect flannel suits, elegant cocktail dresses and his masterly evening wear had the crowd swooning. He added details such as jewelled necklines, colourful embroidery, shiny alligator skin handbags and fur collars.

    Spring/Summer 2004

  • Oscar's Spring collection was shown during New York Fashion Week in September 2003.
  • Oscar de la Renta is well-known among Society women for his full-skirted gowns. This collection also appealed to their daughters and perhaps even their granddaughters. The clothes were fresh, in sunshine colours. Little black dresses were not forgotten, and were simple and elegant. He showed cashmere cardigans with tufted edges, rippling patterned silk skirts and lots of floral patterned dresses that gave a sense of summer.

    Fall/Winter 2004

  • The Fall collection was shown during New York Fashion Week in February 2004. Oscar always shows fabulous handiwork, rich colours and shapes cut to flatter the figure. He loves fur trim and never lets his fabrics get too heavy. His evening looks are fairy-tales in spangled tulle and satin.

    Oscar's son Moi

  • 19 year old Moises de la Renta, Oscar's son, is launching his own label this summer, which will be a denim-based collection of womenswear, menswear and accessories. He will be asking his father for advice all the way, saying "he is my mentor as a father and a designer."

    Hands over Reins

  • In July 2004, Oscar handed over the title of Chief Executive to his 36 year old son-in-law Alex Bolen, husband of Oscar's stepdaughter Eliza Reed Bolen. Alex has earlier worked with Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs. Oscar retains the title of Chairman, and will remain very active in all aspects of the business, not only design.

    Spring/Summer 2005

  • During New York Fashion Week in September 2004, Oscar de la Renta presented his Spring collection.
  • His collections are always a delight to the eye. He showed 81 outfits flawlessly made, with just the right balance of mature charm and youthful joy. Tropical climates are second nature to him, with rich deep hues but there were plenty of clean, classic silhouettes.


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