Designer Oscar de la Renta dead at 82
October 20, 2014 - 9:37 pm
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Designer Oscar de la Renta, center, smiles with model Karlie Kloss, left, and another model after presenting his Autumn/Winter 2013 collection during New York Fashion Week, Feb. 12, 2013. De la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson)
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Editor Anna Wintour and designer Oscar de la Renta arrive for the Diane von Furstenberg show during the Fall/Winter 2012 collection shows during New York Fashion Week, Feb. 12, 2012. De la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82. (Reuter/Carlo Allegri/File)
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Actress Penelope Cruz and Oscar de la Renta arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit celebrating the opening of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, in New York , May 2, 2011. De la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82. (Reuter/Mike Segar/File)
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Designer Oscar De La Renta smiles to the crowd after his Spring 2010 show during New York Fashion Week, Sept. 16, 2009. De la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82. Reuter/Lucas Jackson/File)
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Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta poses at The Colleagues 22nd Annual Spring Luncheon in Beverly Hills, California, April 12, 2011. De la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82. (Reuter/Mario Anzuoni/File)
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Designer Oscar de la Renta arrives for the Diane von Furstenberg show during the Fall/Winter 2012 collection shows at New York Fashion Week in this February 12, 2012 file photo. Designer Oscar de la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82, a family member told ABC News on October 20, 2014. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT FASHION HEADSHOT OBITUARY)
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Oscar de la Renta is seen during his Fall/Winter 2012 collection show during New York Fashion Week in this February 14, 2012 file photo. Designer Oscar de la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82, a family member told ABC News on October 20, 2014. REUTERS/Allison Joyce/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: FASHION ENTERTAINMENT SOCIETY OBITUARY)
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Oscar De La Renta addresses the audience to speak about his "Oscar" fashion line in Macy's Department Store during New York Fashion Week in this February 7, 2007 file photo. Designer Oscar de la Renta, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry over the last half century, has died at the age of 82, a family member told ABC News on October 20, 2014. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT FASHION PROFILE OBITUARY)
LOS ANGELES – Legendary fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who dressed generations of celebrities in red carpet and evening gowns, has died after battling cancer at 82.
In the early 1960s, he came to fame dressing Jackie Kennedy, and founded an influential New York fashion house. Among the actresses who appreciated his glamorous red carpet gowns were Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Oprah Winfrey, Kristen Stewart, Penelope Cruz and Jessica Chastain. One of his most recent commissions was Amal Clooney’s wedding dress.
His name was so synonymous with high fashion that an entire “Sex and the City” episode was based on the idea of Carrie Bradshaw receiving a knee-length red poufy dress from her boyfriend Aleksandr Petrovsky.
He can also be seen in 2009 documentary “The September Issue,” about the making of Vogue magazine’s huge annual fall edition.
Though his ruffles and slinky satin dresses were undeniably feminine, he told Elle magazine, “I hate pretty. It’s a very empty word. It gives a bad name to beauty.”
His designs were a favorite of first ladies — he dressed Nancy Reagan in the 1980s and then provided inaugural gowns for Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush. Hillary Clinton introduced a recent retrospective of his designs, saying, “His name alone evokes elegance and timeless beauty. And his designs give each of us a chance to feel like we’re special, too.”
Born in the Dominican Republic to a powerful family, de la Renta went to Spain to study painting and apprenticed with Cristobal Balenciaga before moving to Paris to work at Lanvin and Balmain. He moved to New York where he worked with Elizabeth Arden before launching his ready-to-wear label in 1965.
He married Francois de Langlade, editor of French Vogue, who died in 1983. His second wife, who survives him, is philanthropist Annette Reed. After de Langlade’s death, he adopted a son, Moises, who is a designer and artist.
ABC News reported the news of his death.