Hispanic DesignersOscar de la Renta
 
 

de la Renta Woman's Dress

 

 

Oscar de la Renta (b. 1932), son of a Dominican Republic insurance agent and his wife, traveled to Madrid, Spain, at the age of 17 to study art. He wanted to be a painter, and began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses to pay for his art studies. He first thought seriously about a career in fashion when he designed a debutante gown for the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain. A photographic story of the party to which she wore it appeared in Life magazine. Soon after, he landed a job at Eisa, Balenciaga's couture house in Madrid.

In 1961, he was hired as an assistant by Antonio del Castillo at the Lanvin-Castillo couture house in Paris. Following the same course as Castillo, de la Renta moved to New York in 1963 to design the custom-made collection at Elizabeth Arden. In 1965, he joined the wholesale house of Jane Derby, and became a partner in the business. After Derby's retirement in 1967, he changed the name of the company and produced luxury women's ready-to-wear. De la Renta became known for his feminine, romantic, and dramatic evening clothes utilizing elaborate fabrics and embroideries
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In 1993 de la Renta was hired by the House of Balmain to design their couture collection, becoming the first American designer since Mainbocher to design couture in Paris, France.

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