The funeral for the late designer Oscar De La Renta will be held in New York on November 3 at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola at Park Avenue in Manhattan, according to Vogue magazine, the ceremony is going to be very private and intimate. Oscar De La Renta passed away on Monday, October 20, 2014 at his home in Connecticut, at the age of 82 to cancer.
The fashion designer was first diagnosed with cancer in 2006, and a year later, at the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Oscar De La Renta humbly spoke of his diagnoses, “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”.
The internationally renowned designer captured elegance and femininity in his collections. Originally he studied painting at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid, however he was spotted by Francesca Lodge, the wife of then US ambassador of Spain to design a dress for her, that later also featured on Life Magazine. From then, his name only grew, he rapidly rose as a young designer, creating sketches for major Spanish fashion houses.
Thus landing him the opportunity to work with Cristóbal Balenciaga. Oscar De La Renta referred to Cristobal as his mentor, however this partnership was short lived and in 1961, he left Balenciaga for Lavin to work under Antonio Del Castillo as couture assistant. Eventually Oscar went to work for Elizabeth Arden as well as becoming the couture designer for Balmain from 1993 to 2002.
His designs have been wore by all women of the world including Hilary Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emma Watson, Penelope Cruz, Oprah Winfrey and most recently he designed the wedding dress for the bride of George Clooney, Amal Alamuddin. Amal spoke of the late designer to Vogue, “George and I wanted a wedding that was romantic and elegant, and I can’t imagine anyone more able than Oscar to capture this mood in a dress“.
Mrs Obama eventually made her first appearance in one of his dresses at a White House reception in October. Michelle Obama was not the first first lady to wear Oscar’s designs; Jackie Kennedy practically created the Oscar De La Renta Buzz in the 60’s. The loss of his death comes as a shock to the fashion industry, it gapes a hole that can never be filled. Oscar De La Renta will not only be remembered for his brilliant designs but also for his humility.
“The qualities I most admire in women are confidence and kindness” – Oscar de la Renta
#Peace.Love.OscarDeLaRenta
