Óscar de la Renta
Famous BisÓscar Arístides Renta Fiallo, known professionally as Oscar de la Renta, was a Dominican fashion designer. He rose to international fame when he began designing outfits for Jacqueline Kennedy.
de la Renta apprenticed with the famous Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, whom he considered a mentor, and went on to work for a variety of fashion houses throughout his career. From 1993 to 2002, de la Renta designed the haute couture collection for the house of Balmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house.
In addition to clothing and wedding gowns, the Oscar de la Renta label launched a fragrance line, accessory line, and home decor line. In 2006, de la Renta designed Tortuga Bay, a boutique hotel at the luxury Puntacana Resort and Club.
Oscar de la Renta designed Amal Clooney and Kate Bosworth’s wedding dresses and has dressed Sarah Jessica Parker, Taylor Swift, Anne Hathaway, and many more for red carpet events.
In 1966, de la Renta became the third husband of Françoise de Langlade (1921–1983), an Editor-in-Chief of French Vogue who once worked for the fashion house of Elsa Schiaparelli. They were married until she died of cancer in 1983.
According to Michael Gross’ 2009 book Rogues’ Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money that Made the Metropolitan Museum, Oscar de la Renta had an affair with a man before meeting and marrying his wife Françoise Langlade — who was also bi.[1]
In addition to his design legacy, Oscar de la Renta founded the Casa del Niño orphanage in La Romana in the Dominican Republic.