Leather firms pay tribute to Óscar de la Renta
21/10/2014
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Mr de la Renta travelled to Spain as a young man to study art. He began working in Madrid with Cristóbal Balenciaga before moving to Paris to work with Antonio del Castillo at luxury brand Lanvin at the start of the 1960s.
Fame came when Óscar de la Renta began to dress the US’s First Ladies: Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush and Michelle Obama all wore his designs.
He set up his own brand in New York in 1965 but waited until 2011 to launch an accessories collection, choosing ostrich, alligator and other exotic materials to make bags, belts, shoes and jewellery.
Leather companies around the world have paid tribute to the designer. South Cape Ostrich Tannery in South Africa said: “May his legacy live on through his timeless designs.” And Christy Plott Reddy, creative director of Georgia-based American Tanning and Leather Company, said: “It is a sad day for those of us who worked with Mr de la Renta. He was a true gentleman. Fashion has lost an icon.”
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