Oscar de la Renta, a renowned American fashion designer famed for his glamorous red-carpet gowns and smart suits, died Monday evening at the age of 82.
Mr. de la Renta died just a few weeks after he named a new designer to replace him at his eponymous brand.
The designer to the stars – who created Amal Clooney’s wedding dress for her and George Clooney’s nuptials on 27 September – Oscar de la Renta died at his Connecticut home on Monday and while the cause of death is yet to be released, he was diagnosed with cancer in 2006.
The designer rose to prominence in the 1960s when then-First Lady Jackie Kennedy wore his garments and he went on to launch his own fashion label.
Former First Lady Hilary Clinton also used to regularly wear his designs, as did Laura Bush and Nancy Reagan, and earlier this month Michelle Obama, US President Barack Obama’s wife, wore one of his garments to an event.
The Dominican Republic-born designer dressed several stars throughout a highly successful career, including Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Audrey Hepburn.
Just last month, one of his latest commissions was Amal’s wedding dress and he appeared in the pages of Vogue magazine with her as she posed for pictures trying on the beautiful custom-made French lace gown.
A photo posted by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on
Lawyer Amal later praised Oscar for creating the outfit for her big day.
She said: “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.
“Meeting him made the design process all the more magical, as he is so warm and such a gentleman.”
Oscar also admitted he was fully aware of the importance of the garment and hoped he had created exactly what Amal wanted.
He said: “It’s the most important dress in the life of a woman.
“Any girl from any walk of life dreams of that special dress, and I try to make that dream a reality for her.
“Amal and I looked at a lot of evening dresses and wedding dresses together, and we discussed what she liked. That gave me the idea of what she wanted.”
Oscar is survived by his wife Annette and adopted son Moises.
Celebrities have taken to social media to express their condolences.