Oscar de la Renta: A fashion force until the end

Oscar de la Renta, who died Monday at age 82, was a gentleman designer who over the last five decades defined American elegance.

De la Renta’s pop culture influence was wide-ranging. He recently designed Amal Clooney’s wedding dress, and nearly every first lady in the modern era -- including Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Michelle Obama -- has worn his designs. Vogue editor Anna Wintour is also a big proponent of his clothes, which she wears often.

Although De la Renta is considered an American designer, his feminine style was more rooted in European couture traditions. He trained with Balenciaga and also worked as the designer of Balmain couture for nine years before founding his namesake label in 1965.

He was a force in fashion until the end.

Just last month, Amal Alamuddin wore an Oscar de la Renta gown to her wedding to George Clooney. De la Renta himself was at the final fitting, giving advice and making sure details were just so.

Though news of his death was sudden, De la Renta had battled cancer for years, and he had been actively looking for a successor, a strategy that was pioneering among a generation of designers in their 70s and 80s, which includes Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld.

After a search that included a tryout of sorts for John Galliano, formerly of Dior, De la Renta last week named British designer Peter Copping as the label’s new creative director.

Copping, who created elegant, ladylike clothing at Nina Ricci, where he was creative director for five years, was due to begin work as the new creative director at De la Renta ‎on Nov. 4, and his first collection for the house is to be shown during New York Fashion Week in February 2015.

A complete obituary is here.