Oscar de la Renta, born in 1932, was the son of a Dominican Republic insurance agent. He received his education in Santo Domingo and Madrid. He began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses to help pay for his painting studies. He first thought seriously about a career in fashion when he designed a debutante gown for the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, John Cabot Lodge. He moved to New York in 1963 to design for the custom-made collection at Elizabeth Arden. In 1967, he opened up his own company producing feminine, romantic, and dramatic evening clothes as well as accessories and fragrances for both men and women.
