Oscar de la Renta is a fashion designer born in the Dominican Republic in 1932. Displaying an early aptitude for art, Oscar left for Spain, to study painting at Madrid’s Academy of San Fernando. Fascinated by Spanish culture and with a growing interest in fashion design, Oscar began sketching for fashion houses and landed a position with leading couturier, Cristobal Balenciaga. In 1960, he moved to Paris and worked as a couture assistant an Lanvin.