Hollywood is mourning the death of fashion icon Oscar de la Renta who passed away on Monday, Oct. 20 after a battle against cancer.
Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Gloria Estefan, and Karlie Kloss were among the first celebrities to react to the sad news of his death, in person and via social media, in the hours that followed the announcement.
Swift shared a photo of her stunning Met Gala gown, which she wore in May, via Instagram, captioning the picture, “My all-time favorite designer has passed away. Oscar, it was an honor to wear your creations and to know you. In loving memory.”
Talking at the event, Swift told Us Weekly wearing a gown by the much-loved fashion designer was a dream come true. “Oscar de la Renta is the designer I’ve idolized since I was a little girl,” she told Us. “Having an opportunity to wear a one-of-kind gown designed by him is a daydream realized.”
Jennifer Lawrence made an unwritten tribute to the famed designer by wearing one of de la Renta’s stunning, less formal creations to Monday night’s Elle‘s Women in Hollywood Celebration, held at Los Angeles’ Four Seasons Hotel.
Jamie Lee Curtis, meanwhile, continued the social media trend, paying tribute to de la Renta via Twitter, with the message, “I’ve worn Oscar de la Renta’s signature fragrance my whole adult life. It is like his designs & life. Classic, soft, feminine & elegant. RIP Jamie Lee Curtis.”
Supermodel Karlie Kloss thanked the late fashion designer for “helping me become the woman I am today” adding, “the world lost one of the most extraordinary people that I have ever met.”
Actress and model Padma Lakshmi also paid tribute, calling de la Renta, “a true, master craftsman and gentleman,” while Ivanka Trump named him “one of the greatest fashion icons of all time.”
For singer Gloria Estefan, the news was very personal. “RIP iconic designer Oscar De La Renta,” she wrote, adding he was “a big part of 3 of my life’s biggest moments.”
Alyssa Milano and Lisa Rinna both paid their respects by sharing their favorite de la Renta quote: “Walk like you have three men walking behind you.”
Rita Wilson thanked the late fashion icon for “adding such beauty to the world, along with elegance, class and grace.”
Fellow designer Rachel Roy shared a snap of herself at an event with de la Renta, writing, “Devastated. A true class act, gentleman, legendary genius.” She then shared another memorable de la Renta quote: “The qualities I admire in women are confidence and kindness,” before urging fans to “live up to his wise words.”
Other celebrities sure to be devastated by the news of his passing include Sarah Jessica Parker and George Clooney. Parker, the ultimate de la Renta fan, even dedicated a whole episode of her hit Sex and the City series to the famed designer, while Clooney and his new wife Amal Alamuddin will be holding memories of the fashion icon close to their hearts, having worked with him over the last month as he designed Alamuddin’s wedding gown.
Alamuddin and de la Renta were photographed together for the Vogue spread on their high-profile Italian wedding last month. Alamuddin told the publication, “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.”
De la Renta’s company executives Alex and Eliza Bolen said that the designer died surrounded by family, friends, and “more than a few dogs.”
“While our hearts are broken by the idea of life without Oscar, he is still very much us,” they said via a statement. “Oscar’s hard work, his intelligence, and his love of life are at the heart of our company. All that we have done, and all that we will do, is informed by his values and his spirit. Through Oscar’s example we know the way forward. We will make Oscar very proud of us by continuing in an even stronger way the work that Oscar loved so much.”
De la Renta is survived by his wife, Annette, and his adopted son Moises, a designer at his label.
