De la Renta, the youngest of seven children and the only boy in his family,[1] was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to a Dominican mother, Carmen María Antonia Fiallo and a Puerto Rican father,[2] Óscar Avelino De La Renta, owner of an insurance company.

The Fiallos, De la Renta's mother's family, were embedded in Dominican society, and counted poets, scholars, businessmen, and top army brass among their members.

[4] A maternal uncle, Luis Arístides Fiallo Cabral, was a doctor, lawyer, and architect, who received every degree the University of Santo Domingo could offer.

Ambassador to Spain, saw some of his dress sketches, she commissioned de la Renta to design a gown for her daughter.

[10] In 1961, de la Renta left Spain to join Antonio del Castillo as a couture assistant at Lanvin in Paris.

[11] In 1963, de la Renta turned to Diana Vreeland, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, for advice, saying that what he really wanted was to "get into ready to wear, because that's where the money is".

[18] De la Renta's designs have been worn by a diverse group of distinguished women and celebrities, including pop star Taylor Swift.

[11] De la Renta's brand saw international wholesale growth beginning in 2003, under the direction of CEO Alex Bolen, from five to seventy-five locations.

[19] De la Renta's designs are available in his retail stores, online, and with select wholesale partners worldwide.

[23] The new business venture included 100 home furnishings for Century Furniture featuring dining tables, upholstered chairs, and couches.

[citation needed] De la Renta held dual citizenship in the Dominican Republic and the United States.

In February 2014, Oscar de la Renta recreated his entire Spring presentation, Designed for A Cure 2014 collection, to raise money for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami.

[33] In 2017, de la Renta was honored by the United States Postal Service with an eleven stamp series, featuring a black and white photo of him and ten details from his fashion designs.

[36][37] De la Renta was regarded as an unofficial ambassador of the Dominican Republic, his home country, and held a diplomatic passport.

[38] A year later at the CFDA "Fashion Talks" event, Executive Director Fern Mallis called him "The Sultan of Suave".