(CNN) Legendary fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who spent half a century putting high society in haute couture, has died. He was 82.

The man -- often described as the "sultan of suave" -- dressed every first lady since Jacqueline Kennedy. Among those whose glamor factor his dresses jazzed up: Oprah Winfrey, Ann Hathaway and, most recently, George Clooney's bride Amal Alamuddin.

"We will always remember him as the man who made women look and feel beautiful," former first lady Laura Bush said late Monday night. De la Renta designed the wedding dress for her daughter, Jenna.

The cause of his death, announced by close family friends and industry colleagues, was not immediately clear. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, but said last year he was "totally clean."

"The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die," he told an audience at New York's 92Y "Fashion Talks" series in June 2013. "We always think we are going to live forever. The dying aspect we will never accept. The one thing about having this kind of warning is how you appreciate every single day of life."

JUST WATCHED 2006: Oscar de la Renta on his roots Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 2006: Oscar de la Renta on his roots 01:02

And what a life he lived.

"He was a true, true gentlemen, in the truest sense of the word -- a real bright light -- and this is just a terrible, terrible loss for the fashion world," said Alina Cho, fashion journalist and editor at large at Random House.

Beginnings

Born July 22, 1932, in the Dominican Republic, de la Renta was the only son among seven children.

"My father had different aspirations for me than I had for myself," he told the "Fashion Talks" audience. "If I ever told my father I would become a fashion designer, he would drop dead on the spot."

He has often said the island colored his design sense.

"From my island side comes my love for the exotic, for color and light," he told the New York Times.

At 18, he left for Spain to study at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. For a time, he dabbled in abstract art. But fashion was his passion, he soon discovered.

After the wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Spain saw some of his dress sketches, she commissioned him to design a gown for her daughter.

The daughter and the dress appeared on the cover of Life magazine.

Emboldened, de la Renta switched his focus to fashion.

He landed an apprenticeship with Cristobal Balenciaga, who was at the time Spain's most acclaimed designer. He described that period as the beginning of his learning experience. "I was picking pins off the floor," he joked.

Ascent

Next stop, and the obvious next step for a fashion designer: Paris.

De la Renta was in the fashion mecca on vacation. But within a day of his arrival, he was offered a job at the reputed fashion house, Lanvin.

He finessed his style, learned to tailor, and, two years later, moved to New York -- where he became a designer for Elizabeth Arden.

Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – He's been called the "Sultan of Suave" and a fashion powerhouse. Oscar de la Renta died Monday, October 20, after half a century as a legendary designer. "I'm a very restless person," he once said. "I'm always doing something. The creative process never stops." Celebrities, too, loved him for his approach to design. Take a look at some of his red-carpet creations: Hide Caption 1 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – In 2011, Penelope Cruz stole the spotlight at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala. The actress, who attended the event with de la Renta, wore a black silk organza gown from the designer's fall 2011 collection. Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Jennifer Lawrence's dress at the 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards was as bright as her rising star in Hollywood. Lawrence's hot-pink de la Renta number landed the actress on People magazine's best-dressed list for the event. Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – The handcrafted Oscar de la Renta gown that Amy Adams wore to the 2013 Oscars was so ethereal it almost looked as though the actress was floating on air. Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – While de la Renta was known for his show-stopping dresses with full skirts or elongated trains, he could also make a simple shift sing. Anne Hathaway wore this short, breezy and sparkling de la Renta number to the Sydney premiere of "Love & Other Drugs" in 2010. Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta wasn't just the designer of choice for actresses -- musicians adored him, too. His penchant for bold designs attracted Nicki Minaj, who donned one of his creations for the 2011 American Music Awards. Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta knew his way around a floral pattern, inventing silhouettes that wouldn't overwhelm the wearer. Look at the clean lines he gave this eye-catching gown, which Scarlett Johansson wore to the 2009 premiere of "He's Just Not That Into You." Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – For an occasion as big as her final "Harry Potter" premiere, actress Emma Watson chose a designer she knew would have a timeless and memorable look. Seen here at the 2011 premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Pt. 2," Watson's voluminous de la Renta dress perfectly matched the emotional scale of the event. Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – At the 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Tina Fey turned heads -- and landed on best-dressed lists -- in a sleek column gown from de la Renta. The sweetheart cut of the strapless dress was alluring without being overtly provocative, a combination that the designer nailed every time. Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Taylor Swift is a professed devotee of Oscar de la Renta, and she chose to wear one of the designer's structurally impressive confections to the 2014 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Upon de la Renta's death, Swift shared her condolences on Twitter: "Oscar, it was an honor to wear your creations and to know you," the singer said Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – This kicky black de la Renta dress, worn to the 2005 Golden Globes, is one of Eva Longoria's most memorable red-carpet looks. The actress was starring on "Desperate Housewives" at the time, and her impeccably detailed cocktail number was like the luxe item a '50s housewife would kill to add to her collection. Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Beyonce is another famous name who can be counted as a fan of de la Renta's. The superstar singer, seen here at the designer's fall 2005 fashion show in New York, later wore a red de la Renta dress to meet President Obama in 2012. Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Sarah Jessica Parker is one of de la Renta's more ardent supporters, often choosing to wear the designer on the red carpet. One of our favorite all-time Emmys looks is the feathery pink de la Renta dress SJP wore to the 2000 event. It was fun and, perhaps more importantly, it was unique. Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Jessica Biel is another actress you'll often see rocking a de la Renta label. At the 2009 Vanity Fair Oscars party, Biel's gown had all the designer's hallmarks: bold use of color and flattering to the female form. Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Cameron Diaz could've been mistaken as the night's top prize at the 2010 Oscars, where she wore a golden de la Renta gown that was breathtaking thanks to its layers of tulle and embroidery. Hide Caption 15 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Jennifer Garner looked stunning at the 2014 Oscars, thanks not in small part to the tiered, fringed de la Renta dress she wore. "He always wanted women to be the star of the look," Garner told USA Today upon the designer's death. "The sketches that he did for me at the Oscars last year, every single one of them he sketched my face in. It wasn't just a sketch of some dress — it was how it would be on me, specifically. I was so lucky to get to work with him and to know him even just a little bit." Hide Caption 16 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – Of all the dresses de la Renta has placed on celebrities over the years, this navy blue item, worn by Oprah Winfrey to the 2010 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is easily one of the most memorable. Taken separately, the elements have the potential to sound boring: a navy color, long sleeves and a skirt that's floor-length. But tailored properly and with attention to special details, this is a de la Renta gem. Hide Caption 17 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta's designs were loved among political figures, too. Hillary Clinton joined de la Renta onstage at the CFDA Fashion Awards last year in New York. Hide Caption 18 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – And in 2005, first lady Laura Bush wore a sophisticated silver de la Renta gown to celebrate the inauguration of her husband, President George W. Bush. Hide Caption 19 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – De la Renta even made his stamp among brides. Most recently, he designed the wedding gown worn by George Clooney's bride, Amal Alamuddin. Hide Caption 20 of 21 Photos: Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars Oscar de la Renta: Dressing the stars – And in 2010, Chelsea Clinton -- the daughter of President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton -- went with a de la Renta dress when she wed Marc Mezvinsky. Hide Caption 21 of 21

It was the first step toward a career that would make him a fashion powerhouse.

In 1965, the Oscar de la Renta brand was launched, changing the face of fashion with its ready-to-wear collection.

"My customers are successful working women," he said.

From there, he branched into fragrance, then into a home line, then into furniture.

"I'm a very restless person. I'm always doing something. The creative process never stops," he once said.

Atop

Admired by contemporaries, adored by consumers, de la Renta had a long, successful run. He was the winner of numerous Cody awards, the fashion equivalent of the Oscars.

His creations were a fixture on the red carpet and in the Oval Office.

He dressed Nancy Reagan and provided the inaugural gown for Laura Bush. He is also responsible for the look Hillary Clinton is so inextricably associated with: the pantsuit.

JUST WATCHED 1997: De la Renta on Clinton's dress Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 1997: De la Renta on Clinton's dress 01:05

"This man has been working for more than 20 years to turn me into a fashion icon," Clinton joked while presenting him with the Medal of Excellence at Carnegie Hall last April.

One notable holdout, until recently, was Michelle Obama.

De la Renta waded into controversy after he took her to task for wearing a J. Crew cardigan to meet Queen Elizabeth in 2009.

"You don't go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater," he said.

But, this month, Obama too sported an Oscar de la Renta creation at the Fashion Education Workshop at the White House.

Endings

Rumors had been circulating for a while that de la Renta was ill.

Last week, Oscar de la Renta -- the company -- announced the appointment of Peter Copping as creative director.

"Our Industry has not always done the best job when it comes to changes in design leadership. My hope is that, in leading this selection, and actively participating in the transition, I can insure the right design future for our company and brand," de la Renta said in a statement then.

Then, Monday, came the news of his death.

His first wife, Francoise de Langlade -- a former editor of French Vogue -- died of bone cancer in 1983. They had been married 16 years.

He leaves behind his second wife, Annette Engelhard Reed, whom he married in 1989. He also leaves behind a son.

"The fashion business says goodbye to a mentor, a legand & an icon," designer Kenneth Cole tweeted Monday night. "He defined a standard we can only aspire to."