Luis Álvarez Renta Republic. Arriving in Venezuela with twenty dollars and a suitcase, Álvarez Saviñón was able to re-establish his fortune in Venezuela. It was said that in Caracas, "anywhere you looked something had been built by Virgilio Álvarez." His mother, Thelma Renta, was the sister of fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, and a major social figure in the Dominican Republic in her own right. Álvarez Renta studied in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, eventually earning a full scholarship to a Dominican University. He was also able to study in the United States, attending both the University of Michigan and Washington University
Oscar de la Renta went to work for Jane Derby, an American fashion house. When Derby died in August 1965, de la Renta took over the label. From 1993 to 2002, de la Renta designed the haute couture collection for the house of Balmain, becoming the first Dominican to design for a French couture house. In 2006, the Oscar de la Renta label diversified into bridal wear. De la Renta's designs have been worn by a diverse group of distinguished women and celebrities. De la Renta's brand saw international wholesale growth beginning in 2003, under the direction of CEO Alex Bolen, from five to