Oscar de la Renta, the last great American couture fashion designer whose career flourished in 1960s onwards, has died at age 82.

de la Renta had been sick with cancer for some time and news of his death was confirmed by his wife, Annette de la Renta, who said that the designer had passed away at his home in Kent, Connecticut.

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The designer, who was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932, was of the same ilk as iconic style masters like Christian Dior, Valentino and Yves St Laurent.

Amal Alamuddin Clooney in her Oscar de la Renta wedding gown. Photo: People

de la Renta, who was trained by Cristóbal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo, famously dressed Jackie Kennedy in the 1960.

He was the head haute couture designer for Parisian fashion house Balmain from 1993 to 2002, before branching out into bridal gowns and red carpet wear in 2006.

Most recently he created British human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin’s gown for her wedding to Oscar winning actor and director George Clooney, as well as pieces for the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.

The New York Times today wrote that, although he was well known as a designer of day wear for high society ladies who lunched and glamorous ball gowns, he had a career renaissance in the past 10 years, with his dresses being worn be some of the most famous actresses in the world.

“Though ill with cancer intermittently for a decade, Mr de la Renta was resilient. During that period, his business grew by 50 per cent, to $US150 million in sales, as his name became linked to celebrity events like the Oscars,” The New York Times wrote.

“Amy Adams, Sarah Jessica Parker and Penélope Cruz were among the stars who wore his dresses.”

Despite all his successes, de la Renta was a realist, telling the Fashionista website that the only thing certain in life was birth and death.

“The only realities in life are that you are born, and that you die,” De La Renta said in 2013.

“You have to appreciate every single day that you’re alive. Life is a little bit like a garden – you have to find time to plant the seeds for beautiful flowers to grow.

“I’m having a fantastic time. But I must say that I would have never been able to go through what I went through without my family and wife.”