A Miami woman has fond memories of fashion icon Oscar de la Renta, who passed away Monday at age 82.
Tamara Oyarzabal's mother, Beatrice Lodge, wore one of de la Renta's gowns for her debutante ball as a teenager in 1956 before he became a huge star in the fashion world.
The gown landed de la Renta in Time magazine and Oyarzabal says it helped jump-start his popularity.
Oyarzabal actually got to meet de la Renta back in 2000 because her parents were Spanish ambassadors to the U.S. and they were all invited to a White House dinner.
"Just his stature and just his imposing presence drew people to him," Oyarzabal said. "I mean everybody was a celebrity there and yet he seemed to have the biggest crowd around him just because of his charming smile and outgoing personality, always classy, always elegant."
Oyarzabal said it's the only time she met the famous designer, but his connection to her family is something she holds dear and she was sad to hear of his passing.
