part of the team throughout the years that i was at donna karan. he had lunch with the staff. there was a small diming room in the studio where he had people for lunch all the time. many times we sat there and spoke about life and spoke about many things that had nothing to do with work. i understood and learned that it was in working in fashion, it wasn't just about the clothes or just working to live, but more about living to work. >> thank you very much for joining us today. as we continue to talk about the life, the career, the influence of oscar de la renta, i am joined by "the washington post" and more on his life and legacy. robin, he was such an enormous presence. the spirit and the fact that he really loved what he was doing. he constantly evolved. >> it doesn't surprise me hearing edmundo talking about how he brought in young designers and allowed them to be part of the team in a really influential way. it showed in his work. i think the worst thing that a designer can do is when they shut themselves off in an ivory tower. the fact that o

. >> reporter: according to his bio, kantro has been a medical consultant to big names like donna karancksonville jaguars. and the doctor's done well enough for himself to live in this upscale home in new york. now kantro refused to talk to "20/20" on camera, but told us it was all just a big mistake. he'd actually paid off his debt 30 years ago. of course, he did refuse to give us permission to verify his story with the government. this loan goes back decades, why don't you talk to us, sir? and there are plenty of other docs who seem to be doing just fine. last month my colleague at wabc-tv in new york, jim hoffer, tracked down doctors on the list who hid inside their huge homes or ran to their luxury cars. like brooklyn dentist, sammy saadia, who owes $156,000. >> this is almost 20 years old, more than 20 years, you graduated from nyu. sir, sir, just stop and explain to us. >> we made special arrangements. and that doesn't reflect the true value. >> well, why is your name on the list? >> i don't know. >> reporter: hoffer also put the screws on one of doctors with the biggest debt on t

you think of donna karan, calvin klein, ralph lauren, carolina herrera, and certainly oscar de la rentat. he was a true, true gentleman in the truest sense of the word. a real bright light. and this is just a terrible, terrible loss for the fashion world. >> a child of the dominican republic, a man who loved that country, had a house there, and was really one of the proudest sons of that country. >> he was. but america certainly adopted him. anderson, what was so interesting was just a week ago oscar de la renta named a new creative director for the house. a man by the name of peter copping. he was formerly of nina ricci. he will soon move to paris. he will show for oscar de la renta in february at new york fashion week. it had long been rumored that mr. de la renta had been ill. but we had heard those rumors before. and certainly when you saw his bright smile he always looked so happy and so healthy that i don't think anyone ever dreamed that we would find or see a day when this would happen. it's really just sad news. >> 82 years old. our thoughts are with his family. alina, thank you