- Christopher Raeburn (designer)
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Christopher Raeburn (born August 13, 1982) is a British fashion designer. He utilises re-appropriated military fabrics sourced throughout Europe. All of Raeburn's garments are produced in East London.
Christopher Raeburn Nationality British Education Royal College of Art Occupation Designer Labels Christopher Raeburn Biography
Raeburn was born the youngest of three boys in Kent, East Sussex. His upbringing focused on the outdoors and inventing. "We were encouraged to draw something in the week and then challenged to make it with my dad on the weekend. From the age of 11, I was in air cadets, I learnt to fly. I was doing my Duke of Edinburgh. I was doing walks in Holland. I had this love of being prepared".[1]
Raeburn graduated in 2006 from London’s Royal College of Art. He freelanced as a pattern cutter before setting up his own studio in 2008, and later his label. “I knew that I wanted to do my own production and because the label’s remade nature is fairly specialist, it’s taken a while to grow to the point I’m at now”.[2] Raeburn's long held fascination and work with military fabrics led him to be hand-picked for the ‘Camouflage’ exhibition at London’s Imperial War Museum and featured in Hywel Davies’ publication ‘100 New Designers'. Raeburn ended 2008 with his first collection showcased during London Design Week, a capsule range of reversible garments entitled, ‘Inverted’.
In 2009 Raeburn showcased menswear in Paris, received an award from the International Ethical Fashion Forum,[3] and gained support from Esthetica, allowing him to show at London Fashion Week that September. In 2010, Raeburn was the first designer to be awarded Topshop NEWGEN sponsorship for both mens and womenswear in the same season.[4]
Raeburn has become known for the ethical integrity of his work, although he admits it was never his intention. "My stuff is about good design, produced in England. It's a very happy accident that it's also ethical".[5] American Vogue (magazine)'s August 2010 issue highlighted Raeburn's contribution to all things green with the advice to "Remember the four R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Raeburn", accompanied by a Mario Testino shoot of Blake Lively wearing a Raeburn Duffle Coat. After viewing his Autumn/Winter 2011 London Fashion Week presentation at the disused Aldwych tube station, Style.com stated, "it's not unreasonable to assert that Christopher Raeburn is the single most radical designer working today".[6]
In 2010, Raeburn was approached by iconic Swiss label, Victorinox[7] to collaborate with them on a mens and womenswear capsule collection. Known for his firm belief in provenance, Raeburn convinced the Swiss brand to set up a "Remade in Switzerland" studio in Ibach, the birthplace of Victorinox founder Karl Elsener. Not only did Raeburn source the fabrics for his collection there, but he also managed to find the original house in which Elsener started the brand, and it was there that Raeburn chose to establish his Swiss LAB to produce the 100 pieces of each style by hand.[8] The collaboration launched on schedule during New York Fashion Week in February 2011.[9]
In September 2011 Raeburn was nominated for the 2011 "Emerging Designer" British Fashion Award for menswear, by the British Fashion Council.[10]
Career timeline
2008:
- Raeburn launches the Christopher Raeburn label
- Work from the label is handpicked for ‘Camouflage’, an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum in London
- Raeburn showcases a capsule collection of reversible garments, titled ‘Inverted’ at London Design Week
- Raeburn is featured in Hywel Davies’ publication, “100 New Designers”.
2009
- Raeburn produces a menswear collaboration with established British designer Tim Soar, shown at Paris Men’s Fashion Week.[11]
- Raeburn wins the International Ethical Fashion Forum’s Innovation competition, securing a place at London Fashion Week A/W 09 [12]
- The Christopher Raeburn womenswear collection is picked up by Browns Focus, London
- Raeburn is selected for a collaboration with upcycling company Worn Again, and produces capsule collections incorporating Virgin and Eurostar fabrics
- Raeburn wins the “Emerging Fashion Designer” category of the “100” competition, run by The Independent newspaper and The Hospital Club
- Raeburn is invited to show at Liberty Open Designer Day, resulting in menswear orders from Liberty, plus a month long Christopher Raeburn installation in their menswear department in September.
- Raeburn’s Spring/Summer Collection “Digital Rainbow” is shown at London Fashion Week in September, and the label is picked up by Isetan (Japan), Takishimaya (New York) and Browns Focus.
- In Autumn, Raeburn is selected for the esteemed British Fashion Council NEWGEN sponsorship and also the Centre for Fashion Enterprise’s Venture Programme.
2010
- In March, Raeburn presents his AW10 collection entitled “Prepare+Protect” in London, Paris, Tokyo and New York, leading to domestic orders from Browns Focus, Liberty and Harvey Nichols and international orders from Barneys, 10 Corso Como, Penelope, Gago, United Arrows, Beams and Isetan.
- Raeburn shows menswear for the first time at Paris Fashion Week
- Raeburn is invited to join the centre for Fashion Enterprise on their two year Venture Programme
- Raeburn creates a two week long window installation for Browns Focus in London, celebrating the festival season
- Raeburn creates a week long installation promoting ethical fashion at Barney’s during NY fashion week
- Raeburn becomes the first designer to win NEWGEN mens and womenswear in a single season.
2011
- Raeburn x Victorinox collaboration shown on schedule during New York Fashion Week
- First independent Christopher Raeburn presentation during London Fashion Week at Aldwych tube
- Nominated for Condé Nast Traveller Award: Design and Innovation.
- Nominated for Observer Ethical Awards: Fashion Category
- Raeburn x Victorinox “Remade in Switzerland” collection to launch world wide in Autumn 2011
- Nominated for British Fashion Award 2011
References
- ^ http://www.stylebubble.co.uk/style_bubble/2011/07/christopher-raeburn-the-revisit.html
- ^ http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/christopherraeburn
- ^ http://www.ethicalfashionforum.com/innovation/awards-feb-2009
- ^ http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/uploads/media/62/17619.pdf
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/28/christopher-raeburn
- ^ http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2011RTW-CRAEBURN
- ^ http://www.remadeinswitzerland.com/
- ^ http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/9592/1/victorinox-christopher-raeburn
- ^ http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/happy-camper-christopher-raeburn-for-victorinox-/
- ^ http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/columns/luke-leitch/TMG8742665/British-Fashion-Awards-2011-nominees-revealed.html
- ^ http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2009/02/24/christopher-raeburn-at-lfw
- ^ http://www.ethicalfashionforum.com/innovation/awards-feb-2009
Categories:- 1982 births
- Living people
- English fashion designers
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