- Ozwald Boateng
-
Ozwald Boateng 
Born 22 February 1967
Muswell Hill, North London, EnglandNationality United Kingdom Occupation Fashion designer Awards OBE Labels Ozwald Boateng Ozwald Boateng OBE (pronunciation: /ˈɒzwəld ˈboʊtɛŋ/) is a British-born fashion designer of Ghanaian descent, known for his trade mark twist style on classic British tailoring. Inspired by his father's suits, Boateng opened his first shop on Savile Row at the age of 23.
Contents
Biography
Born in 1967 in Muswell Hill, North London,[1] Boateng's parents had emigrated from Ghana in the 1950s. His father continued his career as a teacher, while his mother who was in the fabric trade in Ghana became a seamstress in London.[citation needed] His parents divorced when he was eight, and Boateng has two older siblings.
Boateng was inspired by the immaculate suits his father wore, and received his first suit from his mother aged 5: a double-breasted in purple mohair.[2] At fourteen, he found a summer job sewing linings into suits.[3]
Early career
While studying computing at Southgate College aged 16, he was introduced to cutting and designing by his girlfriend.[4] Using his mother's old sewing machine, he started designing and selling to his fellow students, and switched to graduate in fashion and design.
Boateng helped a friend to make clothes for a fashion show, and after receiving praise for his work, sold his first collection to a menswear shop in Covent Garden. This enabled him to open his first studio in Portobello Road in 1991. In 1994, Boateng staged his first catwalk presentation during Paris Fashion Week, the first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris.[4]
Ozwald Boateng's Flagship Store, No. 30 Savile Row
Savile Row
Mentored by Tommy Nutter, the success of the Paris show in 1994 enabled Boateng to open his boutique on Vigo Street, the south end of Savile Row, in 1995.[2][5]
Boateng's contemporary approach to menswear design helped to forge a new appreciation for Savile Row, and draw in a younger demographic.[6] Boateng's moved fully into Savile Row in June 2002,[7] with London Mayor Ken Livingstone crediting Boateng with making a vital contribution to the promotion of creative talents in the capital.
In 2005, Boateng was honored with a major 20 year retrospective event at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The exhibition recognized that Boateng had by combining the highest standards of execution with a fresh, vibrant design philosophy, successfully captured the imagination of both the media and the public.[8]
In 2008 Ozwald Boateng's new flagship store and headquarters are launched at No. 30 Savile Row, on the corner of Savile Row and Clifford Street. The signage and interiors were co-designed with British-Ghanaian Architect David Adjaye. Boateng commented: "The fact that I am now in the old Anderson and Sheppard store means a lot to me. Before I even opened my store on Vigo Street, I never dreamed that I would have my own flagship store in place of tailors that represent the cornerstone of British Tailoring and Savile Row." [9]
Fragrance
In 2003, Boateng launched an original concept in for women. Bespoke comprises two different vials of fragrance within an elongate, jewel-like bottle. Developed with the whole essence of "bespoke" in mind, women have the option of wearing each of these fragrances separately, or of adopting a "bespoke" approach by layering and mixing the two synergistic fragrances together in differing proportions, to create an infinite variety of to suit their mood and personality.[5]
Ozwald Boateng's Show at London Fashion Week, 2010Present
In 2007, Boateng merged the corporate headquarters of his company with his redesigned flagship store on Savile Row.[10] Today, in addition to a bespoke service, Boateng also produces two ready-to-wear collections a year,[11] produced at the former Chester Barrie factory in Crewe, Cheshire.
Collaborations
Givenchy
LVMH President Bernard Arnault appointed Boateng Creative Director of Menswear at French Fashion house Givenchy.[12] His first collection was shown in July 2004 in Paris, at Hotel de Ville.[13] Boateng parted with Givenchy after the Spring 2007 collection.
Coutts
In 2004, Coutts approached Boateng to design a new Super-Premium credit card. The Coutts ‘World Credit Card’ appears in Boateng's trademark imperial purple, designed to communicate a new modernity and supreme elegance.[14]
Virgin Atlantic
In 2004, Boateng designed new amenity kits for Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class. Critically claimed to be the most stylish first class kits available to travelers on any airline, the design increased pick rate fivefold.[15]
2007 African Union summit
Boateng was commissioned by John Agyekum Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana, to design and orchestrate a show at the 9th Annual African Union summit in 2007. Held in Accra, it coincided with 200 years since the cessation of the transatlantic slave trade, and 50 years of independence for Ghana.[16]
Film and television
Boateng has designed bespoke costumes for films including: Hannibal, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Tomorrow Never Dies, Sex and the City, Ugly Betty, Eastern Promises, Gangster Number One, Alfie, Assault on Precinct 13, The Matrix, Miami Vice, Oceans 13, and Rush Hour 3.[citation needed]
House of Boateng
On June 22, 2006, the Sundance Channel and Reveille LLC released an eight part real life documentary series called House of Boateng, tracking the journey of Boateng as he embarks on the expansion of his brand in the United States.[17] The series was produced by Robert Redford and Ben Silverman.
Short Films and Projects
As well as Design, Boateng has long had a passion for cinematography and has been heavily involved in film, also creating and directing numerous projects of his own.
Timeline
- 1994: Debut Show – Boateng releases his first venture in to film alongside his Paris Catwalk show, a short movie dramatizing the events and struggles leading up to the show.
- 2004: Arizona – First directorial debut, a short film entitled Catching Dreams, based in the Grand Canyon area. Shown at Boateng’s debut show in Milan.[18]
- 2004: Florence - A film is released at the Pitti Imagine in Florence, chronicling the past 10 years of his life.[19]
- 2004: Givenchy - Boateng shows a Japanese style manga style animation at his debut show as Creative Director for Givenchy.[20]
- 2005: China - The short movie No Boundaries is filmed in the Guilin District of China. Shown at second show for Givenchy. It premieres at the Tremblant Film Festival in 2006, Canada, and comes second in the Short Film category.[21]
- 2009: Why Style Matters - In collaboration with BBC4, Boateng releases a documentary on the significance of Savile Row in the 21st century and the renewed interest in Tailoring. Features Giorgio Armani.[22]
Personal life
Divorced from his first wife Pascale, with whom he has a daughter, Boateng then married Russian model and former student of the London College of Fashion, Gyunel. The couple had two children, Emilia and Oscar, before divorcing in 2009.[23]
In 2008, Boateng was appointed to the REACH committee, as part of an independent panel to identify and recruit national role models who work to help raise aspirations of black boys.[24]
References
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1744351/bio
- ^ a b "Ozwald Boateng". London Fashion Week. http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designer_profile.aspx?DesignerID=1607. Retrieved 2010-12-14.
- ^ Liz Hoggard (25 February 2007). "Ozwald Boateng: The wizard of Oz". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/ozwald-boateng-the-wizard-of-oz-437745.html. Retrieved 2010-12-15.
- ^ a b "Ozwald Boateng". 100 Great Black Britons. http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/oswald_boateng.html. Retrieved 2010-12-14.
- ^ a b "Ozwald Boateng: The wizard of Oz". The Independent (London). 2007-02-25. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/ozwald-boateng-the-wizard-of-oz-437745.html.
- ^ Home - : London Development Agency
- ^ Newstatesman, Lauren Booth, 10th June, 2002
- ^ London Skills and Employment Board - About - Members - Ozwald Boateng
- ^ Adjaye, David. "Store Launch Article". 30 Savile Row. http://m.bdonline.co.uk/adjaye-plays-a-strong-suit-with-flagship-store-for-ozwald-boateng/3113314.article.
- ^ Famous Designer opens new store in Savile Row » Local Government » 24dash.com
- ^ Ozwald Boateng, Ozwald Boateng mens fashion show, fashion photography, Milan Fashion Week, mens fashion, wireless content
- ^ Guyon, Janet (2004-09-06). "The Magic Touch LVMH chief Bernard Arnault runs dozens of luxury brands, from Moet & Chandon to Thomas Pink. But just one of them-- Louis Vuitton--brings in 60% of the conglomerate's profits. His challenge: to apply Vuitton's winning formula to the rest of the stable". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/09/06/380345/index.htm.
- ^ "Postcard From The Edge; A Wrap-Up Of The Paris Runway Shows, Where Designers Continue To Push Men'S Wear In New Directions. – Daily News Record – Find Articles At Bnet.Com". http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4298/is_/ai_n14960907.[dead link]
- ^ Guardian, by Martin Wainwright, November 2004
- ^ Elle, March 2005, page 377
- ^ Top African-American talent plan trip to African Union Summit, Ghana : Annansi Chronicles
- ^ Sundance Channel : Series : House of Boateng
- ^ "Beauty Delux: homme et vous". http://beautydelux.com/time/. Retrieved 16.05.2011.
- ^ Imagine, Pitti. "Pitti Imagine". Short Film Presentation. http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/eventi/531_215_ozwald-boateng.htm. Retrieved 16.05.2011.
- ^ Official Site, Givenchy. "Givenchy". Givenchy History. http://www.givenchy.com. Retrieved 16.05.2011.
- ^ Movie Citation, IMDB. "IMDB Page". Reference to No Boundaries. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1744351/. Retrieved 16.05.2011.
- ^ Style Matters, Why. "BBC4". Documentary. http://www.thebengalstripe.com/2010/09/ozwald-boateng-why-style-matters.html. Retrieved 16.05.2011.
- ^ Katie Nicholl (5 April 2009). "Star designer Ozwald Boateng splits up with his wife". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1167545/Star-designer-Ozwald-Boateng-splits-wife.html#ixzz18GT8NNj2. Retrieved 2010-12-15.
- ^ A new generation of black role models - Hazel Blears responds to the Reach Report - Corporate - Communities and Local Government
Marieded Azerbaijan model(no Russian)
External links
- OzwaldBoateng.co.uk official company website
- Ozwald Boateng – designer profile at Fashion Model Directory
Categories:- 1960 births
- Living people
- People from Muswell Hill
- British people of Ghanaian descent
- Black British people
- British fashion designers
- British film directors
- Clothing companies based in London
- Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom
- Clothing brands of the United Kingdom
- High fashion brands
- Tailors
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