- Josie Natori
Infobox Fashion Designer
|caption=
name=Josie Natori
nationality=Filipino
birth_date=
birth_place=
death_date=
death_place=
education=Manhattanville College
label_name=Josie Natori, Natori, Josie, Cruz
significant_design=|awards=|Josie Natori (born Josefina Almeda Cruz) is a Filipina
fashion designer and the CEO and founder of [http://www.natori.com The Natori Company.] Natori served as a commissioner on theWhite House Conference on Small Business. In March 2007 she was awarded theOrder of Lakandula , one of the highest civilian awards in the Philippines. cite web| url =http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-160727904.html| title = Josie Natori Receives Top Philippine Honor| publisher =WWD | accessdate=December 11 ,2007 ] In April, 2007, Natori received the "Peopling of America" Award from theStatue of Liberty -Ellis Island Foundation. cite web|url =http://www.ellisisland.org/genealogy/2007_recipients.asp| title = The Ellis Island 2007 Family Heritage Awards - 2007 Recipients| publisher =The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation | accessdate=May 15 ,2008 ]Early life
Josefina Almeda Cruz was born in the
Philippines in 1947. Her mother is Angela Cruz. She was raised in a close-knit Filipino family, as one of six siblings. Her first love was the piano, and she performed solo with theManila Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of nine. cite web|url =http://runway2reality.blogspot.com/2007/11/josie-natori-designer-ceo-of-natori.html| title = Josie Natori - Designer/CEO The Natori Company, Filipino| publisher =Runway2Reality| accessdate =May 15 ,2008 ]Natori moved to the
United States in 1964 to attendManhattanville College . After graduating, she worked atMerrill Lynch , where she rose the ranks to become the first female Vice President inInvestment Banking . On Wall Street, she also met her husband Ken Natori, who served as a Managing Director of Shearson Lehman. The couple married in 1972.Professional Career/The Natori Company
Natori made the move from
Wall Street tofashion full-time in 1977, after considering a number of other entrepreuneurial ventures from opening aMcDonald's franchise, to reproducingantique furniture . cite web|url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1664382,00.html| title = Josie Natori Turns Dressing Inside Out| publisher=Time| accessdate =May 15 ,2008 ] She settled on fashion after a buyer atBloomingdale's suggested she lengthen somepeasant blouses sent to her from her nativePhilippines . The reworked garments were sold as nightshirts.[http://www.natori.com The Natori Company] now sells
lingerie , sleepwear, loungewear, underwear and other high-end women's fashion to upscale department stores in the US, and to at least 15 countries internationally. cite web|url =http://www2.nysun.com/business/natori-celebrates-30-years-at-breakneck-pace/| title = Natori celebrates 30 years at breakneck pace.| publisher=New York Sun| accessdate =May 15 ,2008 ] . In addition to women's clothing, the company is also in the home furnishings industry, and in May, 2008 signed a licensing deal to sell Natoriperfume . cite web|url=http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=852741| title = Parlux Fragrances, Inc. Partners with The Natori Company to Launch Luxurious New Fragrance|publisher=MarketWire| accessdate =May 15 ,2008 ] The perfume is set to debut in the US in September, 2009, with international distribution to follow.Awards
On
October 3 , 2008,Bank of the Philippine Islands DirectorZobel de Ayala and Labor Secretary Marianito Roque awarded the 2008 BPInoy Award for Natori at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. In 2007, Natori celebrated her 30th year as the CEO-founder of her New York million-dollar fashion empire. Natori had also been received the 1998 Galleon Award fromCorazon Aquino . [ [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/125013/BPI-awards-two-outstanding-overseas-Filipinos BPI awards two outstanding overseas Filipinos, BPI awards two outstanding overseas Filipinos] ] [ [http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20081011-165895/Natori-Hizon-win-world-class-award globalnation.inquirer, Natori, Hizon win world-class award] ]References
External links
* [http://www.natori.com www.natori.com]
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