Ozwald Boateng
Encyclopedia
Ozwald Boateng OBE 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.
, North London
, 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. 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
. At fourteen, he found a summer job sewing linings into suits.
aged 16, he was introduced to cutting and designing by his girlfriend. 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.
, 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.
Boateng's contemporary approach to menswear design helped to forge a new appreciation for Savile Row, and draw in a younger demographic. Boateng's moved fully into Savile Row in June 2002, 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.
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."
factory in Crewe
, Cheshire
.
President Bernard Arnault
appointed Boateng Creative Director of Menswear at French Fashion house Givenchy
. His first collection was shown in July 2004 in Paris, at Hotel de Ville. Boateng parted with Givenchy after the Spring 2007 collection.
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.
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.
, 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.
and Ben Silverman
.
and has been heavily involved in film, also creating and directing numerous projects of his own.
Timeline
n model and former student of the London College of Fashion
, Gyunel. The couple had two children, Emilia and Oscar, before divorcing in 2009.
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.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
fashion designer of Ghanaian
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
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
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
at the age of 23.
Biography
Born in 1967 in Muswell HillMuswell Hill
Muswell Hill is a suburb of north London, mostly in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated about north of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. Muswell Hill is in the N10 postal district and mostly in the Hornsey and Wood Green parliamentary constituency.- History :The...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, Boateng's parents had emigrated from Ghana in the 1950s. His father continued his career as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, while his mother who was in the fabric trade in Ghana became a seamstress in London. 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
Mohair
Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. The word "mohair" was adopted into English before 1570 from the Arabic: mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally 'choice', from khayyara, 'he chose'. Mohair fiber is approximately 25-45 microns in...
. At fourteen, he found a summer job sewing linings into suits.
Early career
While studying computing at Southgate CollegeSouthgate College
Southgate College campus is located in the London Borough of Enfield, and situated beside the Southgate's main shopping centre and within a 200m walk of the Southgate tube station on the Piccadilly Line...
aged 16, he was introduced to cutting and designing by his girlfriend. 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
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
. This enabled him to open his first studio in Portobello Road
Portobello Road
Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London, England. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is home to Portobello Road Market, one of London's...
in 1991. In 1994, Boateng staged his first catwalk presentation during Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week is a famous fashion week held semi-annually in Paris, France with Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter events held each year. Dates are determined by the French Fashion Federation...
, the first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris.
Savile Row
Mentored by Tommy NutterTommy Nutter
Tommy Nutter , was a British tailor, famous for reinventing the Savile Row suit in the 1960s.Born in Barmouth, Merioneth, he was raised in Edgware, Middlesex, where his father owned a local High Street Cafe. After the family moved to Kilburn, Nutter and his brother David attended Willesden...
, 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.
Boateng's contemporary approach to menswear design helped to forge a new appreciation for Savile Row, and draw in a younger demographic. Boateng's moved fully into Savile Row in June 2002, with London Mayor Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
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
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
. 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.
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
David Adjaye
David Adjaye OBE is a British architect.-Early life:David Adjaye was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The son of a Ghanaian diplomat who has lived in Tanzania, Egypt, Yemen and Lebanon before moving to Britain at the age of nine, he led a privileged life and was privately educated...
. 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."
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.Present
In 2007, Boateng merged the corporate headquarters of his company with his redesigned flagship store on Savile Row. Today, in addition to a bespoke service, Boateng also produces two ready-to-wear collections a year, produced at the former Chester BarrieChester Barrie
Chester Barrie are a semi-bespoke gentleman's tailor located at №32 Savile Row, London.Founded in 1935 by expatriate English tailor Simon Ackerman, and presently owned by Prominent Europe. The company provides ready-to-wear clothes, as well as bespoke tailoring.-History:At the turn of the 20th...
factory in Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
Givenchy
LVMHLVMH
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A., better known as LVMH, is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris, Île-de-France, France. The company was formed after the 1987 merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy, a company formed after the 1971 merger...
President Bernard Arnault
Bernard Arnault
Bernard Arnault is a French business magnate who is best known as the chairman and CEO of the French conglomerate LVMH. According to Forbes Magazine, Arnault is the world's 4th and Europe's richest person, with a 2011 net worth of US$41 billion.-Education and business career:Arnault was born...
appointed Boateng Creative Director of Menswear at French Fashion house Givenchy
Givenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
. His first collection was shown in July 2004 in Paris, at Hotel de Ville. Boateng parted with Givenchy after the Spring 2007 collection.
Coutts
In 2004, CouttsCoutts
Coutts & Co. is one of the UK's private banking houses, now wholly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland . RBS acquired Coutts and all of its overseas subsidiaries when it bought NatWest. On 1 January 2008, Coutts' international businesses were renamed RBS Coutts, aligning them more closely with...
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.
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.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 UnionAfrican Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
summit in 2007. Held in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, it coincided with 200 years since the cessation of the transatlantic slave trade, and 50 years of independence for Ghana.
Film and television
Boateng has designed bespoke costumes for films including: Hannibal, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Tomorrow Never DiesTomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies is the eighteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Bruce Feirstein wrote the screenplay, and it was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. It follows Bond as he tries to stop a media mogul from engineering...
, Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
, Ugly Betty, Eastern Promises, Gangster Number One, Alfie, Assault on Precinct 13, The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, Miami Vice, Oceans 13, and Rush Hour 3.
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. The series was produced by Robert RedfordRobert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
and Ben Silverman
Ben Silverman
Benjamin Noah "Ben" Silverman is the founder and CEO of Electus, a next generation entertainment studio staked by IAC's Barry Diller....
.
Short Films and Projects
As well as Design, Boateng has long had a passion for cinematographyCinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
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.
- 2004: Florence - A film is released at the Pitti Imagine in Florence, chronicling the past 10 years of his life.
- 2004: Givenchy - Boateng shows a Japanese style manga style animation at his debut show as Creative Director for Givenchy.
- 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.
- 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.
Personal life
Divorced from his first wife Pascale, with whom he has a daughter, Boateng then married RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n model and former student of the London College of Fashion
London College of Fashion
London College of Fashion is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, short courses and business-training in fashion, make-up, beauty-therapy and lifestyle industries...
, Gyunel. The couple had two children, Emilia and Oscar, before divorcing in 2009.
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.
External links
- OzwaldBoateng.co.uk official company website