Haider Ackermann facts for kids

Haider Ackermann (born March 29, 1971) is a famous fashion designer. He was born in Colombia but is French. He creates stylish clothes that are "ready-to-wear," meaning they are made in standard sizes for everyday people.

Haider Ackermann lives in Paris, France. He is currently the creative director for two big brands: Canada Goose and Tom Ford.

Early Life and Travels

Haider Ackermann was born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1971. When he was just nine months old, a French family adopted him. His adoptive father worked as a mapmaker.

Because of his father's job, Haider moved around a lot as a child. He lived in many different countries. These included Ethiopia, Chad, Algeria, and France. When he was twelve, his family moved to the Netherlands.

Becoming a Designer

Haider Ackermann was inspired by the famous designer Yves Saint Laurent. In 1994, he moved to Belgium to study fashion. He attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

However, he was expelled from the academy in 1997. This happened because he did not turn in his school assignments.

Starting His Career

After leaving school, Haider Ackermann worked for five months with designer John Galliano. Then, he became an assistant to one of his former teachers, Wim Neels.

In the years that followed, he worked for several different fashion brands. These included Bernhard Willhelm and Patrick Van Ommeslaeghe. Later, he became a designer for Mayerline.

Launching His Own Label

In 2001, Haider Ackermann started his own fashion brand. He showed his first collection of women's clothing in March 2001. This was during Paris fashion week, a very important event in the fashion world.

His collection in 2002 caught the eye of Ruffo. This company makes high-quality leather clothing. They hired him to design their spring-summer and autumn-winter collections for 2003.

In 2005, Haider Ackermann partnered with a Belgian group called bvba 32. He then set up his own design studio in Paris.

Haider Ackermann fashion show at the Paris Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2015

High Praise and New Challenges

Haider Ackermann was considered for a top job at Dior. This was after he turned down an offer to take over from Martin Margiela in 2009.

In 2010, the famous designer Karl Lagerfeld said Ackermann would be his ideal successor at Chanel. Some people in the fashion world even called him "a new Yves Saint-Laurent."

Ackermann's designs are influenced by different cultures. He likes to mix and match different styles and materials. His clothes often have simple cuts but are asymmetric, meaning they are not perfectly balanced. They are also sewn from various fabrics.

Many famous people have worn his designs. These include Tilda Swinton, Timothée Chalamet, Penélope Cruz, Victoria Beckham, Janet Jackson, and Kanye West.

Expanding His Work

In 2010, Haider Ackermann created a special men's clothing collection. He showed it at the Pitti trade shows in Florence, Italy.

In 2013, his fashion labels, Ann Demeulemeester and Haider Ackermann, became two separate companies. That same year, Ackermann launched his first full line of menswear.

In 2014, he worked on a Mercedes-Benz advertising campaign with actress Tilda Swinton.

Working with Berluti

In September 2016, Ackermann became the creative director for Berluti. This is a luxury brand known for its men's shoes and leather goods. He showed his first collection for Berluti in January 2017.

During his time at Berluti, he added a softer, more flowing style to the collections. He designed not only clothes but also sports accessories. He also oversaw ad campaigns and store designs. He continued to run his own women's and men's lines at the same time.

By March 2018, Ackermann and Berluti decided to part ways after just three seasons.

Partnership with Timothée Chalamet

Haider Ackermann met actor Timothée Chalamet in Paris in 2017. Ackermann styled Chalamet for his first red carpet event. This was at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.

They have continued to work together since then. Chalamet has called Ackermann "one of [his] closest friends." In 2021, they designed a hoodie together. All the money from selling the hoodie went to Afghanistan Libre. This French organization helps protect the rights of women in Afghanistan.

New Roles in 2024

In 2024, Haider Ackermann was named the creative director for two major brands. These are Canada Goose and Tom Ford.

Timothée Chalamet was the first person to wear a design by Ackermann for Tom Ford. He wore a sparkly black suit to the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Haider Ackermann para niños