Nicolas Ghesquière facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicolas Ghesquière
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Ghesquière in 2019
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| Born | 9 May 1971 Comines, Nord-Pas de Calais, France
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Label(s)
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Louis Vuitton |
Nicolas Ghesquière (born 9 May 1971) is a famous French-Belgian fashion designer. Since 2013, he has been the creative director for women's fashion at Louis Vuitton. This well-known brand is owned by LVMH.
Contents
Early Life and Fashion Dreams
Nicolas Ghesquière grew up in a town called Loudun, France. His father owned a golf course, and his mother loved fashion. From a young age, Nicolas enjoyed sports like horse riding and swimming. These activities later inspired some of his fashion collections.
Even as a child, Nicolas knew he wanted to be a designer. By age 12, he was sketching dresses in his school books. He even made clothes from his mother's curtains! He also designed earrings using crystals from his grandmother's chandelier.
With his father's help, Nicolas created a portfolio of his drawings. He sent it to several designers. He also did internships during his school holidays. At 14, he interned with French designer agnès b. Later, he worked with Corinne Cobson. After these experiences, he decided to finish school first.
Starting a Fashion Career
After high school, Nicolas Ghesquière chose not to go to art school. Instead, he worked as an assistant for designer Jean-Paul Gaultier from 1990 to 1992. After that, he designed knitwear for a company called Pôles. He also took on other design jobs.
Leading Balenciaga's Style
Through some connections, Ghesquière got a job at the Paris fashion house Balenciaga. He designed clothes for the Asian market. At that time, Balenciaga was not very successful. However, the company soon saw Nicolas's talent.
In 1997, when he was just 25 years old, Ghesquière became the creative director of Balenciaga. This was a big surprise! He was put in charge of everything for the brand. This included clothing, accessories, store design, and advertising. He had less than four months to create his first collection.
While at Balenciaga, Ghesquière became known for his unique style. He often mixed different looks, like tight pants with big, puffy tops. His work helped Balenciaga become a very popular fashion house. One of his biggest successes was the Lariat bag. This bag had braided handles and became a modern classic.
Ghesquière respected the original designs of Balenciaga's founder, Cristóbal Balenciaga. He also worked with the same artists often, like Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster. She helped design every Balenciaga store. Actress Charlotte Gainsbourg was also an inspiration for him.
In 2002, Ghesquière faced a challenge. He was accused of copying a design from an older designer named Kaisik Wong. Ghesquière admitted that he had copied a patchwork vest for his collection. He explained that he often found inspiration from vintage clothes.
The Gucci Group bought Balenciaga in 2001. Ghesquière stayed on and helped the brand grow a lot. He built a large design team in Paris. After 15 years, Nicolas Ghesquière left Balenciaga in November 2012.
Designing for Louis Vuitton
On November 4, 2013, Ghesquière took over from Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton. He became the creative director for their women's collections. Some of his first designs were worn by actress Jennifer Connelly on the red carpet. His first show for Louis Vuitton was on March 5, 2014.
Since joining Louis Vuitton, Ghesquière has shown his designs in amazing places. These include the Louvre museum in Paris and the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum in Rio de Janeiro. He even designed special character outfits for the video game League of Legends in 2019.
Awards and Recognition
Nicolas Ghesquière has received many awards for his work.
- In 1998, he was named avant-garde designer of the year at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards.
- A year later, the CFDA named him Womenswear Designer of the Year.
- In 2006, he was listed among the TIME 100 Most Influential People.
- In 2008, he won Designer of the Year at the Accessories Council Excellence Awards.
- American Vogue called him "fashion's most sought-after and influential figure."
- In 2014, he was named International Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Awards.
Personal Details
In 2022, Nicolas Ghesquière bought the Wolff House in Los Angeles. This house was designed by the famous architect John Lautner.
See also
In Spanish: Nicolas Ghesquière para niños
