Zac Posen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zac Posen
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Posen in 2008
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Zachary E. Posen
October 24, 1980 New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Parsons School of Design Central Saint Martins |
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Label(s)
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| Awards | CFDA: Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear (2004) |
Zac Posen (born October 24, 1980) is a well-known American fashion designer. He is famous for creating beautiful and elegant clothes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Zac Posen grew up in New York City, in a neighborhood called SoHo. His mother, Susan, was a lawyer, and his father, Stephen, was an artist. Zac showed an interest in fashion design from a very young age. He even used to take small caps from his grandparents' synagogue to make fancy dresses for his dolls!
Learning About Fashion
Zac went to Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn. When he was in high school, he worked as an intern for fashion designer Nicole Miller. He also won an award for his art and writing.
At 16, he joined a special program at Parsons The New School for Design. After high school, he spent three years learning from Richard Martin at The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This museum has a huge collection of clothes from different times.
When he was 18, Zac was accepted into a fashion design program in London at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. In 2001, one of his unique dresses, made from thin leather strips, was shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Zac Posen's Fashion Career
Starting His Own Brand
In 2000, Zac Posen got a big break when a dress he made for supermodel Naomi Campbell was seen by many important people in fashion. This helped him meet key people, like Ingrid Sischy, the editor of Interview magazine. She introduced him to Ed Filipowski, who became his publicist and helped him get noticed.
When Zac came back to New York in 2001, he started his design studio in his parents' living room. Later that year, he was chosen to show a small collection of his designs at a fashion event. He even received a grant of $20,000 to help him get started. After his first fashion show in 2001, big names in the fashion world, like those from Christian Dior and Gucci, became interested in his work. Soon after, he opened his own design studio in Tribeca, New York.
Designing for Celebrities
Zac Posen quickly became a favorite designer for many famous people. Celebrities like Natalie Portman, Rihanna, Amanda Seyfried, Kate Winslet, Claire Danes, Jennifer Lopez, and Beyoncé Knowles have worn his beautiful creations.
In 2004, the fashion brand Sean John invested in Posen's company. In 2005, actress Ashley Olsen even interned with him while she was a student.
Special Collections and Collaborations
In April 2008, Zac Posen worked with Target to create a special collection called "Zac Posen for Target." This collection was sold in many stores across Australia.
He also designed gowns for major events. For example, Glenn Close wore a Posen gown to the 2012 Academy Awards. Reese Witherspoon and Naomi Watts wore his designs to the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. Many other stars, including Uma Thurman and Sofia Vergara, have worn his dresses on red carpets.
In February 2014, Posen teamed up with David's Bridal to create "Truly Zac Posen," a line of affordable wedding dresses. This was his first official collection of bridal gowns.
In 2018, Zac Posen was chosen to design new uniforms for 60,000 employees of Delta Air Lines. He also designed the beautiful blush silk gown that Princess Eugenie of York wore for her wedding reception in 2018.
Changes in His Company
On November 1, 2019, Zac Posen's main fashion label, House of Z, announced it would close down. This happened shortly after one of his biggest clients, Barneys New York, filed for bankruptcy. Later, another company bought the Zac Posen brand name.
Working with Other Brands
From 2014 to 2020, Posen was the Creative Director for Brooks Brothers. He helped update their women's clothing and accessories.
In February 2024, Zac Posen was hired as the creative director for Gap and chief creative officer for Old Navy. This move is part of a plan to make these popular clothing brands even better.
Other Projects
From 2012 to 2018, Zac Posen was a judge on the popular TV show Project Runway. On the show, fashion designers compete to create new clothing lines.
In October 2017, Posen released a cookbook with 100 recipes. It was described as being as amazing as his fashion designs.
In 2021, Zac Posen also launched a collection of wedding rings that can be worn by anyone, regardless of gender.
Awards and Recognition
Zac Posen has received several awards for his work. In 2004, he won the Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Personal Life
In 2023, Zac Posen became engaged to Harrison Ball, who is a main dancer at the New York City Ballet.
See also
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of LGBT people from New York City
- NYC Pride March
