Career
In 2000, Posen received a big break after a dress he made for Naomi Campbell (who had heard about him from Lola Schnabel, the daughter of American artist Julian Schnabel) changed hands several times among several fashion insiders, including actress Paz de la Huerta. He is famously well-connected and has called Lola's sister, Stella Schnabel, his muse. Through Interview magazine Editor-in-Chief Ingrid Sischy, Posen met his future publicist and event producer Ed Filipowski, of KCD who offered to represent him for free.
Upon returning to New York in 2001, Posen set up an atelier in his parent’s living room, while they gave him a USD$15 allowance. In October of the same year he was chosen to present a capsule collection as part of GenArt's Fresh Faces in Fashion New York 2001. He received a grant for USD$20,000. After his first runway show in 2001, Posen was courted by fashion titans Yves Carcelle (President of LVMH Fashion Group), Sidney Toledano (Chief Executive Officer and Director of Christian Dior S.A.), and Domenico De Sole (President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci Group NV.) Following the success of this presentation, Posen established his design studio in Tribeca. Zac Posen continues to receive awards and accolades, most notably the Council of Fashion Designers of America's 2004 Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear. Posen’s strong, feminine aesthetic has become a favorite of style leaders including Natalie Portman, Rihanna, Kate Winslet, Claire Danes, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Mischa Barton, Beyoncé Knowles, and many more.
In 2004, high-end urban fashion brand Sean John made an investment deal with Posen. Ashley Olsen interned with Posen in 2005 while a student at The Gallatin School of Individualized Study, an undergraduate college within New York University.
In April 2008, Posen's capsule collection created in collaboration with Target, Zac Posen for Target, was released in 75 stores in Australia. A preview of the collection was shown during March's L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival as one of the fashion week's headline catwalks.
At the 2012 Academy Awards, Glenn Close wore a Zac Posen gown on the red carpet.
Read more about this topic: Zac Posen
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