Jasper Conran

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Jasper Conran bigraphy, stories - Fashion

Jasper Conran : biography

12 December 1959 –

Jasper Alexander Thirlby Conran OBE (born 12 December 1959) is a fashion designer from England, United Kingdom (UK). He is the son of the designer, Sir Terence Conran, and the author, Shirley Conran.

Professional career

Conran’s first collection was for Henri Bendel in New York, US. In 1979, aged 19, Conran designed his first womenswear collection under his own name. The following year he was elected to be part of the London Designer collections. Conran designed his first menswear collection in 1985.

In 1994, Conran designed the wedding dress of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones.

Stuart Crystal

In 1999, he began designing a signature range of stemware for Stuart Crystal and later for Waterford. In 2001, he launched a fine bone china tableware collection for Wedgwood.

Debenhams

In 1996, Conran launched a womenswear range for the Debenhams chain of department stores in the UK. He has subsequently designed women’s accessories, lingerie, hosiery, menswear, men’s accessories, childrenswear, homeware and luggage for the company.

Designers Guild

Conran has released furnishing, fabric and wallpaper collections for Designers Guild, as well as a range of signature fragrances, The Independent in 2003.

Chesney’s

In 2004, Conran designed and launched a three-range fireplace collection for Chesney’s.

Tripp

By 2005, Conran had designed a collection of luggage for Tripp, a collaboration that continued into subsequent years.

Jasper Conran Optical

In 2008, Conran launched the Jasper Conran Optical range with Specsavers.

Conran enterprises

Conran is the chairman and chief executive of Jasper Conran Holdings Ltd, in addition to fulfilling a non-executive director role with Conran Holdings Ltd.

Conran was appointed as creative director of the Conran Shop in 2011, and, in 2012, Conran was appointed as the chairman.

Personal life

Conran is an Honorary Doctor of Letters at Heriot-Watt University, a Visiting Professor at the University of the Arts London and an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law at the University of East Anglia. He has also served several times on the British Fashion Council.

Conran is a Patron of the Work-Life Balance Trust and is a Trustee of the Wallace Collection

The designer is openly gay The Guardian, accessed 28 December 2006 and, in 2009, he was ranked number 66 in the annual Pink List of 100 influential gay and lesbian people in Britain, published by The Independent on Sunday. In 2010, this list described him as a "National Treasure". The Independent on Sunday

Biography

Early life

Conran’s birth parents filed for divorce when he was two years of age.

Education

Conran was educated at Port Regis School and Bryanston School in the 1970s; he also studied at the Parsons School of Art and Design in New York, United States (US).

Writing

Conran published his first book, , in 2010. The Book Show The 300-page photographic essay was captured during a year of exploration around the English countryside.

Awards

  • 1982: Fil d’Or International Linen Award
  • 1983: Fil d’Or International Linen Award
  • 1986: Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council
  • 1987: Fashion Group of America Award
  • 1991: The Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Costume Designer of the Year’ – Jean Anouilh’s "The Rehearsal"
  • 1991: The British Fashion Council’s British Collections Award
  • 2003: ‘The Prince’s Medal’, Homes and Gardens Classic Design Award
  • 2005: The Design and Decoration ‘Objects of Desire’ Award
  • 2006: Homes and Gardens ‘Classic Design’ Award
  • 2008: Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
  • 2011: Condé Nast Traveller:Innovation & Design Award for ‘Style on the Move’ with Tripp Luggage Condé Nast Traveller

Performing arts

Throughout his career, Conran has pursued his passion for the performing arts—he has designed costumes and sets for fourteen ballet, opera and theatre productions.

Conran collaborated with David Bintley on the Royal Ballet’s production of Tombeaux, held at Covent Garden, and a series of productions by the Birmingham Royal Ballet, including The Nutcracker Sweeties, Brahms/Handel Variations, The Shakespeare Suite and Arthur Part I & II. He also designed the set and costumes for Bintley’s The Compleat Consort, produced for the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich, Germany.

Other works include "My Fair Lady" directed by Simon Callow, Donzetti’s opera "Maria Stuarda" for ENO and Galina Samsova’s "Swan Lake" and "Sleeping Beauty" for the Scottish Ballet.

In 1991, Conran won The Laurence Olivier Award for Costume Design for Jean Anouilh’s "The Rehearsal" at the Almeida Theatre in London, UK.