Jasper Conran

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Jasper Conran OBE

Conran in 2004
Born (1959-12-12) 12 December 1959
Nationality British
Occupation Fashion designer

Jasper Alexander Thirlby Conran OBE (born 12 December 1959) is an English fashion designer. He is the son of the designer, Sir Terence Conran, and the author, Shirley Conran.[1]

Personal life

Conran's birth parents divorced when he was two years of age.

Conran was educated at Port Regis School and Bryanston School in the 1970s; he also studied at the Parsons School of Art and Design[2] in New York, United States (US).

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

Conran is openly gay[3] 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.[4] In 2010, this list described him as a "National Treasure".[5]

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.[6]

In 1999, he began designing a signature range of stemware for Stuart Crystal[7] and later for Waterford Crystal. In 2001, he launched a fine bone china tableware collection for Wedgwood.[8]

In 1996, Conran launched a womenswear range for the Debenhams[9] chain of department stores in the UK. He has subsequently designed women's accessories, lingerie, hosiery, menswear, men's accessories, childrenswear, and homeware for the company. Since 2005 he has also designed luggage for Tripp,[10] whose products are sold through Debenhams stores.

Conran has released furnishing, fabric and wallpaper collections for Designers Guild,[11] as well as a range of signature fragrances,[12] in 2003.

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

In 2008, Conran launched the Jasper Conran Optical range with Specsavers.[13]

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.[14]

Writing

Conran published his first book, Jasper Conran Country, in 2010.[15] The 300-page photographic essay was captured during a year of exploration around the English countryside.

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,[16] 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.

Awards

  • 1982: Fil d'Or International Linen Award[17]
  • 1983: Fil d'Or International Linen Award[17]
  • 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)[18]
  • 2011: Condé Nast Traveller:Innovation & Design Award for 'Style on the Move' with Tripp Luggage [19]

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ Tim Walker (21 September 2012). "Terence Conran surprises Jasper Conran by making him his heir". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 September 2012. 
  2. ↑ Jasper Conran (9 January 2011). "Jasper Conran: I would make Kate Middleton a very vision of English style'". Telegraph. Retrieved 30 September 2012. 
  3. ↑ Campbell, Denis; "Gays who shape our new Britain" The Guardian, accessed 28 December 2006
  4. ↑ "The Pink List 2007: The IoS annual celebration of the great and the gay". The Independent on Sunday. 6 May 2007. 
  5. ↑ "The Pink List 2010" The Independent on Sunday
  6. ↑ "Top 10 Wedding Gowns: Lady Sarah Chatto". Order of Splendor. 
  7. ↑ "Jasper Conran designs Stuart Crystal". Independent.ie. 4 May 1999. Retrieved 2 October 2012. 
  8. ↑ Grant Ringshaw (4 March 2001). "Waterford Wedgwood adds Westwood". Telegraph. Retrieved 2 October 2012. 
  9. ↑ Peter Koenig (14 December 1997). "Debenhams gets a brand new image". Independent. Retrieved 2 October 2012. 
  10. ↑ "GH Institute". allaboutyou. Hearst Magazines UK. July 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2012. 
  11. ↑ Iain R Webb (14 July 2008). "Jasper Conran: Designs for life". Independent. Retrieved 2 October 2012. 
  12. ↑ "The sweet smell of success" The Independent
  13. ↑ "Jasper Conran has gone to Specsavers". Optician. Reed Business Information Limited. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2012. 
  14. ↑ Nicola Harrison (9 July 2012). "Jasper Conran appointed chairman of Conran Shop". RetailWeek. EMAP Ltd. Retrieved 5 October 2012. 
  15. ↑ "Jasper Conran" The Book Show
  16. ↑ JasperConranvideo (23 August 2010). "Jasper Conran costume design for My Fair Lady". YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 4 October 2012. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Jasper Conran" (PDF). London Fashion Week 2012. London Fashion Week 2012. 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012. 
  18. ↑ Tim Walker (20 March 2008). "Picture Post: The Palace catwalk, 19.03.08". The Independent. Retrieved 5 October 2012. 
  19. ↑ "Innovation & Design Awards 2011: the winners" Condé Nast Traveller

External links

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