Narciso Rodriguez

Born in Newark, New Jersey (USA) in 1961, Narciso Rodriguez was the son of a Cuban dock worker who came originally from the Canary Islands. He grew up in a poorer part of New Jersey. His parents were not very enthusiastic about his chosen career, because fashion is not very much of a macho or male pursuit in Cuban society. Narciso Rodriguez nevertheless decided to study fashion design at Parson's School of Design, New York and succeeded in his aims.

Narciso Rodriguez started his career as a designer for Donna Karan at Anne Klein. He then switched to Calvin Klein where he worked on his coat collection and fur line (which has since been discontinued). In 1995, Narciso Rodriguez was named design director of TSE Cashmere, New York, after which he designed for one year at the House of Cerruti in 1996. His designs for Cerruti were very well received and he became the hot new designer in town. This did not go down very well with Nino Cerruti, so his contract was not renewed.

Cerruti's loss was however ABS's gain, since Narciso Rodriguez began to work for them. ABS is America's most loved imitation brand name manufacturer. It sells versions of the designer originals at much lower prices.

In between, he also made arrangements to design clothes under his own label which are to be made in Milan by the Aeffe factories of Alberta Ferretti.

In 1997, Narciso Rodriguez decided to move to Madrid, Spain, and worked as the women's ready-to-wear designer for the house of Loewe. He has now settled in there, and the fantastic designs began to flow out.

Whilst working for Calvin Klein, Narciso Rodriguez made friends with a PR girl named Carolyn Bessette and when she married John F. Kennedy Jr., Narciso Rodriguez made her a sleek and lovely wedding dress. It was a silk crepe column that catapulted Narciso Rodriguez out of his previous obscurity.

Since then Narciso Rodriguez has made Oscar dresses for the likes of Sigourney Weaver (in claret satin) for Claire Danes (in ice blue cashmere with matching satin skirt) and many others.

In 1997, the US Hispanic Society gave him the Designer of the Year Award, followed by the Perry Ellis Award in 1998, which he received from the CFDA.

Early in 2001, Narciso Rodriguez declined to renew his contract with Loewe in order to work on personal projects. In September of that year, Aeffe agreed to finance the production of his own label which started in fall 2001 to great acclaim.

Find fashion by Narciso Rodriguez @ the following eshop: