MATTHEW WILLIAMSON

Matthew Williamson was born October 23, 1971 in Chorlton, Manchester. He grew up and studied there until the age of 17. He was offered a place in the Fashion Design degree course at Central St Martins College, London.

Graduating from Central St Martins College in June 1994 with a BA in Fashion Design and Printed Textiles. Following graduation his first job was with Marni. Williamson was then employed by British fashion company, Monsoon and Accessorize. The luxury fashion house, Matthew Williamson was founded in February 1997 by Matthew Williamson and Joseph Velosa.

In September 1997 Williamson showed his famous debut collection, ‘Electric Angels,’ during London Fashion Week. Bias cut dresses and separates in exotic shades of tangerine, fuchsia and magenta were worn by models Kate Moss, Helena Christensen and Jade Jagger. This unique collection of bright, intricately detailed pieces defined and set the pace for the highly recognizable Matthew Williamson signature aesthetic.

Following this initial show, Williamson’s collections continued to gather momentum, cementing his reputation as an internationally renowned designer and one of the UK’s leading designers. In February 2002 Williamson showed for the first time during New York Fashion Week.

Spring 2011 saw the launch of an independent range, Matthew Williamson Escape. In an evolutionary step, the line champion’s luxury style for the modern global traveler while maintaining the brand’s core identity and expertise in luxury. The Matthew Williamson Escape collection delivers covetable pieces with a suggestion of playful contemporary extravagance.

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