Carolina Herrera (born María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño, 8 January 1939) is a Venezuelan American fashion designer. Known for her personal style, she founded her namesake brand in 1980. Herrera has designed for various First Ladies of the United States, including Jacqueline Onassis, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump.[2][3][4]
Early life
María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño was born on 8 January 1939 in Caracas, Venezuela.[5][1] Her father, Guillermo Pacanins Acevedo, was an Air Force officer and her mother, María Cristina Niño Passios, was a former governor of Caracas.[6][7] Her socialite grandmother introduced her to the world of fashion, taking young Carolina to shows by Balenciaga and buying her outfits at Lanvin and Dior. She has said, "My eye was accustomed to seeing pretty things."[8]
Early career
In 1965, Herrera began her career working as a publicist for Emilio Pucci, a Florentine Marquis and a close family friend. She began working at Pucci's Caracas boutique and moved to New York in 1980.[9] Frequently associating with the New York glitterati such as Andy Warhol, Halston, Diana Vreeland, and Bianca Jagger, she became well known for her dramatic style.[10] She first appeared on the International Best Dressed List in 1972, then was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1980.[8]
Carolina Herrera
Early years
Herrera's mentor Diana Vreeland, then Editor-in-Chief of Vogue suggested that she design a clothing line.[11] Herrera founded her clothing line in 1980, and had samples made in Caracas. She debuted her collection at Manhattan's Metropolitan Club to critical acclaim.[12] A well known Park Avenue boutique, Martha's, agreed to showcase her clothing in their prominent windows. Upon this initial success, she returned to Caracas and raised capital to fund a more formal launch. She debuted her first full collection at the Metropolitan Club in April 1981.[13] The show included supermodel Iman and was the first time the venue permitted a fashion show within its walls.[2][8]
Other activities
Since 2004, Herrera has been a member of the board of directors of jewelry designer Mimi So,[39] and since 1999 on the board of the CFDA.[40]
Recognition
In 2008, Herrera was awarded the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award[41] from the Council of Fashion Designers of America,[42] and "Womenswear Designer of the Year" in 2004. Herrera is a recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence as well as Spain's Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts, which was presented to her in 2002 by King Juan Carlos I.[43] She was awarded the Gold Medal of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute in 1997.[44]
She received the Fashion Group International Superstar Award,[45] the Style Awards Designer of the Year in 2012[46]
Personal life
In 1957, at the age of 18, Herrera married Guillermo Behrens Tello, a Venezuelan landowner and fifth cousin of Gustavo J. Vollmer.[51] Before their eventual divorce in 1964, they became the parents of two daughters:[52]
In 1968, in Caracas, she married Reinaldo Herrera Guevara (1933-2025), who had inherited the Spanish title The 5th Marquis of Torre Casa in 1962 upon his father's death.[55][56] Reinaldo was the host of Buenos Días, a Venezuelan morning-television news program.[57] By marriage, Carolina held the title The Marquise consort of Torre Casa, until it was retracted in 1992, as an official statement from the Spanish court stated that another claimant had been located.[58]
See also
- List of fashion designers
External links
References
- La Vanguardia Ediciones Newspaper, Jan. 22, 2013 – Subject Page – Carolina Herrera retrieved 2013-01-22^
- Lauren Tuck. Melania Trump Helped Hervé Pierre Design Her Inaugural Ball Gown 21 January 2017, retrieved 21 January 2017^
- Bernadine Morris. For Carolina Herrera, Tranquillity Amid Success