Haider Ackermann

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| name = Haider Ackermann

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|03|29}}

| birth_place = Bogotá, Colombia

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| nationality = French

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| education = Royal Academy of Fine Arts

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| occupation = Fashion designer

| years_active = 1994–present

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| awards = Fashion Group International Award (2012)

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| website = {{URL|haiderackermann.be}}

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Haider Ackermann (Arabic: حيدر عكرمان) (born 29 March 1971) is a Colombian-born French designer of ready-to-wear fashion.{{Cite web |date=2017-03-08 |title=Haider Ackermann |url=https://the-talks.com/interview/haider-ackermann/ |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=The Talks |language=en-US}} He lives in Paris,Giovanna Campagna (July 25, 2013), [https://www.wmagazine.com/story/haider-ackermann-colombia Haider Ackermann Celebrates His Colombian Roots] W. and is currently creative director of Canada Goose and Tom Ford.{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Felicity |title=Canada Goose Announces Haider Ackermann As Its First Creative Director |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/felicitycarter/2024/05/15/canada-goose-announces-haider-ackermann-as-its-first-creative-director/ |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hine |first=Samuel |date=2024-09-04 |title=Haider Ackermann Is the New Creative Director of Tom Ford |url=https://www.gq.com/story/tom-ford-haider-ackermann-appointment |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=GQ |language=en-US}}

Early life

Born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1971, Ackermann was adopted at the age of nine months by a French Alsatian family. His adoptive father is a mapmaker.Susannah Frankel (June 18, 2012), [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/haider-ackermann-the-draped-crusader-7857145.html Haider Ackermann: The Draped Crusader] The Independent. Ackermann spent his childhood in Ethiopia, Chad, Algeria and France before the family moved to the Netherlands when he was twelve.{{cite news|last=Pouliquen|first=Katell|title=Haider Ackermann, entre épure et volupté|url=http://www.lexpress.fr/styles/mode/fashion-week/defiles/haider-ackermann-entre-epure-et-volupte_968811.html|access-date=18 November 2011|newspaper=L'Express|date=4 March 2011|language=fr}}Susannah Frankel (June 18, 2012), [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/haider-ackermann-the-draped-crusader-7857145.html Haider Ackermann: The Draped Crusader] The Independent.

Career

Inspired by the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Ackermann went to Belgium in 1994 and studied fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He was expelled in 1997 for failing to turn in course assignments.Mark C. O’Flaherty (January 18, 2017), [https://www.ft.com/content/e3ff7060-b87d-11e6-ba85-95d1533d9a62 Haider Ackermann: Berluti’s new boy] Financial Times.

After five months of internship with John Galliano, Ackermann worked as an assistant to one of his teachers, the Belgian designer Wim Neels. In the following years he worked for various brands, including Bernhard Willhelm and Patrick Van Ommeslaeghe before working as a designer for Mayerline.

In 2001, Ackermann created his own label and presented his first women's wear collection in March 2001 during Paris fashion week. His 2002 collection drew the attention of house Ruffo, premium leather clothing specialist, which hired him to direct the spring-summer collections and autumn-winter 2003 for Ruffo Research. In 2005, he signed with the Belgian group bvba 32 and set up his studio in Paris.{{cite news|last=Milligan|first=Lauren|title=No More Menswear|url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/101202-haider-ackermann-quits-menswear-col.aspx|access-date=18 November 2011|newspaper=Vogue|date=2 December 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101134409/http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/101202-haider-ackermann-quits-menswear-col.aspx|archive-date=1 January 2011}}

File:Haider Ackermann backstage at the Paris Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2015 (4).jpg

Ackermann was one of the designers approached to succeed Galliano at Dior, after declining the proposed succession of Martin Margiela in 2009.Susannah Frankel (June 18, 2012), [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/haider-ackermann-the-draped-crusader-7857145.html Haider Ackermann: The Draped Crusader] The Independent. In 2010, Karl Lagerfeld described him as his ideal successor at Chanel,{{cite news|last=Milligan|first=Lauren|title=Karl's Choice|url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/101119-karl-lagerfeld-tips-haider-ackerman.aspx|access-date=18 November 2011|newspaper=Vogue|date=19 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122205704/http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/101119-karl-lagerfeld-tips-haider-ackerman.aspx|archive-date=22 November 2010}} and some commentators called him a "new Yves Saint-Laurent".

Influenced by cultural differences, Ackermann's fashion contrasts and blends dress codes. The simple cuts of his creations are often asymmetric and sewn of different materials. His creations have been worn by Tilda Swinton, Timothée Chalamet, Nastya Hevchuk, Penélope Cruz, Victoria Beckham, Janet Jackson and Kanye West.

In 2010, Ackermann launched a one-off menswear collection during the Pitti trade shows in Florence.Mark C. O’Flaherty (January 18, 2017), [https://www.ft.com/content/e3ff7060-b87d-11e6-ba85-95d1533d9a62 Haider Ackermann: Berluti’s new boy] Financial Times. In June 2013, entrepreneur Anne Chapelle of 32 BVBA fashion house announced that the Ann Demeulemeester and Haider Ackermann labels would be split into two independent companies.{{cite web | url=http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/ann-demeulemeester-to-exit-house-7284094?src=nl/mornReport/20131121 | title=Ann Demeulemeester Exits Fashion | publisher=WWD | date=21 November 2013 | access-date=21 November 2013 | author=Socha, Miles}} Ackermann subsequently launched his first full menswear line that year.Mark C. O’Flaherty (January 18, 2017), [https://www.ft.com/content/e3ff7060-b87d-11e6-ba85-95d1533d9a62 Haider Ackermann: Berluti’s new boy] Financial Times.

In 2014, Ackermann worked on a Mercedes-Benz campaign with Tilda Swinton.Mark C. O’Flaherty (January 18, 2017), [https://www.ft.com/content/e3ff7060-b87d-11e6-ba85-95d1533d9a62 Haider Ackermann: Berluti’s new boy] Financial Times.

Ackermann joined Berluti as creative director in September 2016, succeeding Alessandro Sartori and showed his first collection for the label in January 2017.Mark C. O’Flaherty (January 18, 2017), [https://www.ft.com/content/e3ff7060-b87d-11e6-ba85-95d1533d9a62 Haider Ackermann: Berluti’s new boy] Financial Times. During his tenure, he introduced a more languid, feminine edge into the collections, which were shown on men and women. His role involved not only the full product design, including sporting accessories, but also ad campaigns, image and stores.Vanessa Friedman (September 1, 2016), [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/01/fashion/berluti-haider-ackermann-creative-director.html Haider Ackermann Named Creative Director of Berluti] New York Times. He also continued to run his own women’s and men’s lines concurrently with his job at Berluti.Vanessa Friedman (September 1, 2016), [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/01/fashion/berluti-haider-ackermann-creative-director.html Haider Ackermann Named Creative Director of Berluti] New York Times. By March 2018, Ackermann and Berluti parted ways after just three seasons.Joelle Diderich (March 30, 2018), [https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/haider-ackermann-exits-berluti-successor-1202640964/ EXCLUSIVE: Haider Ackermann Leaves Berluti] Women's Wear Daily.

Ackermann and Timothée Chalamet first met in Paris in 2017 at the request of Chalamet's agent Brian Swardstrom. Ackermann styled the actor for his first red carpet at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.{{cite web|last1=Phelps|first1=Nicole|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-interview|title=Haider Ackermann—Timothée Chalamet's Closest Fashion Collaborator—Tells All|work=Vogue|date=December 6, 2019|access-date=December 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819064753/https://www.vogue.com/article/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-interview|archive-date=August 19, 2021}}{{cite web|last1=Stafford|first1=Jerry|url=https://system-magazine.com/issues/issue-20/in-conversation-haider-ackermann|title=In conversation. Haider Ackermann: "You have to protect your future"|work=System|date=2022|issue=20|page=230-45 |access-date=December 3, 2024}} They have maintained a creative partnership since then,{{cite web|last1=Cartter|first1=Eileen|url=https://www.gq.com/gallery/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-bros|title=When Did Timothée Chalamet and Haider Ackermann Become Best Bros?|work=GQ|date=February 1, 2023|access-date=December 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904170946/https://www.gq.com/gallery/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-bros|archive-date=September 4, 2024}}{{cite web|last1=Clark|first1=Murray|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/haider-ackermann-tom-ford-interview-2024|title=Haider Ackermann takes the Tom Ford Throne|work=British GQ|date=November 21, 2024|access-date=December 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241121160518/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/haider-ackermann-tom-ford-interview-2024|archive-date=November 21, 2024}} with Chalamet describing Ackermann as "one of [his] closest friends". In 2021 they designed a hoodie with 100% of the proceeds going to French organization Afghanistan Libre, which is centered around preserving the rights of women in Afghanistan.{{cite web|last1=Hess|first1=Liam|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-charity-hoodie|title=Timothée Chalamet and Haider Ackermann Design a Hoodie for Afghan Women's Rights|work=Vogue|date=December 23, 2021|access-date=December 28, 2021}}

He was appointed as creative director of both Canada Goose and Tom Ford in 2024. Chalamet debuted the first-ever look by Ackermann at Tom Ford, a sequined black suit, on the red carpet of the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.{{cite web|last1=Goh|first1=Yang-Yi|url=https://www.gq.com/story/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-tom-ford-2025-golden-globes|title=Timothée Chalamet Just Debuted Haider Ackermann's Tom Ford at the 2025 Golden Globes|work=GQ|date=January 5, 2025|access-date=January 8, 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250106113314/https://www.gq.com/story/timothee-chalamet-haider-ackermann-tom-ford-2025-golden-globes|archive-date=January 6, 2025}}