Jason Wu

{{Short description|Canadian artist and fashion designer (born 1982)}}

{{Infobox fashion designer

|name = Jason Wu

|image = Jason Wu Shankbone 2009 Metropolitan Opera.jpg

|caption = Wu in 2009

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|9|27}}

|birth_place = Yunlin County, Taiwan

|death_date =

|death_place =

|citizenship = Canada

|label_name = {{plainlist|

Jason Wu Grey,
Jason Wu Beauty

}}

|awards =

|known_for =

|occupation = {{hlist|Fashion designer|artist}}

|module =

{{Infobox Chinese|

|t=吳季剛

|child= yes

|s=吴季刚|p=Wú Jìgāng|w=Wú Chì-Kāng|poj=Gô͘ Kùi-Kong}}

}}

Jason Wu ({{lang-zh|t=吳季剛|p=Wú Jìgāng}}; born September 27, 1982) is a Canadian artist and fashion designer based in New York City.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Vancouver, he studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design, and trained under Narciso Rodriguez before launching his own line. He is known for designing the dresses of Michelle Obama on several occasions, including those worn during the first and second inauguration of American President Barack Obama.

Early life

Jason Wu was born in Yunlin, Taiwan and emigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at age nine. He attended Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts and Loomis Chaffee in Windsor, Connecticut and studied abroad with [http://www.sya.org SYA France of School Year Abroad] for his senior year of high school.{{cite web |url=http://alumni.sya.org/s/833/index.aspx?sid=833&gid=1&pgid=462&sparam=jason+wu&scontid=0 |title=School Year Abroad - Jason Wu FR'01 |access-date=2014-12-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070701/http://alumni.sya.org/s/833/index.aspx?sid=833&gid=1&pgid=462&sparam=jason+wu&scontid=0 |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2008/11/jason-wu-wows-h.html|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Jason Wu wows Hollywood ... and Washington|author=Melissa Magsaysay|date=2008-11-19|access-date=2009-01-21}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/fashion/25WU.html|title=Spotlight on Designer of Gown for Ball|work=The New York Times|date=2009-01-23|access-date=2009-01-24|author=Eric Wilson}} He learned how to sew by designing and sewing for dolls, and went on to study sculpture in Tokyo. At age sixteen Wu continued this career path by learning to create freelance doll clothing designs for toy company Integrity Toys under the lines "Jason Wu dolls" and later "Fashion Royalty". The following year, he was named creative director of Integrity Toys.{{cite news|url=http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/01/21/jason-wu-michelle-obama.html|work=W magazine|title=All About Jason Wu: School Year Abroad|date=2009-01-21|access-date=2009-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125222506/http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/01/21/jason-wu-michelle-obama.html|archive-date=2009-01-25|url-status=dead}} While spending his senior year of high school in Rennes, France{{cite web|url=http://alumni.sya.org/s/833/two-column.aspx?sid=833&gid=1&pgid=462|title=From Rennes to the Runway|publisher=School Year Abroad|access-date=2010-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213213039/http://alumni.sya.org/s/833/two-column.aspx?sid=833&gid=1&pgid=462|archive-date=2010-12-13|url-status=dead}} before graduating from the Loomis Chaffee School in 2001, he decided to become a fashion designer. He then studied at the Parsons The New School for Design, a division of The New School in New York City, but did not graduate.

Career

Wu launched his ready-to-wear line of clothes with earnings from his years of doll designs. His debut fashion collection was launched in 2006. He won the Fashion Group International's Rising Star award in 2008. Jason Wu's dresses were photographed underwater by Howard Schatz for Delta Faucet Company's Brizo branded faucet campaign in 2006.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vV_jXfalhtEC&q=Jason%20Wu%20Brizo&pg=PA63|title=The Brains Behind Great Ad Campaigns |author= Margo Berman, Robyn Blakeman |access-date=2011-07-11|date= 2009|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9780742555518}} In 2008 he was nominated for the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund award. Bruce Weber shot the designer for W magazine's "Summer Camp" portfolio in July 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/01/21/jason-wu-michelle-obama.html|publisher=W|title=All About Jason Wu|date=2009-01-21|access-date=2009-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125222506/http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/01/21/jason-wu-michelle-obama.html|archive-date=2009-01-25|url-status=dead}}

Wu's early clients included Ivana Trump, January Jones, and Amber Valletta.{{cite news|url=http://www.thestyleinsider.com/wfaa/2009/01/fashion-flash-jason-wu-designed-michelle-obamas-gown|publisher=WFAA television|title=Michelle Obama dazzles in Jason Wu-designed ball gown|date=2009-01-20|author=Melissa Segrest|access-date=2009-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125132024/http://www.thestyleinsider.com/wfaa/2009/01/fashion-flash-jason-wu-designed-michelle-obamas-gown|archive-date=2009-01-25|url-status=dead}} He also worked extensively with drag queen RuPaul, ultimately designing six RuPaul dolls.[http://rupaul.com/AB1815000equick/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=3&cat=rupaul+dolls Rupaul.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313013414/http://www.rupaul.com/AB1815000equick/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=3&cat=rupaul+dolls |date=2009-03-13 }}

Wu collaborated with Creative Nail Design for his Spring 2011 collection to create a set of four nail polish colours that was to be retailed from May 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sassybella.com/2010/09/jason-wu-creates-a-limited-edition-nail-polish-collection-with-cnd/|title = Jason Wu creates a limited edition nail polish collection with CND| date=19 September 2010 }}

From 2013 to 2018, Wu served as the art director of German fashion house Hugo Boss overseeing the entire womenswear range.{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Dolly|title=Jason Wu For Hugo Boss|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jason-wu|work=The Canadian Encyclopedia}}Rosemary Feitelberg (13 February 2018), [https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/jason-wu-and-hugo-boss-end-alliance-after-five-year-run-1202557874/ Jason Wu and Hugo Boss End Alliance After Five-Year Run] Women's Wear Daily.

In 2013, Wu launched his debut diffusion line (a collection designed with a younger target in mind and retailed at a lower price point), Miss Wu, in tandem with luxury retailer Nordstrom.Marc Karimzadeh (18 July 2012), [https://wwd.com/feature/courting-a-younger-audience-with-miss-wu-6087945-584684/ Jason Wu Courts a Younger Audience With Miss Wu] Women's Wear Daily. Michelle Obama wore a Miss Wu green shift in 2012 — before it hit the shelves — while on the campaign trail for reelection. Relaunching the line as Grey in 2016, Wu partnered with Pantone to create a custom grey hue.{{cite web|last=Yarhi|first=Stefania|title=Jason Wu| url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jason-wu|work=Article|publisher=thecanadianencyclopedia}}

In 2020, Jason Wu launched an affordable line of clean makeup and skincare products under the label Jason Wu Beauty. By 2024, the brand also signed a licensing and distribution deal with Concept One Accessories for an "aspirational" collection of handbags and small leather goods; it had been handling the production of its bags in-house before.David Moin (29 July 2024), [https://wwd.com/accessories-news/handbags/jason-wu-in-licensing-deal-with-concept-one-accessories-1236508710/ Jason Wu Signs Licensing and Distribution Deal for Collection of ‘Aspirational’ Handbags and Leather Goods] Women's Wear Daily.

=Designing for Michelle Obama=

Michelle Obama is a noted Jason Wu customer.{{Cite web|url=http://mrs-o.com/newdata/tag/jason-wu|title = Home - MRS.O - Follow the Fashion and Style of First Lady Michelle Obama}}

She was introduced to Wu by André Leon Talley, Vogue Magazine's editor-at-large, who had been advising the then First Family on their appearance. Obama bought four dresses from Wu early in the year, wearing one of them for a segment on Barbara Walters Special shortly before the November 2008 election, prompting many in the media to consider her his "career-launcher".{{cite web|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/runway/2008/12/01/the-michelle-obama-career-launcher-for-emerging-designer-jason-wu/|title=The Michelle Obama "Career-Launcher" for Emerging Designer Jason Wu|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|author=Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan|author-link=Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan|date=2008-12-01|access-date=2009-01-21}} She wore another dress, a custom-designed one-shoulder, floor-length white chiffon gown, at the inaugural balls on the night of President Barack Obama's first term inauguration.{{cite news|publisher=CNN|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/20/inauguration.balls/index.html|title=Obamas dance, celebrate at inaugural balls|date=2009-01-20|access-date=2009-01-21|author=Lisa Respers France and Mallory Simon}}

Appearing on the cover of Vogue, Obama once again wore a Wu design, a magenta silk dress.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7883253.stm|title=Michelle Obama makes Vogue cover|work=BBC News|date=2009-02-11|access-date=2009-02-12}} Upon her arrival in London in April 2009 during the First Lady and President Barack Obama's first official European trip, Obama wore a chartreuse silk sheath dress that was designed by Wu; the next day she wore a Wu coat during her visit with the Queen Elizabeth II.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesley-m-m-blume/what-a-difference-a-day-m_b_180806.html|title=What A Difference A Day Makes: An Interview With The Suddenly Superfamous Designer Jason Wu|date=April 1, 2009|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=2009-04-03}} On April 2, 2009, Obama paired a "traditional looking" teal Wu dress with a blue-patterned cardigan designed by Junya Watanabe on her visit to the Royal Opera House.{{cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2009/04/michelle-obamas-edgiest-fashion-statement-yet.html|title=Michelle Obama's edgiest fashion statement yet|date=April 2, 2009|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=2009-04-02}}

Obama again wore a dress that was designed by Wu, a ruby red velvet and chiffon design, at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Balls.{{cite web|url=http://thelook.today.com/_news/2013/01/21/16623343-once-again-michelle-obama-dazzles-in-inaugural-gown-by-jason-wu?lite|title=Once again, Michelle Obama dazzles in inaugural gown by Jason Wu|author=Laura T. Coffey and Meena Hart Duerson|publisher=© 2013 NBCNews.com. All rights reserved|access-date=2013-01-21|archive-date=2013-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122233655/http://thelook.today.com/_news/2013/01/21/16623343-once-again-michelle-obama-dazzles-in-inaugural-gown-by-jason-wu?lite|url-status=dead}}

=Designing for Gong Jun=

Wu designed his first menswear for the Chinese actor Gong Jun to attend the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2023. Gong wore a white suit with sophisticated embroideries and a frog (fastening) designed by Wu.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-20 |title=Gong Jun Wore Jason Wu Collection To The 'Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny' Cannes Film Festival Premiere |url=https://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2023/05/20/gong-jun-wore-jason-wu-collection-to-the-indiana-jones-and-the-dial-of-destiny-cannes-film-festival-premiere |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520191319/https://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2023/05/20/gong-jun-wore-jason-wu-collection-to-the-indiana-jones-and-the-dial-of-destiny-cannes-film-festival-premiere/ |archive-date=2023-05-20}}

Personal life

Wu, who is openly gay, married Gustavo Rangel in April 2016 in Mexico.{{cite news|last1=Chang|first1=Eddy|title=Taipei Watcher: 'Taiwan's glory' marries same-sex partner|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2016/04/24/2003644676|access-date=24 April 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=24 April 2016}}