Mary Katrantzou

Mary Katrantzou was born in Athens, Greece to an interior designer mother and a father who trained in textile engineering.{{fact|date=September 2018}}

Katrantzou moved to the United States in 2003 to study architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design, but later transferred to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design where she completed her bachelor's degree in 2005 and her master's degree in 2008.[http://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/industries/fashion/fashion-case-studies/fashion-case-mary-katrantzou "Fashion Case Study: Mary Katrantzou"] Retrieved 24 July 2015

File:Katrantzou dress.jpg in a Mary Katrantzou dress]]

File:Digitalis evening dress by Mary Katrantzou (51441).jpg exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art]]

During her studies, she managed to sell some of her prints to Bill Blass.{{fact|date=September 2018}} Graduating from her bachelor course in 2005, Katrantzou switched her focus from prints for interiors to fashion prints.{{cn|date=January 2023}} Whilst collaborating with Sophia Kokosalaki in 2006, she built up a portfolio for the Central Saint Martins master's fashion textiles course.{{fact|date=September 2018}}

In February 2008, Katrantzou opened the Saint Martins MA Fashion show at London Fashion Week. Her collection was nominated for the Harrods and the L‘Oreal Professional Award. Katrantzou's graduating show in 2008 mapped out her signature style. It was themed around trompe l'oeil prints of oversized jewellery featured on jersey-bonded dresses.{{cn|date=January 2023}} These pieces created the illusion of wearing giant neckpieces that would be too heavy in reality. She also designed jewellery made out of wood and metal that were exact replicas of the prints.{{fact|date=September 2018}}

Katrantzou's first Prêt-à-porter collection was shown at the autumn/winter London Fashion Week in 2008. She was awarded NEWGEN sponsorship from the British Fashion Council for six seasons (S/S 2009 – A/W 2011).{{fact|date=September 2018}}

Katrantzou's first ready-to-wear collection for Autumn/Winter 2009 debuted at London Fashion Week in February 2009.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2009-ready-to-wear/mary-katrantzou|title=Mary Katrantzou Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show|work=Vogue|access-date=2018-09-03|language=en}} Despite a small collection of nine dresses, Katrantzou picked up 15 stockists including Browns, Joyce and Colette. The designer achieved show status the following season, in Autumn/Winter 2009.

Her collections are now sold in over 200 fashion shops, including Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Colette, 10 Corso Como, Joyce, Luisa via roma, Mytheresa, Hiphunters, Stylebop, Opening Ceremony and Net a Porter, and in 47 countries. A collection for Topshop launched for London Fashion Week autumn/winter 2010 and was available in shops in February 2011 and sold out within the first few days of its release.{{Cite news|url=http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/scorecard-mary-katrantzou-wins-2/|title=Scorecard {{!}} Mary Katrantzou Wins!|last=Cohn|first=Alison S.|work=T Magazine|date=24 February 2011 |access-date=2011-09-23|language=en-US}} Katrantzou's work has appeared in publications including Vogue, Dazed & Confused, and Grazia.{{fact|date=September 2018}} She is one of the designers of Città dell'arte Fashion. {{fact|date=September 2018}}

February 2012 saw the release of her collaboration with Longchamp creating a capsule collection of bags and totes.{{cite web|url=http://www.style.com/fashionshows/designerdirectory/MKATRANTZOU/seasons/|title=Style.com – Shop Luxury Fashion Online|website=www.style.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228151000/http://www.style.com/fashionshows/designerdirectory/MKATRANTZOU/seasons/|archive-date=2009-02-28|url-status=dead|access-date=2011-09-23}} To promote them Vogue Japan gave away a plastic card case with Katrantzou's prints with their May issue. Three prints featured in this collaboration over several different shapes and sizes.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

In April 2014, Katrantzou announced she would be working with Adidas 'for the foreseeable future', both clothing and footwear.{{cite web|url=http://www.idoleyes.com/fashion-blog/15028-mary-katrantzou-collaborates-adidas/ |title=Idoleyes.com |publisher=Idoleyes.com |accessdate=2017-06-02}}

Katrantzou sold a minority stake in her business to Yu Capital, the investment division of Hong Kong-based Yu Holdings, in October 2017. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was said to have been part of Yu Holdings' founder and chief executive Wendy Yu's "wider plan to act as bridge for Western brands targeting Chinese consumers."{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-bites/mary-katrantzou-raises-investment-to-boost-business-in-china|title=Mary Katrantzou Raises Investment to Boost Business in China|last=Chitrakorn|first=Kati|date=22 January 2018|work=Business of Fashion}}

In 2018, Katrantzou celebrated the label's 10 year anniversary by showcasing her tenth-anniversary collection during September's London Fashion Week. Katrantzou’s show was at The Roundhouse in London, It is her imagination of the ordinary with initial vivid prints which the designer is known for.{{Cite news|last=Moss|first=Victoria|date=2018-09-16|title=Mary Katrantzou cements her extraordinary vision with tenth anniversary collection|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/london-fashion-week/mary-katrantzou-cements-extraordinary-vision-tenth-anniversary/|access-date=2021-03-12|issn=0307-1235}}

At the end of 2019, Katrantzou returned home to Athens, where she showcased the SS20 collection.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/68444d32-e698-11e9-9743-db5a370481bc|title=Mary Katrantzou shows a Greek Epic at the Temple of Poseidon|newspaper=Financial Times |date=4 October 2019 |last1=Johnston |first1=Flora Macdonald }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/gallery/2019/oct/04/mary-katrantzou-ss20-fashion-show-at-greeces-temple-of-poseidon-in-pictures|title = Mary Katrantzou: SS20 fashion show at Greece's Temple of Poseidon – in pictures|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 4 October 2019|last1 = Jones|first1 = Jo}} The show was dedicated to celebrating the 30th anniversary of the founding of ELPIDA, the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, established by Mrs Marianna V. Vardinoyannis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/mary-katrantzou-fashion-show-spring-summer-2020-athens|title = Mary Katrantzou on Staging Her SS20 Show in the Ancient Greek Temple of Poseidon|date = 5 September 2019}}

In April 2024, Mary Katrantzou became Bulgari's first creative director for leather goods and accessories.{{Cite web |title=British designer Mary Katrantzou is Bulgari's first-ever creative director of leather goods and accessories |url=https://www.russh.com/mary-katrantzou-bulgari-creative-director-leather-goods/ |access-date=26 April 2024 |website=Rushh|date=2 April 2024 }}

In 2010, Katrantzou was awarded the Swiss Textiles Award, succeeding Alexander Wang.{{cite web|url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8112940/Mary-Katrantzou-wins-Swiss-Textiles-Award-2010.html|title="Mary Katrantzou wins Swiss Textiles Award 2010"|last=ALEXANDER, HILARY|date=5 November 2010|website=The Daily Telegraph, UK.|access-date=23 September 2011}}

In November 2011, Katrantzou was awarded the British Fashion Award for Emerging Talent: womenswear{{Cite news|url=http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/british-fashion-awards-2011-winners|title=The BFA Winners|last=Alexander|first=Ella|work=British Vogue|access-date=2017-05-20|language=en-GB}} and in February 2012 was awarded Young Designer of the Year at the Elle Style Awards.

She received the 2015 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund including a 12-month period of mentorship and a £200,000 grant.{{Cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mary-katrantzou-wins-2015-bfc-784092|title=Mary Katrantzou Wins 2015 BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2017-05-20|language=en}}

In 2015 she was awarded the British Fashion Awards – New Establishment.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/british-fashion-awards-winners-2015-full-list|title=British Fashion Awards: Winners|last=Milligan|first=Lauren|access-date=2018-09-03}}

She is the daughter of Katherine Gouma and Mr Katrantzous.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-conversation-with-mary-katrantzou_us_58b9f6dfe4b05cf0f400bdae|title=A Conversation With Mary Katrantzou|first=Eugenia|last=Chandris|date=3 March 2017|website=HuffPost|accessdate=14 September 2018}} katrantzous is a only child and has no family of her own

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Category:1983 births

Category:Greek women fashion designers

Category:Living people

Category:Businesspeople from Athens

Category:Alumni of Central Saint Martins

Category:High fashion brands