Biography

Designer Biography

British designer Afshin Feiz attended the prestigious fashion school, Studio Berçot in Paris. He grew up in England where he attended Cranleigh School in Surrey, and then in Vancouver BC, Canada. He studied French Literature at Reed College in Portland, Oregon in the United States before moving to Paris. To add a final international touch to his background, he showed his collections in New York during the Olympus Fashion Week until his Spring 2008 Collection when he started showing at London Fashion Week. He recently moved back home to London.

Feiz had work experience at Thierry Mugler and John Galliano after school before moving on to Christian Lacroix Haute Couture where he feels he benefited largely from Lacroix’s extensive knowledge and personal culture. Next came a year as Director of The Design Studio at Gilles Rosier before ending up three years at Nina Ricci as the First Assistant Designer for the main line and Coordinator of all of the Licences.

Feiz’s dream to start a line under his own name became a reality through his encounter with financier Thierry Gillet in 2004, who would rapidly become his business partner. The afshin feiz Brand has rapidly built up a solid reputation and is sold in Asia, Europe and North America. His aesthetic adheres to the idea of women that like to be beautiful and feminine, sexy yet not vulgar. His flirtatious diaphanous dresses and blouses are mixed with perfectly cut tailoring that create a chemistry between the masculine and feminine that focuses on the latter. His curved seaming makes the clothes fit perfectly accentuating the beauty and hiding the flaws of the body. All fabrics are from the best mills in Italy with whom over the years, Feiz has built a great relationship.

Feiz finds his inspiration in love and nature related themes. His Spring/Summer 2005 Collection, named ART AS FLIRTATION AD SURRENDER was inspired by 13th Century Persian Poet Rumi whose references to butterflies and candles were synoymous to lovers and their beloved. The quest for love despite its dangers. Fall 2005 was entitled THE BUTTEFRLY CATCHER and continued to investigate the quest for love using the image of an Englishman in his tweeds chasing a butterfly (love). Spring 2006 was entitled LOVE WILL GUIDE YOU HOME and was about losing sight of one’s own reality and trying to find your way back, being guided by earthly love. The new reality was represented by the ocean. BUCOLIC ELEGANCE FOR THE CITY GIRL was the name of the Autumn/Winter 2006 Collection. It was about a country girl that has her heart broken and runs away to the big city to forget her past. Although she tries to blend into the city lifestyle, there are elements of her country past that are ever present in her wardrobe. Prairie dresses are cut in gold lamé rather than the evident white cotton to create a chic country/city look. Lace details and floral trims are manifest as are city versions of riding pants. Satin dresses with intricate seaming yet no embroideries to maintain a youthful, light feel and look. Spring 2007 was called A FAIRY CIRCLE. Feiz tells the story of an Englishman hunter who steps into a fairy circle where time is slowed down. Once you step out, only a second may have passed but for the unlucky person, years will have passed by in their real existence. A fairy falls in love with him and decides to become human in order to save him. For Spring 2008 the collection was entitled DAWN, and was inspired by Aztec Mythology. Feiz translated this barbaric culture through his own soft, pretty and feminine image. For Winter 2008 butterflies and Rumi are revisited and taken a lot further. Entitled COCOON, it was his first winter show in London and Feiz found it interesting to revisit an earlier theme and see how his vision had grown since his first winter show in New York a few years prior.

Often reffering to stoic images of English countrymen, Feiz enjoys the contrast between this image and a softer more feminine image playing the two together in all of hs collections, the masculine against the feminine.

Collaborations have come in the form of his Spring/Summer 2005 Catalogue being shot by his friend, rockstar/photographer Bryan Adams, his Autumn/Winter 2005 Show Invitation being illustrated by Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler, and a song being written and recorded for that same show by LA Music Producer (for Alanis Morrisette, Elvis Costelloe and The Red Hot Chili Peppers), Jimmy Boyle. The legendary soul band The Brand New Heavies performed at his Spring 2007 show in New York.

Very well received by the Press, Feiz’s clothes are featured in Cosmopolitan, American Harper’s Bazaar, Italian Vogue, British Vogue, Chinese Harper’s Bazaar, Teen Vogue and Paris Match among other magazines and have been worn by celebrities such as Katie Holmes , Elizabeth Hurley, Beyonce, Heidi Kruger, Christina Ricci, Elizabeth Banks and Paris Hilton and he has even dressed some of the cast for ABC TV’s ALL MY CHILDREN as well as Emilie de Ravin from LOST and has fans among stars such as Halle Berry and Kelly Clarkson.