Patrick Cox

Last updated

Patrick Cox
Patrickcox logo.jpg
Born (1963-03-19) March 19, 1963 (age 60)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
NationalityCanadian/British
Education London College of Fashion (Formerly Cordwainer's Technical College)
Labels
AwardsMajor awards:
  • British Accessories Designer of the year, 1994 & 1995
  • British Marie Claire Accessory Designer of the Year, 1996
  • Fashion Medal of Honor by the Footwear Association of New York, 1996

Patrick Cox (born March 19, 1963) is a Canadian-British fashion designer and an eponymous fashion label specializing in the creation of shoes, leather goods and accessories. Cox is most noted for the use of unusual materials and a mixture of avant-garde and traditional styles.

Contents

Cox was born in Edmonton, Alberta, to a ballerina Canadian mother and linguist English father. Cox was educated locally, except for periods when his father's work led the family to postings in Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon. [1] Cox eventually graduated from school in Edmonton Canada and moved to Toronto on his own when he was 17.

Early career

At the age of 19, Cox produced his first pair of shoes, for the Toronto-based designer Loucas Kleanthous, who suggested Cox consider a career as a designer. [1] An interest in British fashion led Cox to study at Cordwainer's Technical College, London, [1] a design school that was absorbed into the London College of Fashion in 2000. Cox studied at Cordwainer's from 1983 to 1985. He graduated with merit in July 1985.

During his time as a student in London, Cox probably spent as much time in nightclubs as he did studying. [1] Through his partying Cox became friends with several well-known designers, such as the legendary Vivienne Westwood. As a result, in 1984, Westwood asked Cox to design shoes for her "Clint Eastwood" collection. [1] One of the shoes that Cox created incorporated a 4-inch platform that would become the prototype of a 9-inch pair later worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell, when she famously fell during a Westwood fashion show in Paris, France in 1993. [1] In his second year of college Cox designed and handmade fluorescent fringed moccasins for the celebrated Body Map brand of David Holah and Stevie Stewart.

Personal life

Cox used to date Canadian journalist, entrepreneur, and magazine publisher Tyler Brûlé. [1] Cox funded the launch of Brûlé's Wallpaper magazine that was subsequently sold to Time Warner in 1997. They split up in 1997.

Working life

Cox set up his own company designing shoes in 1985, and in 1986 designed the shoes for John Galliano's "Fallen Angels" collection. [1] Subsequently, Cox launched his own Patrick Cox label, adopting the fleur-de-lys logo. Cox continued to work with Galliano for two more seasons. He also produced the shoes for numerous designers' fashion shows including Anna Sui, John Flett, Alistair Blair and Lanvin Haute Couture to name but a few.

In 1991, Cox opened his first shop opposite the Peter Jones department store in Sloane Square, Chelsea, a well-known fashion district of London. [1] In 1993, Cox marketed his first collection designed for the mass market. This diffusion range called "Wannabe" increased the company's semi annual sales from 2,000 to 200,000 pairs. [1] Cox’s signature silhouette was a loafer with a chunky heel, reminiscent of the 1970s disco platforms worn inside Studio 54. [2] Cox has credited his initial interest in moccasins to fellow designer Richard James whom had asked Cox to design him a modern loafer to accessorise one of his early 1990s fashion shows. [3]

In 1994, Cox opened his first Parisian store on the right bank, followed in 1995 by a second store in London on Sloane Street, a new store on New York's Madison Avenue and a second store in Paris on the left bank. [1] During this time, Cox was twice awarded Accessory Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. [1] 1998 saw Cox move his design office and production from the UK to Civitanova, in the Italian Marche, an area known for shoe manufacture. [4] [1]

From his early association with Vivienne Westwood onwards, Cox developed a cult like status in Japan and in 1996 signed a 10-year licensing deal with leading Japanese luxury department store group Isetan. This deal saw the opening of more than 40 shop in shops across Japan and a whole range of licensed Japanese products including ready-to-wear, bags, jewellery and watches.

Cox was approached by the French fashion footwear house Charles Jourdan, and in January 2003 he was appointed Creative Director, his brief being to rejuvenate the brand. [1] After 3 years of successful collaboration, Cox decided to move on to concentrate on the development of his own label. [5]

The Hong Kong duty free company King Power Group took a controlling interest in the Patrick Cox company in 2006. Cox left the eponymous firm the following year and the entire business, except for a few continuing Japanese licenses was closed in 2008.

In September 2010, Cox opened 'Cox Cookies & Cake', a pâtisserie in London's Soho district, with Eric Lanlard to whom he was introduced by Elizabeth Hurley. [6] In keeping with the area's history of seedy business, the décor was black and neon while the staff wore studded leather aprons. [7] Delicacies included titty and bum cupcakes along with his mother Maureen's recipe for traditional Canadian Nanaimo bars. After two successful years trading Cox decided to close the business to return to shoe design.

In 2011, Cox was approached to design for the Italian shoe giant Geox. [3] The resulting GEOX Designed by Patrick Cox capsule collection incorporated his witty ironic British take on design.

In 2016, Cox returned to fashion with his Lathbridge collection of shoes and leather goods. The brand name is Cox's middle name and the company logo is the bulldog, inspired by Cox's pet English bulldogs Caesar and Brutus. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slip-on shoe</span> Type of low, lace-less shoe

Slip-ons are typically low, lace-less shoes. The style which is most commonly seen, known as a loafer, slippers, or penny loafers in American culture, has a moccasin construction. One of the first designs was introduced in London by Wildsmith Shoes, called the Wildsmith Loafer. They began as casual shoes, but have increased in popularity to the point of being worn in America with business suits. Another design was introduced as Aurlandskoen in Norway. They are worn in many situations in a variety of colors and designs, often featuring tassels on the front, or metal decorations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Galliano</span> British fashion designer (born 1960)

John Charles Galliano is a British fashion designer from Gibraltar. He was the creative director of his eponymous label John Galliano and French fashion houses Givenchy and Dior. Since 2014, Galliano has been the creative director of Paris-based fashion house Maison Margiela. Galliano has been named British Designer of the Year four times. In a 2004 poll for the BBC, he was named the fifth most influential person in British culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London College of Fashion</span> Constituent college of the University of the Arts London

London College of Fashion, UAL is a constituent college of University of the Arts London, in London, England. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate, short courses, study abroad courses and business-training in fashion, make-up, beauty-therapy and lifestyle industries. It is the only college in Britain to specialise in fashion education, research and consultancy. Its patron is Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. The current head of college is Professor Andrew Teverson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordwainer</span> Person who makes shoes

A cordwainer is a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather. The cordwainer's trade can be contrasted with the cobbler's trade, according to a tradition in Britain that restricted cobblers to repairing shoes. This usage distinction is not universally observed, as the word cobbler is widely used for tradespersons who make or repair shoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoemaking</span> Process of making footwear

Shoemaking is the process of making footwear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dior</span> French fashion company

Christian Dior SE, commonly known as Dior, is a French multinational luxury fashion house controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH. Dior holds 42.36% shares and 59.01% of voting rights within LVMH.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980s in fashion</span> Costume and fashion in the 1980s

Fashion of the 1980s was characterized by a rejection of 1970s fashion. Punk fashion began as a reaction against both the hippie movement of the past decades and the materialist values of the current decade. The first half of the decade was relatively tame in comparison to the second half, which was when apparel became very bright and vivid in appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tod's</span> Italian luxury fashion brand

Tod's S.p.A., also known as Tod's Group, is an Italian company which produces luxury shoes and other leather goods. The company is majority controlled by the founding family Della Valle Family and is listed on the Italy's Milan Stock Exchange being part of the FTSE Italia Mid Cap index. It is presided over by businessman Diego Della Valle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celine (brand)</span> French fashion brand

Celine is a French luxury ready-to-wear and leather goods brand owned by the LVMH group since 1996. It was founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana. Since November 2015, the headquarters are located at 16 rue Vivienne in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris at the Hôtel Colbert de Torcy, which has French Historic Monument classification. Séverine Merle has been the Chief Executive Officer since April 2017.

Beatrix Ong MBE is a London-based British luxury fashion accessories designer, known for her 'classic with a twist' shoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prudence Millinery</span>

Prudence Millinery designs and makes couture hats for major designers all over the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Jones (milliner)</span> British milliner

Stephen Jones OBE is a British milliner based in London, who is considered one of the most radical and important milliners of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He is also one of the most prolific, having created hats for the catwalk shows of many leading couturiers and fashion designers, such as John Galliano at Dior and Vivienne Westwood. His work is known for its inventiveness and high level of technical expertise. Jones co-curated the 2009 exhibition Hats: An Anthology for the Victoria and Albert Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasper Garvida</span> Filipino fashion designer

Jasper Garvida is a fashion designer. Born in the Philippines, he grew up in Canada before moving to London to study Fashion Design at Central St. Martins College of Art and Design. He established his eponymous fashion label in September 2008, known for its bold, highly embellished womenswear. Jasper has swiftly established his reputation as a unique luxury designer with an emphasis on tailoring and feminine silhouettes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Zanotti</span>

Giuseppe Zanotti is an Italian luxury footwear and fashion designer known for his sculptural, jeweled heels, luxury sneakers, handbags, jewelry, and leather ready-to-wear.

Maison Margiela, formerly Maison Martin Margiela, is a French luxury fashion house founded by Belgian designer Martin Margiela and Jenny Meirens in 1988 and headquartered in Paris. The house produces both haute couture-inspired artisanal collections and ready-to-wear collections, with the former influencing the designs of the latter. Product lines include womenswear, menswear, fine jewelry, footwear, accessories, leather goods, objects, fragrance, and home goods, among others. Known for deconstructive and avant-garde designs with unconventional materials, Maison Margiela has traditionally held live shows in unusual settings, for example empty metro stations and street corners. Models' faces are often obscured by fabric or long hair to direct attention to the clothes and design. Margiela resigned as creative designer in 2009 and John Galliano was appointed to the role in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Choo</span> Malaysian-born fashion designer (born 1948)

Datuk Jimmy Choo, is a Malaysian fashion designer based in the United Kingdom. He co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd, which became known for its handmade women's shoes.

Emma Mary Constance Hope MBE is a British shoe designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Nemeth</span> British fashion designer

Christopher Nemeth was a British fashion designer who became established in London in the 1980s, before relocating to Tokyo in 1986. He was particularly renowned for his wearable art designs.

Diego Vanassibara is a London-based shoe designer from Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "The king of the cobblers". telegraph.co.uk. 16 January 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  2. "If You Wannabe My Loafer: How London's Designers Anticipated The Return of Patrick Cox". 10 Magazine. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Patrick Cox: lessons from the stylish".
  4. "Patrick Cox: 'Fashion is speaking my language now'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  5. Michault, Jessica (26 July 2005). "Patrick Cox rediscovers his sole". The New York Times . Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  6. Andy Morris (31 August 2010). "Patrick Cox on cake and cookies". gq.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  7. "Cox Cookies & Cake Opens in Soho". dailycandy.com. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  8. "Ikon London Magazine coverage of Patrick Cox Lethbridge Collection Launch". Ikon London Magazine. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2018.