“I have a responsibility to the woman of today – to make her feel confident, modern and above all else beautiful.” ‐ Carolina Herrera
Establishing a globally recognized style, Carolina Herrera has resided at the helm of her eponymous label for over three decades proving with each new season that effortless elegance paired with modern refinement is always relevant. With the encouragement and endorsement of legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, Carolina Herrera presented her first collection of women’s ready‐to‐wear at New York’s Metropolitan Club in 1981. The collection was hauled as a success and embraced by luxury retailers and fashion press alike. From there, her fashion house was born with the Carolina Herrera New York label!
Opening her New York‐based atelier shortly after the inaugural show and cultivating a team trained in haute couture craftsmanship, Carolina Herrera aligned her name synonymously with the city and all things luxury. With wedding gowns often included in her ready‐to‐wear runway shows, Carolina Herrera introduced her bridal collection in 1987. From the start, the bridal collection evokes the same style vocabulary innate in the ready‐to‐wear collection. Carolina Herrera has become the destination for brides in search of femininity, a touch of romance and exceptional craftsmanship known to the atelier. Since the collection’s inception, Carolina Herrera has outfitted renowned brides such as Caroline Kennedy, Olivia Palermo and Kristen Stewart’s character Bella Swan in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.” Finding resonance on the runway, down the aisle and with media worldwide, Carolina Herrera has been embraced on the red carpet, dressing stars both well- known and on the rise such as Oscar winner Renee Zellweger, Salma Hayek, Marion Cotillard, Sandra Bullock, Tina Fey, Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift and Zhang Ziyi.
With her ready‐to‐wear and bridal collections established, Carolina Herrera launched her first fragrance, Carolina Herrera Eau de Parfum in 1988. She has since released 14 additional fragrances for both men and women in collaboration with her daughter Carolina Herrera de Baez, the brand’s fragrance Creative Director. Today, the fragrances can be found in 40 countries and over 10,000 doors worldwide, leading the markets in Latin America, Spain and Middle East.
In 2000, the first Carolina Herrera New York boutique location opened its doors on New York’s Madison Avenue in a landmark three-story building. Today, Carolina Herrera New York counts three flagship boutiques in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas. As a continuation of the runway collection, CH Carolina Herrera was introduced in 2001. A complement to ready-to-wear, the lifestyle collection is created in the spirit of Carolina Herrera’s design philosophy, including apparel and accessories for men, women and children. With over 125 retail locations in 36 countries and 223 shop in shops, the CH Carolina Herrera boutiques feature signature design components reflecting warmth, modernity and the effortlessly elegant environment known to Carolina Herrera’s surroundings.
With both global recognition and praise, Carolina Herrera has been hailed as “Fashion’s First Lady.” She was named the Council of Fashion Designers of America Womenswear “Designer of the Year” in 2004 and honored with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Acting as a mentor, critic and inspiration to graduating design students throughout her career, Carolina Herrera received the honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2012. In addition, she was awarded the 2012 Fashion Group International Superstar Award. In 2013, she was presented with the “Nat King Cole Award” for her charitable works and contributions to the EIF Women’s Cancer Research Fund. The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute awarded Carolina Herrera with their 2014 Artistry of Fashion honor for her exquisite sense of style and her commitment to design excellence. Most recently, the designer received the 2015 “Who’s On Next Fashion Icon Award,” which was presented by past honoree and close friend Mario Testino and celebrates Carolina Herrera’s contribution to young designers and immense influence in the fashion industry.
Instagram: @houseofherrera
