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Nicole Farhi -
History
French Nicole Farhi was born in Nice and started her career as a freelance in Paris after training in fashion design. Nicole came to England in the early 1970's and started, what was to become a long friendship and business partnership, with Stephen Marks of French connection.
Initially Nicole Farhi was the principal designer of French Connection. A position which she held for over a decade.In 1982 Stephen launched the Nicole Farhi label which was a great opportunity for Nicole and gave her the chance to design a clothing range which much more reflected her own personal style and the type of clothes she herself would want to wear.
Five years later in 1987, Nicole launched a collection which a sporty, easy pieces, a diffusion line under the name Farhi. This is the range that we are currently selling in Diva Totnes and online at Getmyfashion.com. Since the launch of Farhi the brand has developed enormously to include shoes, swimwear, evening wear and accessories.
Nicole has also launched a menswear brand since which has become very successful. She felt this an easy transition as it was designing women's wear with a masculine touch.
In 1994 Nicole opened her flagship store and restaurant, Nicole's, on Londons New Bond street.In 1998 she became the first British fashion designer to launch her own home range which shows a collection of instructed handmade glassware and ceramics including antique pieces personally selected by Nicole on her travels around the world.
Embodying Nicole's signature style with understated elegance each piece is beautifully designed yet unassuming.
And Nicole's imperium continues to grow. In 2002 she opened ‘202' in Londons Westbourne Grove which is more casual and easy-going compared to her previous ventures.
202 gracefully combines all aspects of Nicole's business from homeware, her clothing range and a chic all-day brasserie/café which has become a real destination place for London's fashion forward crowd. It had such an immediate success that a New York branch was quickly launched soon after which also became an instant hit for the city's groovers and shakers.
In 2005 Nicole launched a new project - fragrance. Using her design-skill and eye for elegance the bottles are created with as much thought and care as the actual scent.
Nicole Farhi now have 10 free-standing stores, 20 concessions worldwide and wholesale customers in both France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Germany, Scandinavia, the Far East and the US. There are also showrooms in London, Paris, Madrid, Milan and New York.
Nicole Farhi's awards & personal achievements
Eight time a nominee for the British Fashion Awards, Nicole won the British classicals award in 1989 and then the Contemporary Collections Award in 1995, 1996 and again 1997.
Nicole was also named Menswear designer of the year at the FHM Awards in 2000 and British designer of the year at the Maxim awards in 2001. Most recently Nicole won a ‘Fifi' award for Nicole Farhi Homme.
In October 2007 Nicole was honoured with a C.B.E. (Commander of the most Excellent order of the British Empire) which is a great recognition of Nicole's contribution to the British Retail Industry.
Nicole Farhi at Diva & Getmyfashion.com
The sporty and more casual diffusion-range Farhi, has been part of the Diva Totnes range for many years now. We like it because for it's simplicity and casual elegance. The Farhi range makes the perfect day-wear and weekend wardrobe. The good quality and basic colour-scheme of the label make it a collection which you can count on for many seasons to come and the range works brilliantly mixed with seasonal high-fashion items.
A selection of Farhi has also been sold at Getmyfashion.com since the start of our online-venture. The autumn/winter 2008 season will see much more online from Farhi, so if you are a fan you know where to get your great basics.