Zandra Rhodes Biography

Fast Facts

• Was awarded a Commander of the British Empire for her contributions to fashion and textiles in 1997
• Was named Designer of the Year in 1972 and earned the title Royal Designer for Industry in 1974
• Studied printed textile design at the Medway College of Art and the Royal College of Art
• Her early designs were considered too outrageous for British clothing manufacturers, so she used her own fabrics to make dresses
• Learned about fashion from her mother, who was a fitter at House of Worth and a lecturer on the subject at the Medway College of Art
• Opened her first shop, The Fulham Road Clothes Shop in London in 1967 and later took her collection to New York in 1969, where it was featured in American Vogue
• Best known as a fashion designer who has worked for royalty and numerous celebrities
• Founded the Fashion and Textile Museum in London in 2003, which is housed in a bright pink and orange building designed by Ricardo Legorreta
• Also designs opera sets and costumes, including "The Magic Flute" at the San Diego Opera, the touring company "Pearl Fishers," and "Aida" at the Houston Grand Opera
• Designed the pink and black jersey collection with beaded safety pins in 1977, which earned her the nickname "Princess of Punk․"
• Has designed clothing Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, and several other prominent figures