Colin McDowell has a BA from Durham University and a Diploma in Arts Development from The University of Wales.
He has served in the British army, worked as an actor, taught at various levels and has been a member of the international fashion world for thirty years, as a designer, illustrator, commentator, editor and writer.
He has been a journalist for over twenty years, during which time he has written for every major newspaper and magazine in London and many international ones, notably in France and the USA. For the last fifteen years, he has been the senior fashion writer of The Sunday Times, reporting each season from the world's major fashion centres, writing designer profiles and also as author of the popular weekly column, 'Fashion Moments'. For The Sunday Times he has interviewed most of the great fashion designers and many key figures in the fashion world. Over the last twelve years he has held a series of popular and highly regarded public conversations for The Sunday Times and also Selfridges with outstanding figures in the international fashion world, including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada, Diane von Fursetberg, John Galliano, Christopher Bailey, Anna Wintour and Mario Testino - a process which continues.
McDowell has always taken a lively interest in emergent fashion centres across the globe from South Africa to The Philippines, and has been active in supporting fashion weeks in Brazil, India and Russia. He is the Creative Director of Audi Singapore Fashion Week and is convener of the Sri Lankan Ethical Conference.
In 2004, with IMG, McDowell founded the highly regarded and influential Fashion Fringe, as a major initiative to find, support, nurture and mentor young designers in the UK. In its seven years' existence Fashion Fringe has been instrumental in setting up and maintaining several young designer labels showing in London and many others now running their own small successful businesses. Fashion Fringe discovered Basso and Brook and Erdem, two London designer labels now with a world-wide reputation. As Creative Director, McDowell has given Fashion Fringe an international profile by his personal choice of Honorary Chairpersons, including Rose-Marie Bravo,Tom Ford, Donatella Versace and, currently, John Galliano.
Colin McDowell has received many acknowledgements and honours throughout his career. In 2008, he was appointed OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List. He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts; a Senior Fellow of The Royal College of Art; an Honorary Doctor of Science ( Huddersfield University); an Honorary Doctor of Letters (Heriot-Watt University); and an Honorary Professor of Fashion (University of the Arts, London).
As author of 16 books on fashion and related subjects, including the seminal McDowell's Directory of Twentieth Century Fashion, Colin McDowell has written biographies on, among others, John Galliano, Manolo Blahnik, and Jean-Paul Gaultier, all now seen as standard texts. Currently, he is working on three new books and has volumes on Matthew Williamson and Roberto Cavalli to be published this Fall.
Colin McDowell, legendary fashion commentator, is available through IMG Speakers Bureau for speaking engagements. Colin McDowell is also available for corporate meetings and events, business seminars, and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Colin McDowell.
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