Name Elie Tahari | ||
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Born 21 January 1952 (age 69 years), Jerusalem Similar Elie Saab, Eileen Fisher, Tadashi Shoji | ||
Elie Tahari (born in 1952) is an Iranian Israeli fashion designer. He is the designer of ready-to-wear clothing and fashion accessories. His company is headquartered in New York City, with stores located throughout the world.
Contents
- Elie tahari from wearing rags to making riches
- Designer Elie Tahari showcases his Spring collection
- Early life
- Career
- Philanthropy
- Awards and honors
- References
Elie tahari from wearing rags to making riches
Designer Elie Tahari showcases his Spring collection
Early life
Tahari was born the middle son of an Iranian Jewish couple in 1952. He has four sisters, Aliza, Diana, Shulie and Illana, and two brothers, Avraham and Yosi. The family immigrated to Israel from Iran and lived in a ma'abara transit camp in what is now Mevasseret Zion. In 1953–1957, the family went back to Iran, returning later to Israel. When his parents divorced and his father remarried, Tahari was sent to an orphanage ("Sde Hemed") in Rishon LeZion, later moving to Tel Aviv ("Maon Hayeled"). The following years were spent in Kvutzat Schiller and an Israeli Air Force boarding school in Haifa.
Elie Tahari emigrated to the United States in 1971 with less than $100. Working as an electrician at a clothing boutique in the Garment District of New York City, he began designing his own clothing line after popularizing the iconic tube top in 1973. His namesake label, Tahari, launched in 1974 with a boutique located on Madison Avenue in New York City.
Career
Inspired by the era's disco culture, Elie Tahari created dance dresses and blouses, debuting his first fashion show in 1977 at the New York City nightclub Studio 54.
In the 1980s, Tahari turned his attention to the tailored suit, with more office-centric designs as women joined the workforce and the ranks of the business elite. He was admitted to the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 1994. In 1997, he teamed with Andrew Rosen to launch the ready-to-wear label Theory.
The 2000s saw an expansion of his brand into men's ready-to-wear, accessories, jewelry, footwear and home goods. In 2012, Elie Tahari was a guest judge on the America television series Project Runway All Stars which aired on Lifetime. He collaborated with Kohl's DesigNation in 2014 and launched ET Sport in 2015.
Philanthropy
Tahari has been involved in Spirituality For Kids, an educational non-profit organization founded in 2001, and Children of Chernobyl Foundation. In 2011, he created a limited edition T-shirt to benefit "Key To The Cure" with Saks Fifth Avenue and Friends of Dana-Farber to fight women's breast cancer. Starting in 2012, he worked with the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. He is involved with Save the Garment District, focused on preserving the fashion centrality of New York City.
Awards and honors
In honor of 40 years in the fashion industry, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared "Elie Tahari Day" in New York City on September 4, 2013. The event was marked with the debut of the Elie Tahari Edition 1974 – a one-off capsule that featured reworked pieces from the designer's archive. In 2014, Tahari was honored with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor which pays homage to the immigrant experience and the contribution made to America by immigrants and their children. Tahari received the Brand Vision Award from the Fashion Group International in 2014.