Franck Sorbier: an expert in Haute Couture
If ever a man earned his place in paradise, it is Franck Sorbier, the designer of women's Haute Couture. Opinionated and rebellious, he sticks to his beliefs; Franck Sorbier knows where he's going. Although his path has been strewn with pitfalls, he has got up and carried on more keenly than before. "Setbacks have forced me to go one better" he says himself.
A born designer
Born in 1961 in the Var, in Fréjus, he lived happy years in the sun-filled region of the Basque country. With his strongly developed artistic sense and attracted by manual work, he was a born designer. The 'hippy' years of the seventies allowed him to express his own style and to create his own clothes. "I wanted to live and be different ; it was my way of expressing myself."
The Esmod years
He entered the Esmod fashion school in Paris, and then followed three difficult years. His rebellious side, self taught and independent, found the educational mould difficult. "I had to relearn everything from A to Z, it was hard having always designed from instinct and feeling, the apprenticeship and especially the model-making were very difficult". In 1984 with the six items of his final student collection he won the Special Jury Prize. He was 22 years old and filled with dreams.
A path strewn with pitfalls
However landing a job proved difficult ; "I went round all the couture and ready made houses but there was nothing for me". He then turned to the style houses (Sim, le Printemps) and learned a great deal."Finally at 25, it seemed that my dreams were not going to become reality
so I decided to launch my career and created my first collection".
First orders from Bergdorf and Goodman
In 1987/88, there started an exciting though uncertain period. The early stages in the flat, first pieces made up, the help of friends, resourcefulness in action. Enthusiasm and hard work bore fruit, because the American buying bureau noticed Franck Sorbier, and in 1990 for his seventh collection, Bergdorf & Goodman, "Link", a famous house in Singapore and, the jewel
in the crown, the Galeries Lafayette ordered from him. In all 60 pieces were bought. In December 1990, with 65,000FF in his pocket, he decided to create his own company Franck Sorbier.
Highs and lows
Thanks to the launch of an innovative concept, based only on the manufacture of jackets Franck Sorbier, found success. At the same time, with the help of Jacques Mouclier, the President of the Association of Haute Couture, he received a grant for designers of 600,000 FF. In 1997, an investor who did not keep his promises obliged him to close down his company but happily a banker with an eponymous name gave him another chance. In 2004 he was made a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. In 2005 he was recognised by his peers and became a full member of the Association of Haute-Couture.
But in a twist of fate or cruel destiny his investor died in a car crash.
Unique pieces in the collections
Once more his network of friends and the help of some big names like Cartier enabled him to continue to design and keep his head above water. Franck Sorbier, is someone who doesn't give up. His collections of unique pieces need hours of work and are a visible expression of his unique skills.
He remains one of the rare survivors in the made-to-measure business. Unassuming and simple in his approach, aesthetics to him are more important than the commercial side. His next project is to create a Ready-to-Wear collection.
Investors take note.
Born in 1961 in the Var, in Fréjus, he lived happy years in the sun-filled region of the Basque country. With his strongly developed artistic sense and attracted by manual work, he was a born designer. The 'hippy' years of the seventies allowed him to express his own style and to create his own clothes. "I wanted to live and be different ; it was my way of expressing myself."
The Esmod years
He entered the Esmod fashion school in Paris, and then followed three difficult years. His rebellious side, self taught and independent, found the educational mould difficult. "I had to relearn everything from A to Z, it was hard having always designed from instinct and feeling, the apprenticeship and especially the model-making were very difficult". In 1984 with the six items of his final student collection he won the Special Jury Prize. He was 22 years old and filled with dreams.
A path strewn with pitfalls
However landing a job proved difficult ; "I went round all the couture and ready made houses but there was nothing for me". He then turned to the style houses (Sim, le Printemps) and learned a great deal."Finally at 25, it seemed that my dreams were not going to become reality
so I decided to launch my career and created my first collection".
First orders from Bergdorf and Goodman
In 1987/88, there started an exciting though uncertain period. The early stages in the flat, first pieces made up, the help of friends, resourcefulness in action. Enthusiasm and hard work bore fruit, because the American buying bureau noticed Franck Sorbier, and in 1990 for his seventh collection, Bergdorf & Goodman, "Link", a famous house in Singapore and, the jewel
in the crown, the Galeries Lafayette ordered from him. In all 60 pieces were bought. In December 1990, with 65,000FF in his pocket, he decided to create his own company Franck Sorbier.
Highs and lows
Thanks to the launch of an innovative concept, based only on the manufacture of jackets Franck Sorbier, found success. At the same time, with the help of Jacques Mouclier, the President of the Association of Haute Couture, he received a grant for designers of 600,000 FF. In 1997, an investor who did not keep his promises obliged him to close down his company but happily a banker with an eponymous name gave him another chance. In 2004 he was made a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. In 2005 he was recognised by his peers and became a full member of the Association of Haute-Couture.
But in a twist of fate or cruel destiny his investor died in a car crash.
Unique pieces in the collections
Once more his network of friends and the help of some big names like Cartier enabled him to continue to design and keep his head above water. Franck Sorbier, is someone who doesn't give up. His collections of unique pieces need hours of work and are a visible expression of his unique skills.
He remains one of the rare survivors in the made-to-measure business. Unassuming and simple in his approach, aesthetics to him are more important than the commercial side. His next project is to create a Ready-to-Wear collection.
Investors take note.
Février 2008
