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David EmanuelWelsh fashion designer
Date of Birth: 17.11.1952
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of David Emanuel
David Emanuel, the Welsh fashion designer, is forever etched in fashion history as one of the creators of Princess Diana's wedding dress, which she wore when she married in 1981 in front of millions of viewers.
Early Life and Education
David Emanuel was born on November 17, 1952, and grew up in Bridgend, a small historic town located 35 km west of Cardiff. From a young age, he had a keen interest in music. David was a soloist in the local church choir, sang in the county youth choir, played the violin in the county youth orchestra, and taught himself to play the cello. He was accepted into the Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, but chose to study design at the Cardiff School of Art and Design from 1972 to 1975.
David continued his fashion education at the Harrow School of Art in London in 1974-1975, where he met Elizabeth Weiner, whom he married in 1976. David and Elizabeth studied design together at the Royal College of Art in London from 1976 to 1977, becoming the only married couple ever accepted into the college.
Career
At the age of 25, in 1977, David founded his own fashion house, 'Emanuel'. His wife Elizabeth became his partner, and they had two children together - Oliver and Eloise. In 1979, they decided to close their ready-to-wear store to focus on the more expensive segment of made-to-order clothing, and quickly gained a reputation as Princess Diana's favorite designers before her marriage.
In 1981, David and Elizabeth Emanuel were commissioned to create Princess Diana's wedding dress. The dress, seen by over 700 million people worldwide, was made of ivory silk, taffeta, and antique lace, adorned with 10,000 pearls and sequins, and had a 25-foot (7.5m) train. The dress perfectly captured the spirit of the early 80s and the latest fashion trends, winning the hearts of female viewers. However, surveys show that today, approximately 75 percent of respondents consider Diana's wedding dress to be the most unsuccessful wedding gown of the past century, believing that the huge, voluminous dress made the young bride look like a tea cozy or meringue.
David's reputation as Princess Diana's designer greatly contributed to his rapid career ascent. He dressed some of the world's most beautiful and famous women, including Joan Collins, Faye Dunaway, Catherine Zeta Jones, Madonna, Jane Seymour, Elizabeth Taylor, Ivana Trump, and Sophie Ward.
After divorcing Elizabeth in 1990, David created the brand 'David Emanuel Couture', offering individualized approach to his clients. He also entered into numerous licensing agreements for fragrances, lingerie, sunglasses, and accessories. David became a popular media personality, giving interviews to journalists in the UK and the United States, and eventually became a television presenter for a series of shows, visiting his clients' homes and helping them create a new wardrobe. He regularly appeared as a fashion consultant on British television shows, including 'The David Emanuel Fashion Show', 'The Make-Over Show', and 'The David Emanuel Ultimate Make-Over Show'.
Later on, David transitioned away from fashion and focused on a series of cooking programs, becoming a fashion commentator for the Welsh weekly magazine 'Western Mail'. He not only worked on the wardrobes of famous actresses and singers, but also created costumes for several notable productions, including 'Cinderella' and 'Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus'. He worked on costumes for ballets, films, concerts, music videos, theatrical performances, and TV shows, as well as uniforms for 'Britannia Airways'.
In collaboration with Elizabeth Emanuel, he published two books, 'Style for All Seasons' in 1983 and 'A Dress for Diana' in 2006.
