Esteban Cortazar American fashion designer of Colombian origin Date of Birth: 17.05.1984 Country: USA

Biography of Esteban Cortazar

Esteban Cortazar is an American fashion designer of Colombian descent. He is one of the most renowned newcomers in the fashion industry, a design prodigy who created a highly successful clothing collection in his youth. His collection received praise from experts and was sold in numerous prestigious stores in the United States.

Cortazar was born on May 17, 1984, in Bogotá, Colombia, to jazz singer Dominique Vaughan and artist Valentino Cortázar. He grew up in Miami, Florida, and from a young age, he had a passion for fashion. He would spend hours sketching new dresses and became a local celebrity by the age of 12. He would gather fabrics from vintage shops and sew his first designs, creating costumes for talent shows at his school.

At the age of 13, Cortazar began his career in the fashion industry by showing his sketches to Todd Oldham, a renowned American designer who became his mentor. Cortazar encountered Oldham at a local "News Café" located in the same building as his parents' apartment. Impressed by the young boy's talent and curiosity, Oldham invited him to attend his fashion shows.

While attending the Design and Architecture Senior High School, Cortazar organized a fashion show inspired by a school production of Little Red Riding Hood. Beth Sobol, the coordinator of the Miami International Fashion Week, saw the show and immediately sent half of Cortazar's collection to the runway.

In 1999, Cortazar traveled to New York to attend Oldham's show and introduced himself to Kal Ruttenstein, the fashion director of Bloomingdale's, at a party. Shortly after, he organized a private fashion show for Ruttenstein, which led to his clothing being featured in the legendary department store's windows.

In 2002, Cortazar founded his own brand, "Esteban Cortázar," and released his first Spring/Summer collection, which quickly gained attention from the public and critics. His designs featured clean colors, vibrant prints, flowing silhouettes, and a Latin sensuality that captivated the audience. He became the youngest designer to showcase his collection at the Miami International Fashion Week and the prestigious New York Fashion Week.

Cortazar appeared on an episode of the culinary reality show "Top Chef" in 2007. In December of the same year, at the age of 23, he was appointed as the head designer of French designer Emanuel Ungaro's fashion house. He worked there until 2009 when he was fired for refusing to collaborate with actress Lindsay Lohan, whose scandalous reputation preceded her. Lohan was later hired as the creative director, while Cortazar was replaced by Spanish designer Estrella Archs.

Among Cortazar's regular clients are actresses Eva Longoria, Kim Cattrall, Kelly Preston, Vivica Fox, Jada Pinkett-Smith, singers Beyonce Knowles and Ashanti, as well as socialite Paris Hilton.