Joseph Abboud American fashion designer and writer Date of Birth: 01.01.1950 Country: USA

1. Joseph Abboud: A Legendary American Fashion Designer
2. Early Life and Education
3. Career in Fashion
4. Activism and Authorship
5. Collaboration with Reebok

Joseph Abboud: A Legendary American Fashion Designer

Born in Boston, Massachusetts to Lebanese Christian immigrants, Joseph Abboud is an acclaimed American fashion designer and author. His mother, Lila, was a seamstress. During a trip to Australia, Abboud discovered that his great-grandfather had owned Australia's largest men's clothing manufacturing operation. Abboud and his wife, Lynn, have two daughters: Lila and Ari. They currently reside on their ranch in Bedford, New York.

Early Life and Education

Abboud graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1972 and went on to the prestigious Sorbonne in Paris. At the age of 16, he began working at the upscale clothing store Louis Boston, where he became immersed in the world of fashion and developed an interest in clothing design.

Career in Fashion

In 1981, Abboud joined forces with renowned fashion designer Ralph Lauren, quickly rising to become the top assistant to the director of menswear design. By 1986, he had launched his own fashion label. Abboud became the first designer to receive the Council of Fashion Designers of America's award for "Best Menswear Designer" two years in a row, in 1989 and 1990. His signature suits have been worn by celebrities such as Wynton Marsalis, Tom Brokaw, and Nomar Garciaparra.

In the mid-1990s, he expanded his label to include a women's line. However, in June 2000, Abboud faced significant financial challenges and was forced to sell a majority stake in his fashion house to the Italian company HdP.

Activism and Authorship

Abboud has authored the book "Threads: My Life Behind the Seams in the High Stakes World of Fashion," in which he gives an insider's account of the fashion industry, from design and merchandising to the art of naming fabric colors. Inspired by the deaths of his mother and sister to breast cancer, Abboud became a vocal advocate for breast cancer awareness and has been involved in various fundraising efforts for breast cancer research.

Collaboration with Reebok

In 2007, Reebok tapped Abboud to design a line of athletic uniforms for Major League Baseball. He created a collection of uniforms for umpires.