Cynthia Rowley

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Cynthia Rowley, Fall, 2008.

Cynthia Rowley[1] is an American fashion designer.

Contents

[edit] Background

A native of Barrington, Illinois (an affluent northwestern suburb of Chicago), she is one of three children born to Ed Rowley, a former science teacher, and his wife, Clementine.[2] She graduated from Barrington High School in Barrington, Illinois (1976)[1] and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1981).[1]

Known for what The New York Times has called "flirty, vibrantly colored dresses and tops in wispy materials"[3] that have "a whiff of the carefree, simple spirit" of Claire McCardell,[4] Rowley launched her business in 1981[5] or 1983[1] with $3,000 in seed money from one of her grandmothers.[6] "Several months later, she held a fashion show in her apartment, inviting every important fashion editor in New York, as well as Andy Warhol and a smattering of movie stars -- none of whom she knew and none of whom attended."[5][7]

Since then the Cynthia Rowley Collection, incorporated in 1988,[1] has grown to include women's wear, shoes, handbags, eyewear, belts, dishes, legwear, hats, color cosmetics, and fragrance. It is sold in Cynthia Rowley shops in New York, Chicago, Boston, East Hampton, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and in the Cynthia Rowley online boutique. Shops in Beijing and Shanghai are opening soon.[citation needed] The collection is also represented in better department and specialty stores both domestically and internationally.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America honored Rowley with a Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent (1994)[8][9] and a nomination for the Perry Ellis Award for New Menswear Design Talent.

The designer and Ilene Rosenzweig, her best friend and a former reporter for The New York Times, also created a line of home accessories called Swell, which made its debut at Target in 2003.[10]

It was announced in November 2009 that Rowley would be redesigning the uniforms for United Airlines.[11] Her designs will be seen on the United flight attendants, pilots, customer service representatives, ramp service and maintenance employees from 2011.

[edit] Television and books

Rowley has appeared as a judge on the reality television programs Project Runway and Design Star and has been a guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the Late Show with David Letterman, among other programs.

She has written and co-written several books:

  • Slim: A Fantasy Memoir (Random House, 2007)
  • The Swell Dressed Party (with co-author Ilene Rosenzweig, Atria, 2005)
  • Swell Holiday (with Rosenzweig, Atria, 2003)
  • Home Swell Home (with Rosenzweig, Atria, 2002)

[edit] Personal life

Rowley married Tom Sullivan in in 1988; he died in 1994.[1]

She married William (Bill) Keenan, an interior designer and sculptor, in 1996 (divorced); the officiant was Rudolph W. Giuliani, then the mayor of New York City.[5] They have a daughter, Kit Clementine (born 1999).[2][12]

Rowley married William (Bill) Powers, an editor and writer, on 17 September 2005, at the home of photographer Peter Beard.[3] They have a daughter, Gigi Clementine (born 2005).[13][4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Janette Goff Dixon and Whitney Blausen, "Contemporary Fashion," New York: The Gale Group, 2002.
  2. ^ Francine Parnes, "Business People; Mom, Dad, Size 14 Furs: Who Says Fashion Is Elitist?", The New York Times, 8 February 2004
  3. ^ Tracie Rozhon, "Fashion Designer Sticks to a Solo Course", The New York Times, 13 February 2003
  4. ^ Constance C.R. White, "Celebrating Claire McCardell", The New York Times", 17 November 1998
  5. ^ a b c Lois Smith Brady, "Vows: Cynthia Rowley, Bill Keenan", The New York Times, 19 May 1996
  6. ^ Robin Finn, "Public Lives: A Patron of the Arts, as Seen in a Sponge", The New York Times, 14 August 2003
  7. ^ nymag.com Designer's bio: Cynthia Rowley retrieved on 09 November, 2009
  8. ^ Nadine Brozan, "Chronicle", The New York Times, 18 November 1994
  9. ^ Michelle Ingrassia, "Fashion: Dress for Success—Cynthia Rowley Moves To The Front Of The Pack", Newsweek, 13 November 1995
  10. ^ Robin Finn, "Public Lives: A Patron of the Arts, as Seen in a Sponge", The New York Times, 14 August 2003
  11. ^ http://www.sassybella.com/2009/11/cynthia-rowley-to-design-new-uniforms-for-united-airlines/
  12. ^ Julie I. Iovine, "Living in a Nutshell: Shangri-La in a Shack", The New York Times, 8 June 2000
  13. ^ "James Frey Brings His Daughter for a Playdate at Cynthia Rowley's Show". http://www.observer.com/2008/style/james-frey-brings-his-daughter-playdate-cynthia-rowleys-show.  The New York Observer

[edit] External links

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