Biography Jeff Banks

1 biography

1.1 career
1.2 opinions on celebrity designers
1.3 personal life

biography

banks born in monmouthshire valleys of south wales, @ ebbw vale. sheet metal worker father left mother when banks eight, , consequently decided move london, england.

he offered scholarship independent public school st dunstan s college, in catford, south london, mother couldn t afford uniform. went brockley county grammar school instead, still without uniform. in order afford uniform set own business buying paraffin @ bottom of hill, pushing in old pram, , selling penny more @ top of hill. age 13 employing man drive lorry-based tanker, , @ 15 sold business.

encouraged teacher study art , become painter, realised art skills limited during first year @ london s camberwell school of art, , transferred studying interior design , latterly textiles @ saint martin s school of art, , fashion @ new york s parsons new school design.

banks holds honorary degrees university of lancaster, east london, newcastle & northumbria, university college creative arts, , university of westminster, , doctor of arts.

in 2009 banks appointed commander of excellent order of british empire in queen s birthday honours.

career

in 1964, money saved paraffin business , father mortgaging own home, banks opened boutique clobber in london, carried own designs along other designers work. proved such success in 1969, launched own fashion label.

in 1975 opened first standalone jeff banks shop in london, retail outlets in twenty-two department stores, including harrods , harvey nichols.

in late 1970s, co-launched fashion chain warehouse, continuing work freelance designer. after taken on retail chain sears, sacked being disruptive in board meetings – never regrets. in 1979 , 1981 banks became british designer of year, , in 1980 made british coat designer of year . during mid-to late 1980s, designed large proportion of stage-clothes musician howard jones.

banks s standing commercial force in retail fashion led presenting on 320 episodes of clothes show, bbc s long-running fashion show, alongside selina scott , caryn franklin. show s success in gaining on 10 million viewers, led in 1989 first clothes show live event @ nec birmingham, launch of clothes show magazine.

having been asked create corporate design wear many organisations jeff banks created own corporate clothing company in 1996. incorporatewear 1 of largest companies in united kingdom producing corporate clothing. partners rob pollock , brian lamb company produces wide range of clothing various types of companies.

in 2000, signed deal design clothes uk chain sainsbury s. installation of jeff banks stores within sainsbury s outlets proved successful, dispute led termination of contract. resulting lawsuit resolved sainsbury s agreeing pay reported settlement of £1 million, plus box of truffles every week.

banks has continued work designer designs guide association, england football team, , london s 2012 olympics bid, modelled @ launch sir bobby charlton, sir steve redgrave , denise lewis. banks continues heavily involved in corporate clothing , uniform. in may 2010 offered design match-day walk-on suits cash-strapped portsmouth f.c. team fa cup final appearance.

opinions on celebrity designers

having criticised designer stella mccartney – banks claimed has made because of father – banks made headlines again in 2007 when criticised model kate moss s range top shop, saying: can kate sharpen pencil, impression of cow or draw matchstick man? put money on it, though not much. ll bet [kate moss] grabbed 1 of many prada bags, rifled through wardrobe ... , turned @ topshop s head office in oxford street quick hour s briefing in-house designers , buying staff.

banks s own fashion design heroes hardy amies, giorgio armani , alice temperley.

personal life

banks has been married twice. first 1960s pop star sandie shaw (with whom has 1 daughter), , subsequently sue mann, model , film makeup artist.

banks practices nichiren buddhism , member of soka gakkai international.

banks lifelong member of catford cycling club, , sponsor of racing team catfordcc equipe/banks, amateur under-23 squad having british national elite team status.