MARTIN GRANT

Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1966, Martin Grant launched his first ready to wear line in 1982 in his Little Collins St studio.

Soon recognised for his talent by the Australian fashion industry, he scooped the Cointreau Young Designer Award in Sydney in 1988.

After a rapid rise to fame he decided to take four years off to study sculpture at the Victorian College of Arts. After graduating he realised he missed working with the three dimensional form of the body.

In 1990 Martin Grant moved to England where he first joined fashion duo idol, and later Koju Tatsuno, where the learned bespoke tailoring.

Two years later, in 1992, he decided to come to Paris where he set up his own atelier in an old disused hospital in Montmartre. He first produced small ready to wear collections of 20 selected pieces, quickly sold in Australia, Japan, Great Britain and the United States.

In 1996, a low profile approach of the business lead him to open his first Parisian boutique in an old barber shop in the historic Marais district. Tucked away in his own private universe, Martin Grant has made a self conscious decision not to get caught up in the fashion system, presenting his collections to a rather small selected audience, gradually building up a loyal clientele. Icons like Cate Blanchett or Lauren Hutton soon became his customers.

Since then, he's been focusing on his taste or bespoke tailoring, the research in details, and simplicity of lines.

The result comes in timeless silhouettes, a mix of French charm and elegance in an almost sculptural ay. The strictly shaped cuts always emphasise the curves of the body. The clothes are functional, with a sharp, geometric and structured silhouette, often military inspired, yet still completely feminine. They come in a range of neutral colours (black, white, khaki, chocolate, pink, navy, beige).

On the basis of a high quality selection of coats (in luxurious materials such as leather, suede, cashmere, angora wool...).

Martin Grant now sells to major stores worldwide including Barney's and Takashimaya. His collections are sold in New York, Chicago, Beverley Hills, Manhasset, Seattle, Boston, Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Fukuoka, Sydney, Auckland, Milan and Vienna.

Website: www.martingrantparis.com

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