Hussein Chalayan signs licensing deal

Avant-garde designer Hussein Chalayan has signed a new licensing deal with Pier, an Italian company that manufactures collections of luxury labels including Dior, Azzedine Alaïa and Saint Laurent Paris. “We are very proud

to sign this license with a real artist in the fashion industry,” said Pier CEO Alessandro Narduzzi. “This partnership will also allow our company to face important markets, such as Eastern Europe, the Middle East and China, with a perfect luxury product, combining innovative design, high-end materials and an excellent quality.”

The partnership will allow Chalayan to grow his business internationally, with the goal to make 10 million euros (8.6 million pounds), in the next three years.

“Not only does Pier have a great understanding of my brand, but their knowledge of luxury clothing manufacturing and production, as well as their commitment to their integrity of design, are exceptional,” Chalayan said in an interview. “This agreement will help my independent company with vital production and manufacturing infrastructure, which will ultimately help us to grow.”

Chalayan received an MBE for his services to the fashion industry in 2006 and twice received the British Designer of the Year award in 1999 and 2000. The London-based Cypriot graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1993 and his graduation collection, "The Tangent Flows", contained clothes which he had buried in his back yard and dug up again. An instant sensation, the whole collection was purchased and displayed in luxury designer store Browns in London.

Image: Hussein Chalayan