Born in London to Ghanian parents, Ozwald Boateng was inspired by the immaculate suits his father used to wear as well as time spent at his mother’s sewing machine. Initially studying computing, he realised where his passion really was and dropped out, concentrating instead on fashion. He quickly started making a name for himself and sold his first collection to menswear store Spring in the 1980s.

By his early twenties he could brag clients including Mick Jagger, Spike Lee, and Jimmy Paige, leading him to open his first design studio on London’s Portobello Road. By the early 1990s, he had become a huge talent, and he was the first tailor to have a catwalk show at the prestigious Paris Fashion Week. When he was just 28 he opened his first retail store on Savile Row, making him the youngest tailor to have a shop there.

In 2002 he opened his HQ on Saville Row, and to celebrate he closed the entire road to traffic and staged the first catwalk show on the Row; a flagship shop came in 2007. To celebrate his contribution to fashion, an exhibition in his honour was put on at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and in 2018 he was commissioned to design the new uniform for the 32,000 employees of British Airways.

It’s not been all male fashion though; in 2002 he launched his first fragrance influenced by his wife, and in 2019 he presented his debut full women’s collection.

Throughout his career, Ozwald has designed clothing for celebrities for award ceremonies, premieres, and on screen. He dressed the male cast members of Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrells (1998), dressed the male cast for Matrix Reloaded (2003), provided wardrobe for David Thewlis and Paul Bettany in Gangster No 1 (2000), has dressed Will Smith, Daniel Day Lewis, and Jamie Foxx for the Oscars, dressed Will Smith in Bad Boys II (2002) and Willie Garson in Sex and the City (1998-2004), and created pieces for the Black Panther (2018; 2022) movies. Other films and TV shows he has been a part of include Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Ugly Betty (2007-2010), and Rush Hour 3 (2007).

His innovative designs have seen him receive a number of awards and accolades, including Best Menswear Designer at the Trophées de la Mode, Best Menswear Designer at the British Fashion Awards, was made a Young Global Leader in 2007, received the Harvard University Veritas Award for his career achievements, was inducted into the Vanity Fair best dressed hall of fame, and was awarded honorary degrees from the University of Creative Arts and the University of the Arts for his outstanding contribution to the fashion industry.

He has been featured in several documentaries including Why Style Matters (2009) and A MAN’S STORY (2012), which took an in-depth look at his life and career.

His innovative approach to design has led him to a number of collaborations with brands such as Coutts & Co, Johnnie Walker, Poltrona Frau, and Virgin.

He is often asked to speak at corporate events, and topics of interest include:

– Fashion Design

– Motivation

– Innovation

– Tailoring

– Menswear

– Business Management

– Teamwork

– Leadership

– Entrepreneurship

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book fashion designer Ozwald Boateng for your next live event.

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