French Fashion Queen Nicole Farhi Awarded Honorary CBE

Nicole Farhi, 61, should be elated to receive her honorary CBE (Commander of the British Empire) after the trauma of being robbed at knifepoint on the doorstep of her £3m home two weeks ago.

14 May 2008 11:25 Africa/Lagos


French fashion queen Nicole Farhi awarded honorary CBE

London, 14 May/GNN/ --

DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (040/08) issued by The Government News Network on 14 May 2008.

French-born fashion designer Nicole Farhi was today presented with an honorary
CBE (Commander of the British Empire) by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham in recognition of her services to the fashion industry.

Having begun her career in Paris as a freelance for established French designers such as Agnes B, Nicole moved to London in early 1973 to work with Stephen Marks, the founder of French Connection. In 1982, the Nicole Farhi label was launched, affording her the creative freedom to design collections more true to her personal philosophy - "You should be true to yourself in the clothes you wear." This has helped make her a sought-after designer by the public as well as celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Colin Firth.

Ms. Farhi has branched out into home ware, shoes, swimwear and accessories, as well as her restaurant, Nicole's, in New York. She has eight stores in London including one devoted exclusively to her Home collection.

Andy Burnham said:

"It gives me great pleasure to present this honorary CBE to Nicole Farhi. With her award-winning collections, she has helped to place - and keep - London at the very centre of the fashion world. She is known for her sought-after designs, and her London-based business has played an important role in showing the rest of the world what an exciting and diverse place Britain is for fashion."

Ms Farhi said:

"I am both privileged and delighted to be awarded this honour by Her Majesty the Queen for my contributions to the fashion industry in Britain. I was born in France but I have been lucky enough to work in Britain for more than 30 years in an industry which, since the 1960s, has provided inspiration to designers all over the world."


Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport