Kodama Blogs: Margit Brandt Biography

Margit Bjørløw Brandt (born 27 Jan 1945) is a Danish fashion designer.

Margit Brandt

Margit Brandt graduated from Margretheskolen (1961–1964), Københavns Tilskærerakademi (1964), and completed an apprenticeship in tailoring. She started her international career in 1965 as an apprentice in Paris with the grand master of the time French fashion designer Pierre Balmain. Her inventiveness and confident style won her recognition and in 1966 she continued her career in the couture house of Louis Feraud on Rue du Fauborg Saint Honore. In 1966 she married Erik Brandt, who was working with the French company Mendes (owned by the nephew of the former French president Pierre Mendes France), which produced prêt-a-porter for Lanvin, Guy La Roche, Yves Saint Laurent and many others. The marriage would be the catalyst for one of the most successful Scandinavian designer couples. The Brandts returned to Denmark shortly after they got married and in 1966 Margit introduced her own collection at the Copenhagen Fashion Fair under the B-age label. In the eyes of her contemporaries this was a line of unprecedentedly short and close-fitting designs, but the collection immediately grabbed the interest of an otherwise neglected age group between teenagers and "genteel" ladies. B-age became the essence of fashion for the first generation of young women in Scandinavia.

Soon Margit and Erik were producing everything from ladies fashion to lingerie, furs, sportswear, watches, personal care products, household articles and accessories. The trendsetting designs found their way to the showrooms of Harrods, Bendels, Takashimaya, Saks and Bloomingdales, a wide network of own label stores sprung up across the world from London, Paris and Barcelona to Tokyo, San Francisco and New York. Erik had a nose for branding and self promotion, one year the staff at the fashion fair were replaced by a red telephone with a direct line to head office. Buyers could simply call in their orders if they wanted to buy anything.

Special mention and awards

1988: Margit designs the entry uniform of the Danish Olympic team.
1994: Margit Brandt’s 60’s designs are exhibited at Aarhus Women’s Museum in Denmark.
1997: Margit designs gala uniforms for the Royal Danish Airforce.
2006: The Danish fashion award “Guldknappen” (the golden button) is given to Margit.
2007: The Danish Queen Margrete II awards Margit with the Cross of Dannebro

Source:-wikipadia

Margit Brandt

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By--margitbrandtstore.com

The Margit Brandt story began in Paris in the early 1960’s where the ambitious new design graduate went in search for challenges. In the capital of fashion, she was lucky to achieve an apprenticeship with the grand master of sophistication and elegance, Pierre Balmain. Margit Brandt’s innovative approach to fashion and her confident style soon won her recognition and brought her another rewarding career opportunity; this time with the couture designer, Louis Féraud, who was the favored design house of the Parisian elite at that time. Having worked for the masters of fashion, Margit Brandt felt it was time to fuel her personal ambitions and decided to realize her dream of having her own brand together with her business partner and husband, Erik Brandt.

Margit Brandt introduced her first collection under the label B-age at the Copenhagen Fashion Fair in 1965. The design was unprecedentedly short and close-fitted and very different from what other designers were presenting. Nevertheless, the collection immediately grabbed the consumers’ interest; especially of the otherwise neglected age group between teenagers and ladies. Thus, B-age became the reference point of fashion for a whole generation of young women in Scandinavia.

The international fashion scene soon eyed the trendsetting designs of Margit Brandt and created a demand that opened the doors to the most fashionable and popular stores around the world including the large department stores such as Harrods, Selfridges, Bendels, Saks and Bloomingdales, etc. A wide network of own label stores soon followed in cities such as Paris; Barcelona; Tokyo and San Francisco as well as in New York and London. Throughout the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s, Margit Brandt was a renowned global fashion brand. And although, Margit Brandt was primarily famous for her trendsetting woman’s fashion, she also designed and produced lingerie, swimwear, children wear, jewellery, home wear, furniture, cosmetics and fashion watches.

Moreover, the last two decades Margit Brandt was also engaged in other unique assignments; particularly in the USA and Japan. But also in Denmark where she twice designed the official uniforms for the Danish Olympic team as well as the new gala uniforms for the Royal Danish Air Force.
MARGIT BRANDT TODAY

In 2005, the brand Margit Brandt was re-launched. Encouraged by repeated requests from previous customers and representatives from the fashion elite, Margit and Erik Brandt decided to enter the global market again; now with the new generation, their daughter Julie Brandt Dam, as Creative Director for Margit Brandt design, and in business cooperation with Metropol. The Margit Brandt brand has been reinvented and modernized in order to face the demand of the new generation of fashion consumers. Without losing sight of her trendsetting details of the 1960s to the 1980s, Margit Brandt has created a brand that reflects the future of fashion.

The designs are innovative yet timeless with a feminine elegance. With respect for the contemporary, Margit Brandt still has the ability to add that special detail and characteristic touch that reflects the brands prime times, while at the same time stays true to the innovative spirit. By infusing new materials, colours and styles with the original trendsetting designs, she has created a synergy of styles that is unmistakably Margit Brandt. The result is a unique fashion fusion of nostalgic retro with an innovative and contemporary spark. It is Margit Brandt reinvented. Margit Brandts re-entry into the fashion scene received immediate attention and recognition in her home market, Denmark. The following year, in September 2006, Margit Brandt was awarded the prestigious Danish Design Award; Guldknappen (The Golden Button) for her new women;s collection. An award generally considered the most prestigious in Denmark. In spring 2007, Margit Brandt was further acknowledged for her lifelong commitment to Danish Fashion when she was knighted by the Queen of Denmark and received the Knight of the Royal Order of Dannebrog.

Today, Margit Brandt Design is again a global brand with a strong and increasing presence in the women’s fashion market. Margit Brandt is an international brand in demand and is experiencing a continuous strong growth during 2010. Margit Brandt is currently sold throughout Scandinavia and Europe. Margit Brandt is also represented with a lingerie line; a lounge wear line; a swim wear line as well as a home interior collection.

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