Sherri Hill (born 1949 in
Minco, Oklahoma
Minco is a city in Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,632 at the 2010 census.
History
Present-day Minco began as a settlement named Silver City on the Chisholm Trail. The community was initially a collection of tents h ...
) is an American
fashion design
Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and plac ...
er and
businesswoman
A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...
whose specialty is formal
evening wear.
Early years
Sherri Hill was born Sherri Branum,
one of five siblings of James and Roberta Branum and was born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma. Hill's parents owned local general stores selling everything from fabric and clothing to shampoo, candy and school supplies; she was given the opportunity at age eight to join her older sisters in part-time work at the family store. The colorful fabric that was sold in the store sparked Hill's interest in fashion and eventually she was allowed to “dress” the four mannequins in the front windows by draping yards of fabric around each one.
While Hill was studying fashion design at the
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
, her family opened stores in
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
and
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
where they focused on ladies’ clothing and evening wear. It was during these years that Hill began designing her own line of evening gowns.
Career
After graduating from the
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
, Hill worked for various manufacturers in the evening wear business. She started gaining recognition in the pageant world when various
Miss America
Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...
,
Miss USA
Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, ...
and
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...
contestants won in the gowns she had designed. Along with designing pageant gowns, Hill worked for 12 years as designer for
Jovani Fashions, helping launch the brand. Hill eventually left Jovani in 2008 to begin her own evening gown line under the name Sherri Hill, Inc. which now has a network of over 800 stores.
Various celebrities have worn Hill's designs for various red carpet, charity and social events. One of the dresses of the Sherri Hill brand, style 1403, was worn by
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American singer, actress and producer. Gomez began her acting career on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004). As a teenager, she rose to prominence for starring a ...
while performing in a 2011 concert.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She is a daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner, and rose to fame in the reality television show ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians.'' Je ...
and
Nicole Polizzi
Nicole Elizabeth LaValle ( née Polizzi; born November 23, 1987), best known by her nickname Snooki, is an American reality television personality. She is best known for being a cast member of the MTV reality show '' Jersey Shore'' and starr ...
are also fans.
Hill was on Google's annual "Year in Search" results for the top-trending fashion designers in 2014.
New York Fashion Week
In 2011, Sherri Hill debuted at
New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning 7–9 days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general publ ...
in the
Trump Tower
Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organization, as well ...
. This was
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She is a daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner, and rose to fame in the reality television show ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians.'' Je ...
's first runway show.
World-famous model,
Carmen Dell’Orefice
Carmen Dell'Orefice (, ; born June 3, 1931) is an American supermodel and actress. She is known within the fashion industry for being the world's oldest working model as of the Spring/Summer 2012 season. She was on the cover of ''Vogue'' at the ...
also walked the 2011 Sherri Hill runway as well as Miss China 2011
Luo Zilin
Luo Zilin, or commonly known in English as Roseline (; born June 6, 1987, in Shanghai, China), is a Chinese fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe China in July 2011. She represented China in the Miss Universe ...
, and Miss USA 2011
Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Marie Campanella (born March 21, 1990) is an American model, blogger, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2011. Having previously been crowned Miss California USA 2011, Campanella was the sixth woman representing Calif ...
.
In September 2012, Hill debuted her Spring 2013 collection at
New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning 7–9 days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general publ ...
in the Trump Tower with Kendall and
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Kristen Jenner (born August 10, 1997) is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She starred in the E! reality television series ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' from 2007 to 2021 and is the founder and owner of ...
and Miss Universe 2008
Dayana Mendoza
Dayana Sabrina Mendoza Moncada (born 1 June 1986) is a Venezuelan actress, model, film producer and director. She is also a former beauty queen, winner of the titles of Miss Venezuela 2007 and Miss Universe 2008.
Dayana Mendoza, in 2012, parti ...
on the runway.
At the 2013
New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning 7–9 days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general publ ...
, Sherri Hill held an 'Evening By Sherri Hill' show at the
Trump Tower
Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organization, as well ...
.
Hill debuted her new prom and couture collections in front of several celebrities, including the
Duck Dynasty
''Duck Dynasty'' is an American reality television series that aired on A&E from 2012 to 2017. The series portrays the lives of the Robertson family, who became successful from their family-operated business, Duck Commander. The West Monroe, Lo ...
family.
Sadie Robertson, the 16-year-old daughter of
Willie Robertson
Willie Jess Robertson (born April 22, 1972) is an American TV personality, businessman, author and news contributor. He is best known for his appearances on the reality TV series ''Duck Dynasty'' on A&E, and is the current CEO of the company D ...
of
Duck Commander
Duck Commander is an American hunting and outdoor recreation company in West Monroe, Louisiana. Founded by Phil Robertson, a football quarterback at Louisiana Tech University, he developed and patented the company's namesake duck call the ''Duc ...
, walked in the runway show modelling the 'Sadie Robertson Live Original' range.
At the February, 2016 NYFW show, Sherri Hill's show was held at Gotham Hall and in addition to Sadie Robertson, she had Miss Universe,
Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach walk the runway in New York.
Television appearances
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' (often abbreviated ''KUWTK'') is an American reality television series which focused on the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian family, Kardashian–Jenner Stepfamily, blended family, airing b ...
(2011) as herself (Season 6, Episode 2) Kendall Jenner is hired to walk her first New York Fashion Week runway show by Sherri Hill.
Anti-counterfeit work
On June 20, 2012, Hill made public her success in a lawsuit against online counterfeiters. She was awarded $5,000,000 in the case against the two defendants that were accused of selling hundreds of fake gowns under the Sherri Hill pretense. After winning the legal battle in 2012, the company has hired staff devoted to reporting violations of copyright laws via the Internet. According to Manhattan federal court papers, not only has Sherri Hill alleged that knock-offs of her dresses are poorly constructed, uncomfortable to wear, and made of inferior materials, but also that one particular knock-off was constructed in such a way that it “makes the customers appear heavier around the waist and hips.”
In March 2013, Sherri Hill, Inc. was featured on ''
The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
'' and discussed their work with fighting knock off designer goods and their experience with individuals that have received counterfeit Sherri Hill dresses from fraudulent online retailers.
In May 2015, Sherri Hill, Inc. was featured on "
Inside Edition
''Inside Edition'' is an American news broadcasting newsmagazine program that is distributed in first-run syndication by CBS Media Ventures. Having premiered on January 9, 1989, it is the longest-running syndicated-newsmagazine program that is n ...
"
and discussed continuing challenges faced with knock-off designer goods.
References
External links
Sherri Hill official web site*http://style.mtv.com/2011/03/21/selena-gomez-kendall-jenner-sherri-hill/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Sherri
1949 births
Living people
American fashion designers
American women fashion designers
High fashion brands
University of Oklahoma alumni
People from Grady County, Oklahoma
21st-century American women