Ben de Lisi (born 31 May 1955) is an American born

fashion designer Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashio ...

based in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He is best known for his collections with high street store

Debenhams Debenhams plc was a British department store chain operating in the United Kingdom, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1778 as a single store in London and grew to 178 locations across those countries, also owning the Danish ...

, and as a mentor and judge on the television series '' Project Catwalk''.

Early life

De Lisi was born in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and grew up in

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...

. He moved in with his grandmother when studying sculpture at the

Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York. It has a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The school was founded in 1887 ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. He became interested in fashion when his grandmother taught him how to sew and recreate a pair of trousers he could not afford to buy.

Career

De Lisi started designing his own menswear range in 1979, and he moved to London in the fashion industry in 1982. He started working with Debenhams in 1992. De Lisi made his debut at the

London Fashion Week London Fashion Week (LFW) is a clothing trade show that takes place in London twice a year, in February and September. Showcasing over 250 designers to a global audience of influential media and retailers, it is one of the 'Big Four' fashion wee ...

in 1994, won the British Glamour Designer of the Year award in both 1994 and 1995. He went on to establish his own company in 1998, which had provided evening dresses for

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, inc ...

(2002 Oscars red dress),

Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award a ...

and

Anjelica Huston Anjelica Huston ( ; born July 8, 1951) is an American actress and director. Known for often portraying eccentric and distinctive characters, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nom ...

. In 2009, he closed his womenswear label as well his flagship London store to focus on his "BDL by Ben de Lisi" collection for Debenhams. In 1997, de Lisi began designing a successful speciality occasion-wear diffusion line, ''BDL by Ben de Lisi,'', in conjunction with Debenhams. In 2009, the collaboration with Debenhams was extended to include a homeware collection based on his own house in

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batt ...

. The collection has a logo based on his first French bulldog, Ella. He subsequently asked to redesign the ''

Principles A principle is a proposition or value that is a guide for behavior or evaluation. In law, it is a rule that has to be or usually is to be followed. It can be desirably followed, or it can be an inevitable consequence of something, such as the law ...

'' range, which became the most successful launch Debenhams has ever made. In 2010, de Lisi was approached by the

Department of Health A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...

and offered an open agenda to pick any project he wanted to redesign. Instead of designing a

bathroom A bathroom or washroom is a room, typically in a home or other residential building, that contains either a bathtub or a shower (or both). The inclusion of a wash basin is common. In some parts of the world e.g. India, a toilet is typically ...

as assumed, De Lisi helped the

NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

to redesign their hospital gown.

TV appearances

He acted as a mentor to budding fashion designers in the British TV series '' Project Catwalk''. He has also appeared on the UK television show '' Come Dine with Me''. In 2010, de Lisi began to make regular appearances in the fashion slot on '' It Takes Two'', the spin-off to the BBC One show ''

Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (informally known as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly ballroom and Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of usually 4 j ...

''.

Personal life

De Lisi lives in a Victorian

cottage A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager had to provide ...

by the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

close to

Battersea Bridge Battersea Bridge is a five-span arch bridge with cast-iron girders and granite piers crossing the River Thames in London, England. It is situated on a sharp bend in the river, and links Battersea south of the river with Chelsea to the north. Th ...

, which he used as the inspiration for his Debenhams homeware range. He has a long-term relationship with Gerardo Vidaurre. Ben received an honorary doctorate from the

University of Northampton , mottoeng = Let us not be ignorant , established = 2005 (gained University status) 1975 (Nene College established) , type = Public , endowment = £0.95 m (2015) , chancellor = Richard Coles , vice_chancellor ...

, 14 July 2006. On 17 July 2009, de Lisi was conferred with an honorary degree by the

Robert Gordon University , mottoeng = Now by all your mastered arts , established = 1992 (origins mid-18th century) , type = Public , endowment = £1.9 million (2015) , budget = £103 million (2014) , chancellor = Dame Evelyn Glennie , principal = Professor St ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), a ...

References

External links

Personal website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lisi, Ben Living people 1955 births Pratt Institute alumni American fashion designers American expatriates in the United Kingdom People from New York (state) People from Long Island American LGBT businesspeople LGBT fashion designers 21st-century LGBT people