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Wayne Cooper Australian fashion designer, grew up in London's East End. Despite a strong sense of style and love of fashion, he went to university and completed a law degree. During his early beginnings in a legal career he made a pro-active decision that was set to change his future forever. In 1985 he made a big and bold choice to come to Australia. Entranced by fashion, he took a job at Sydney clothing store, Masons. After training in fashion design at East Sydney Technical College, Wayne was involved in a successful fashion partnership in Sydney for 7 years. Following this he decided to go it alone; the ‘Brave’ move occurred and so too, one of the most respected fashion labels was born. Stylist and former Masons co worker, Jean Ferraud, joined Wayne as Creative Director soon after the launch of BRAVE. Cooper and Ferraud travel overseas annually to Paris, New York and London to select exclusive fabrics from the finest mills and fabric fairs, in conjunction with selling the range. The rock n’ roll sense of fun – spirited, cheeky, irreverent with the romantic tones that defined Cooper’s original label BRAVE, influence all of his designs, from the most daring to the strictly tailored. In 1996 the launch of his signature label, WAYNE COOPER, brought a more exclusive collection to complement the BRAVE label. In just five short years he rose to the top of Australia’s fashion industry. In 2002, the BRAVE label was replaced by WAYNE, a youthful, sexy label with a playful mix of surplus to ‘op’ shop. Both collections, WAYNE COOPER and WAYNE by Wayne Cooper, each season feature approximately 200 styles and showcase many innovative and exclusive fabrics, which range from silk to jersey, and fine wool to cotton. Wayne Cooper has shown for the past 10 years at Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, which have become must see events, with ranges that consistently provoke a strong critical response. Lavishly styled and produced, Cooper’s shows are a combination of sophisticated technology, original venues and sound tracks. They have traditionally featured the best international models, including Amber Valetta, Linda Evangelista, Alec Wek, Sarah O’Hare, Eva Herzigova and Carmen Cass. Through his collections and spectacular fashion shows, Cooper reveals a multitude of personal influences and fascinations. Each season pays tribute to a fresh muse, a woman of glamour or charm who embodies the spirit of the moment. Past muses have included heiress Talitha Getty and actress Faye Dunaway, Charlotte Rampling and Michelle Pfeiffer.
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