Marc Bouwer Fashion Designer Profile

Learn about the life, success and style of American fashion designer Marc Bouwer.

Marc Bouwer Fashion Designer Profile Gaining a reputation for creating feminine red carpet gowns that get the fashion critics tongues wagging and the camera’s flashing is American Couturier Marc Bouwer. Coming from Johannesburg in South Africa, Bouwer was awarded the South African Vogue Young Designers Award before migrating to the United States of America. Once arriving, he met fashion icon Halston who offered the young designer a job having always had a love for movies and Hollywood’s leading ladies, Bouwer while with Halston worked on his technique refining his skills as a master draper which would eventually become his trademark and present him to the world where he would gain international fame as one of the red carpet designers favored by the stars. His eye for detail and talent for creating attractive and graceful outfits has since landed him on the cover of many magazines and made him the choice for many high profile watched women. By 2004, it had been several seasons since the South African-born designer had shown a collection in the formal runway setting but when he finally did the fashion has just agreed it was worth the wage. His show was full of evening clothes that would be perfect for award ceremonies such as the Oscars and the highly elegant selection of cocktail and evening ware evoked the cozy astonished style looked with lace as the key fabric. Bouwer’s palette ranges from black to red, white, gold, brown, emerald, and pea green to silvery gray and ivory. Slinky gowns with overlapping straps and necklines, the show featured drape fronts, cutouts, slashes, right a symmetrical layers across the fronts and backs of gowns and even a scarf like one-shoulder halter. A couple of years earlier Bouwer made history when he introduced the collection that was entirely free of animal products along with his famous quote far belongs on an animal not on a hanger. In 2005, at his full show in New York City he complimented his gowns with sumptuous furs that appeared deceptively real but were in fact fake. Tigers striped shawls, coyote jackets, and chinchilla bolero’s also added an extra touch of glamour and further evoked the look and fill of the jazz age. His glamorous collection used primarily satin or elaborately beaded fabrics reminiscent of Hollywood’s golden age and his signature gowns and caramels, creams and mocha’s which showed to be seen at many red carpet events. Attending his show and sporting a Bouwer creation was cabaret’s star and good friend of the designer Liza Minnelli who calls the paparazzi feeding frenzy at his show. By his 2009 Spring Collection Bouwer bypassed the—for his fashion show in favor of the internet where his show would premier. Models prompts and stand the runway as photographers furiously snapped the way but unlike most fashion shows the room was divided with audience. The collection featured red carpet worthy gowns in bright colors with flowing trends and sunny one-piece swimsuits inspired by the 1970’s. The star of the show was model Lydia Hearst who won the super model of the year award at the Michael Awards in New York City. Bouwer’s gowns have long been a favorite of celebrities and then graced the bodies of many women at award shows, concerts, and film premiers. He has a dreamless of clientele that includes Jennifer Hudson who wore his figure hugging gown at the New York premier of Dreamgirls. A high school musical star Vanessa Hudgens who glittered in a gold sequined dress matched with gold sandals. And you know your designer who’s made it a big time when Hollywood beauty such as Angelina Jolie who wore a plunging white satin gown to the Oscars and marched across who attended the golden gloves in a pale orange flowing gown come to you for gowns. Hi has gained respect with his draping looks and luxurious fabric and continues to present glamour and quality to the red carpet. Mark Brouwer has definitely reintroduced the elegant feminine look and turned it into a must have for any woman.