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Born and raised in Denmark, Jens Laugesen moved to Paris in 1987 where he assisted fashion photographer Gunnar Larsen as stylist for GUNNAR International magazine before studying Haute Couture design at the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture. Following graduation he worked as a fashion journalist for the Scandinavian press before taking a Masters Degree in Fashion Management at INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE LA MODE in Paris. Following graduation in 1994 Laugesen spent the following six years working as designer, studio manager and head of collection for a number of design houses in Paris at both Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear level. In 2000 Jens relocated to London, where he joined the prestigious MA Fashion (womenswear) course at CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS under the mentorship of Professor Louise Wilson.
Graduating with a distinction in February 2002, his much-acclaimed graduate collection was selected by Paris boutique Maria Luisa to be exhibited in the store windows during Haute Couture week, whilst also being invited by Lulu Kennedy to present his collection in the talent spotting FASHION EAST show. The debut collection was heralded by Observer Magazine as “London’s answer to Helmut Lang”, resulting in him being awarded the British Fashion Council’s NEW GENERATION award, permitting him to move onto the official London Fashion Week schedule. He was named “the next big thing” by fashion industry figurehead Suzy Menkes, of the International Herald Tribune who described his collection as having “a sluttish elegance”.
From the inception of the brand he collaborated with Nick Knight for SHOWStudio and became known as a pioneer in fashion film. The eponymous brand was stocked in some of the best stores world-wide, including Doverstreet Market and Selfridges (London), Maria Luisa (Paris), Lazzari (Treviso, Italy), Andreas Murkodis (Berlin), UK Style (Moscow), Susan of Burlingame and Opening Ceremonie (USA), IT and Shine (Hong Kong), Loveless, Adelaide and Beams International (Tokyo).
In 2006, Jens Laugesen became the first London designer to be awarded the French ANDAM FASHION AWARD, with financial support by LVMH GROUP and L’Oreal, allowing him to present his AW0708 collection in Paris with an exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, in the Louvre. He returned the following season Jens to the London schedule, with a collection that was described by Vogue.com as ‘one of the most beautiful shows of London Fashion Week’. Other awards included the British Fashion Council’s FASHION FORWARD award, entailing financial support from Westfield London for two consecutive seasons, and DANSK ‘Designer of the Year’ in March 2008 in his native Denmark.
Jens Laugesen designed 12 collections (4 trilogies) with his concept led eponymous brand. Developing a personal design philosophy named “Hybrid Reconstruction”, his work became know for it’s conceptual thinking and personal “utilitarian” approach to the architecture of clothing. The designs have been showcased in numerous collective and individual exhibitions at VICTORIA & ALBERT V&A (London), UCAD MUSEE DE LA MODE at LE LOUVRE (Paris) DANISH DESIGN CENTER and DESIGNMUSEUM DENMARK, (Copenhagen) and FASHION INSITUTTE OF TECHNOLOGY FIT (New York). The brand has been supported by leading style magazines like ID, VOGUE, HARPERS BAZAR, BON Magazine, EXIT, OYSTER, DANSK, WWK and Suzy Menkes from INTERNAITONAL HERALD TRIBUNE.
His conceptual approach to luxury tailoring has attracted strong women around the world. He has designed garments for Daphne Guinness in the past and is currently working on a bespoke collection derived key tailoring pieces from AW18. Top models Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen and Freya Beha wore his designs alongside Liberty Ross and Sharin Foo, lead singer for The Raveonettes band.
He has also been teaching on the MA Fashion at CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS under Professor Louise Wilson whilst also setting up the 4th year MA at Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in Paris. Jens Laugesen has since 2008 been a strategic design consultant for international brands including Calvin Klein Collection and J Mendel in New York, LG Fashion Corp in Seoul and latest Net-a-porter in London. In the past he collaborated with SWAROVSKI, KOPENHAGEN FUR, COTTON USA and TOPSHOP for the eponymous brand.
In 2017 Jens Laugesen was awarded the Danish Arts Foundation that allowed him to relaunch his brand and showcase the EDEN The Woman who fell to Earth film in London Fashion week starting a new HYRECON design trilogy. He was also awarded the IDA design award first prize in Avant-garde in 2018. With further funding from the Danish Arts Foundation he produced and showcased HYRECON 02 in Copenhagen Fashion Week in January 2019 in an immersive installation showcasing a new fashion film PERSONA DOUBLE created by Thurstan Redding and Anders Sølvsten Thomsen for RE-EDITION magazine alongside dew collaborative projects with S.N.S. HERNING, SAGA FURS and KVADRAT.
