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Timeless and Contemporary Womenswear

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Introduction to the Lisa Ho Fashion Label

Australian fashion designer Lisa Ho was preparing for a career in the fashion industry from a very young age – her grandmother, a tailor of African descent, taught her to sew from the tender age of four, and by age ten she was making her own patterns from newspaper and sewing designs for her dolls, herself and her four sisters. Lisa began her formal training in fashion design at the prestigious East Sydney Technical College , from which she graduated in 1981.

Following her graduation, Lisa spent a year working in industry, before deciding to go it alone and in 1982 her namesake womenswear label ‘Lisa Ho’ was born. Like many young designers, Lisa began selling her wares at the Paddington markets – her designs quickly gained retail and media attention, bringing momentum to the Lisa Ho brand. Lisa Ho quickly grew into one of the most recognised an well respected fashion labels in Australia.

International recognition arrived in 2000 with the Sydney Olympic Games when, during the opening ceremony, there was a segment that celebrated Lisa Ho’s place in the Australian Fashion Industry. Additionally, Lisa Ho was commissioned to design and create the gown worn by Olivia Newton-John as she welcomed the athletes.

Since then the Lisa Ho fashion label has expanded to include ready-to-wear, evening wear, bridal wear, accessories, jewellery and footwear. Lisa Ho has also expanded the reach of her brand – as of 2012, the Lisa Ho collections were available through 10 standalone Lisa Ho Boutiques and David Jones department stores across Australia. Additionally, the brand’s wares are stocked in over 250 of the finest boutiques worldwide.

Liso Ho Fashion Label: Key Dates

• 1981: Australian fashion designer Lisa Ho graduates from the prestigious East Sydney Technical College.
• 1982: Following a year working in industry, ‘Lisa Ho’ decides to go it alone and launches her eponymous womenswear label.
• 2000: Included in the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games was a segment celebrating Lisa Ho’s place in the Australian fashion industry, and Olivia Newton-John wore a Lisa Ho gown to welcome the athletes.
• 2001: Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Lisa Ho decides to let the American export part of her business (that had been successful for the previous few years) go for the time being, to spend more time with her young family.
• 2004: The Lisa Ho parts company with Australian department store Myer in favour of the David Jones chain.
• 2006: Lisa Ho purchases a 51% stake in the edgy fashion label ‘Mad Cortes’, which had previously been favoured by legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld – he featured one of Mad Cortes’ dresses in Vogue Australia in 2003, when her edited the magazine.
• 2008: In October, just two years after purchasing a majority stake in Mad Cortes, Lisa Ho announced that she would no longer be backing the label due to its poor performance.
• 2009: The Lisa Ho collaborates with accessories designer Chelsea de Luca to create a line of jewellery for the brands Autumn/Winter 2009 collection.
• 2010: Lisa Ho receives the huge honor of opening Rosemount Australian Fashion Week with her Spring/Summer 2010-2011 collection that was awash with Ho’s signature prints and a delicate colour palette of pinks and mushrooms.
• 2011: Lisa Ho receives the Fashion Award at the InStyle Magazine’s Women of Style Awards. Also this year, the Lisa Ho fashion label launches its online boutique.

Aesthetic of the Lisa Ho Fashion Label

“I think if you’re a designer you look at all forms of design – art, television, music – everything influences you.” – Lisa Ho

Never one to blindly follow trends, the Lisa Ho collections are contemporary and timeless, reflecting the genuine needs of the modern woman.. From cocktail to resort dressing, refined daywear to bridal, the Lisa Ho designs are known for the use of natural fibres, figure-flattering cuts and original prints. The signature Lisa Ho aesthetic has attracted a number of stylish celebrity fans, including, Elle Macpherson, Sara Groen, Teresa Palmer, Ivanka Trump, Lara Bingle, Delta Goodrem, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Wynter and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Visit the official Lisa Ho website, here.

If you like the look of Lisa Ho, why not check out fellow Australian labels, Alice McCall, Karen Walker and Karla Spetic.

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