Biografía
Lloyd Klein is a thoroughbred Couturier whose expertise and pedigree in fashion as a designer began professionally in Paris, France in 1989.
It started in 1986, while on the road to becoming an architect, as a student at l'École Des Beaux-Arts Paris, Lloyd Klein discovered his untapped talent and natural skill in field of fashion by attending the Haute Couture runway show for Maison Givenchy. It served as a turning point for him and is the milestone occasion that led to him into fashion. Whereas, architecture is stiff and permanent, fashion is fluid and responsive. However while both disciplines share structural qualities and follow similar principles in balance, fashion as connected to occupation won the competition for his attention.
By 1989, he opened his first atelier and received an invitation and approval to present his womenswear collections on the official calendar of the Chambre Syndicale. The P.O.V of his early collections showed his natural strength in very tailored construction and his overall design style was aptly described as Classicist, by genre.
His work had been described as like that of Grés on several occasions. He didn't really know what to make of those references since he'd never seen a Grés collection in person and was not too familiar with her work although everyone in Paris knew her name. Mme Grés, was an iconic Grand Couturier whose 75 year imprint in fashion epitomized the clean and purposeful design characteristics connected to Classicism. After Alix Gres retired in 1988, her company's trademark was purchased by the Yagi-Tsusho Group, a Japanese textile conglomerate who immediately began an exhaustive search for her successor, a role left vacant after she left the fashion business and one which had never been filled by anyone other than its founder in about 75 years.
The search which was nearing its second year, ended after the company executives were introduced to the Lloyd Klein Showroom to view the collection which was to be shown on the runway a few days later. Lloyd was unavailable to meet with them as he was fully ensconced in fittings for his impending runway. Hoping they had found the right candidate, sight- unseen, they began to vet his potential interests in his recruitment with his representatives. The runway was everything they had been seeking and when Lloyd Klein appeared at the top of his stage to take his final exit with his models, they were in disbelief that he was so young, incorrectly assuming the collection would be from the hand of someone perhaps twice his age. Nevertheless, his age did not become a factor and he eagerly accepted the offer. By signing his contract, he immediately set records. One as the youngest Creative Director at the age of 25, to helm an established House of Couture in Paris, as well as becoming the highest paid among salaried designers. His comparison to Grés would finally make sense to him and eventually become a well received compliment.
In 1996, rather than renew another 3 year contract with Grés-Paris, which had tremendous benefits and prestige, he decided to return to the freedom enjoyed as an eponymous designer. In 1997 he became the Honorary Director of Costume for l'Opéra Comique de Paris and it became the venue for his first major runway collection after Grés. Inspired by the Surrealist artists Picasso and Dali, Lloyd received a standing ovation from the 1,700 mainly VIP guests in attendance.
In 1999, with a deliberate eye on expanding his brand into the US market, he accepted an invitation to be the featured designer at luxury fashion program called "Style Palm Beach" in Florida. His distinctive Parisian couture designs were instantly well received by the well heeled. His next step was to gage response from the fashion press by presenting his runway during NY Fashion Week. Results were so favorable that he was prompted to begin the smooth relocation of his operations to the U.S. starting with trading in his swank Place Vendome Showroom for a bustling 7th Avenue on the 15th floor.
In 2004, he discovered a rare historic baroque brick castle in Los Angeles that suited his Parisian sensibility and the 7,700 sq. ft. location became the brands flagship headquarters combining retail and atelier and business center in addition to NYC. It was christened the "Lloyd Klein Couture Laboratory", and located within walking distance of CBS Studios, between the "Hollywood Sign" and "Rodeo Drive". It quickly became a "red carpet" wardrobe mecca for a clientèle of performing artists that included legendary icons like Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Paula Abdul and Faye Dunaway, as well as next-gen ingénues like Eva Longoria, Pink and Annalynne McCord.
Since then, the brand has developed a substantial and impressive roster of over 400 celebrity clients that include such personalities as supermodels Cindy Crawford, Angie Everhart and Kathy Ireland and marquee names like Christina Aguilera, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Among the countless red carpet appearances during the awards show season a few of this favorites include Naya Rivera who wore Lloyd Klein for the 2011 Emmy Awards, Toni Collette for the 64th Annual Golden Globes in 2007 and Bo Derek on the red carpet for the Academy Awards in 2012. He has become one of Hollywood's "go-to" fashion designers and has earned a stellar reputation among the red-carpet set for what has been referred to as "Star-Style".
As an expert in fashion, he has appeared as "Himself" on numerous television docu-reality programs like Selling LA, America's Next Top Model and featured segments on the TV Guide Channel, Hollyscoop, BET and foreign broadcasts as well.
He has added film to his resume with his work as producer, co-writer and wardrobe designer on the 2013 short film entitled, "Success Driven".
At a 2014 Fashion Awards program in Los Angeles, he was honored with the second annual "Fashion Icon", an award given to an individual whose work in the fashion business has elevated the standards of excellence by their noteworthy contributions to the fashion industry worldwide.
In addition to designing couture for women, the Lloyd Klein Brand is expanding into a full lifestyle suite of merchandise starting with sportswear inspired by the active lifestyle of Southern California, hanging under the label LKLA - Lloyd Klein Los Angeles. The label includes both men's and women's collections for retail and is the brand expecting to introduce Baby Lloyd (children's collection) in the near future!
The Brand has included publishing to its business repertoire. Several projects are on fast track development. The projects are co-written by John Arguelles, the brand's Executive Director, who has been principal in all aspects of the business since joining the brand as Partner in 1999. Two semi autobiographical based book projects surrounding Lloyd Klein's journal based memoir are nearing completion. As well as an original screenplay about the fashion industry from a backstage POV that is being groomed as a film property to be explored under the banner of LK Films.
LK Films was launched in 2012, with the intention of supporting and creating filmed entertainment centered around the uplifting of the human spirit through positive storytelling (and exceptional wardrobe-naturally). The first project to emerge was a short film entitled "Success Driven, for which Lloyd Klein is credited as Executive Producer, Story Co-Writer and Wardrobe Designer. It was recognized with over 13 Awards and Honors as it made it's way through the West Coast Film Festival circuit in 2013. The film's message appropriately carries the tag, "Success is not a destination, it's a journey."
