Ozwald Boateng, OBE () (born 28 February 1967) is a British fashion designer, best known for his trademark twist on classic tailoring and bespoke styles. Early life Boateng was born in the Muswell Hill district of London on 28 February 1967, the son of Ghanaian immigrants. He was inspired by the immaculate suits his father wore, and received his first suit (a double-breasted outfit in purple mohair) from his mother at the age of eight. When he was 14, he found a summer job sewing linings into suits. While studying computer science at Southgate College at the age of 16, he was introduced to cutting and designing by his girlfriend. Using his mother's old sewing machine, he started designing and selling to his fellow students, and switched to graduate in fashion and design. He helped a friend to make clothes for a fashion show; after receiving praise for his work, he sold his first collection to a menswear shop in Covent Garden. Some of his first pieces were also sold in Academy on Newburgh Street in 1987. This enabled him to open his first studio in Portobello Road in 1991. In 1994, he staged his first catwalk presentation during Paris Fashion Week, becoming the first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris. Career Mentored by Tommy Nutter, the success of the Paris show in 1994 enabled Boateng to open his boutique on Vigo Street, the south end of Savile Row, in 1995. Boateng's contemporary approach to menswear design helped to forge a new appreciation for Savile Row, and draw in a younger demographic. Boateng's moved fully into Savile Row in June 2002. In 2005, Boateng was honoured with a major 20-year retrospective event at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 2008, Boateng's new flagship store and headquarters are launched at No. 30 Savile Row, on the corner of Savile Row and Clifford Street. The largest store on this Mayfair street, as of November 2019, its signs and interiors were co-designed with British-Ghanaian Architect David Adjaye. As of November 2019 it remains the only Black-owned store on Savile Row, and has since 2010 been managed by Moroccan-born Bespoke manager, Khalid Fakhour. In 2003, Boateng launched a new product in fragrances for women. Bespoke comprises two different vials of fragrance within an elongated, jewel-like bottle. In 2007, Boateng merged the corporate headquarters of his company with his redesigned flagship store on