Rachel Roy life and biography

Rachel Roy approaches the design of her eponymous collection with a feminine and modern point of view. Her goal is to create clothing for women who embrace fashion and dress with an effortless elegance and confidence. The results encapsulate a fresh version of glamour that evades the standard protocol for dressing today.

Originally from California, Rachel attended college in Washington DC. Upon graduation, Rachel pursued her passion for design, and moved to New York City to work freelance; styling magazine shoots and music videos ultimately landing an internship at Rocawear.

Roy was raised in Northern California by an Indian father and Dutch mother and grew up in a strict Seventh-day Adventist household. Her fashion career didn't get off to a very glamorous start: When her father decided that she should start paying rent, a 14-year-old Roy took a cashier's job at Contempo Casuals. She attended a Christian college in Maryland before moving to New York to pursue a career in fashion, working in retail at BCBG and as a personal shopper and stylist. She landed her big break, both professionally and personally, when she met rap mogul Damon Dash at a Madison Square Garden boxing match in 1998. After the two began dating, Dash hired the 24-year-old to work on the Rocawear clothing line he'd co-founded, and she soon became creative director. In 2005, Dash cut ties with Rocawear and sold his stake to partner Jay-Z. Roy left, too, founding a clothing line of her own with financing from Dash.

As an intern she worked in every department at Rocawear, from the mailroom to marketing and finally, women's design. As the company was in its infancy, Rachel quickly proved herself as an essential commodity, ultimately to become Creative Director overseeing seven licensees and running all of the design departments and their teams for Rocawear Juniors and Girls.

In Fall 2004, she applied her sophisticated aesthetic to her own collection, RACHEL ROY, which debuted in department and specialty stores for Spring 2005. With striking silhouettes, a sophisticated color palette and inventive pairings which transition from day to evening, Roy has garnered editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, W and Vanity Fair.

Michelle Obama, Eva Mendes, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, Iman, Lucy Liu, Sharon Stone and Penelope Cruz among others have worn RACHEL ROY at Hollywood's most prestigious events, and in January 2007 Rachel was invited to appear as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, a milestone in a still young career. Also in 2007, Roy was inducted into the CFDA as a new member where she stands alongside other esteemed fashion industry individuals.

RACHEL ROY NEW YORK has grown to include four full collections each year, and in June 2008, created a joint venture with Jones Apparel Group Inc. in the hopes of expanding the wholesale business globally, introduce new product categories and open stand-alone stores in the United States and abroad. Jones Apparel Group is supporting Rachel Roy in launching a Rachel Rachel Roy diffusion brand that will be offered exclusively through Macy’s, Inc. beginning in August 2008. To date, the RACHEL ROY collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and top specialty stores worldwide.

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