"Joseph was a great designer, retailer and entrepreneur. His stores have brought together contemporary designers with his own name designs since the early seventies. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and colleagues in the industry and the brand that he has left behind is sure to continue for generations."
- Harold Tillman, Chairman of the British Fashion Council
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Casablanca in 1938, the son of a French Moroccan retailer, Joseph Ettedgui came to London at the end of the fifties to learn the art of hairdressing. As swinging London was just finding its feet, Joseph opened his own salon on the King’s Road.
Quick to explore new avenues, Joseph began to display clothing in his salon. “ I have always adored fashion, so I went to Paris to see the ready to wear collections. There I met Kenzo and we became friends. I started to sell his knitwear and it went like hot cakes.”
His first shop was established downstairs to his hairdressing Salon in the early seventies. It was during this period that he laid the foundations of his success. Extremely responsive to his client’s wishes, he established a special relationship with them. It was his ability that allowed him to create his first fashion collections: since then, has never ceased to bring its rewards
Since this time, Joseph has opened numerous shops in London, one in Manchester, one in Leeds, three in New York, six in Paris and one in Cannes, as well as concessions at Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges, and Fenwicks (of Bond Street) which includes a JOE’S restaurant. There are two other JOE’S restaurants in London, at Draycott Avenue SW3 and Sloane Street SW1.
Today Joseph is one of the most respected and influential people in British fashion, due in part to a retail sense and fashion vision, which enables him to adapt his shops and restaurants to the constantly changing needs of his customers. He has a unique place in the international fashion arena. For over three decades he has been at the forefront of high fashion, discovering and promoting talented designers, as well as designing the Joseph collections.
Amongst many debuts, landmark events include the launch of Joseph, parfum de jour in 1985 – a forerunner of the designer fragrance.
Joseph has won the ‘Knitwear designer of the year’ award four times, in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1994, for his Tricot collection. In 1990 his collection of urban classics received the ‘British Classics’ award, and in 2000 was also awarded a British Fashion Award for ‘Contemporary Collections’.
CHRONOLOGY OF KEY DATES
1971 SALON 33 – Hairdressing at 33B, King’s Road, London, SW3 (closed 1976).
1978 68 Rue Bonaparte, 75006, Paris.
1984 JOSEPH TRICOT WHOLESALE/EXPORT
Collection shown and sold for the first time. The Joseph label is sold internationally to some of the most prestigious fashion retailers in the world.
1984 44 Rue Etienne Marcel, 75002 Paris.
1984 JOE’S CAFÉ – Opened at 16 Sloane Street.
1986 JOE’S CAFÉ – Opened at 126 Draycott Avenue.
1987 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK- First store, womens’s wear collection.
1988 77 FULHAM ROAD, SW3 –Joseph and international designers for women.
1989 26 SLOANE STREET – Joseph men’s and women’s wear.
1990 HARVEY NICHOLS DEPARTMENT STORE – Concession opens.
1990, 1992, 1993, 1994 BRITISH FASHION AWARDS – “ Knitwear designer of the year”
1991 (SEPTEMBER) 27 Rue De Passy, 75016 Paris.
1992 (AUGUST) FRANCHISE: 21 St John’s Wood High Street, NW8 7NG.
1993 (AUGUST) FENWICK OF BOND STREET – Concession store for JOSEPH collection and
JOE’S restaurant is opened.
1993 (OCTOBER) 14 AVENUE MONTAIGNE PARIS – A 300 square metre space, the store
designed by architect CHRISTIAN Duval, houses Joseph’s own label along with a
selection of other top designers.
1994 (SEPTEMBER) 26 SLOANE STREET, SW1 – The existing store that opened in 1989, was
redesigned as the flagship store to be dedicated solely the JOSEPH collection.
1995 (MARCH) 23 OLD BOND STREET, W1 – New store, JOSEPH & selected international
designers for men & women.
1995 JOSEPH PRODUCTION PARIS, 38 BOULEVARD RASPAIL – Originally designed by
Eiffel, Joseph commisioned Christian Liagre to design the interior.
1996 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK – Second store opened selling pants only.
1997 (APRIL) GREENE STREET, SOHO, NEW YORK – Pants store.
1997 (MAY) RE – LAUNCH JOSEPH & parfum de jour.
1997 (SEPTEMBER) 74 SLOANE AVENUE, SW3 3DX – First store for men only, selling JOSEPH &
international designers.
1998 (MARCH) MANCHESTER 81 KING STREET, MANCHESTER, M2 4NQ.
1999 (APRIL) LEEDS 68- 78 VICAR LANE, LEEDS, LS1 7HJ.
1999 (SEPTEMBER) GIGI 124 Draycott Avenue, SW3.
1999 (SEPTEMBER) WIMBLEDON 64 High Street Wimbledon SW19.
1998 (DECEMBER) BRITISH FASHION AWARDS – “Contemporary Designer of the Year”.
2000 HANTS CLEARANCE: 44A Whiteley Village, Hants, PO15 7LJ.
2000 (MARCH) RICHMOND 28 Hill Street, Surrey, TW9.
2000 (MAY) NOTTING HILL 61 Ledbury Road, W11.
2000 (SEPTEMBER) FLAGSHIP STORE: 277 RUE St HONORE PARIS - Womens and Mens.
2001 (MARCH) COVENT GARDEN 15 Floral Street, WC2E.
2001 (APRIL) FLAGSHIP STORE: 106 GREEN STREET, SOHO NEW YORK- Womens and Mens.
2001 (NOVEMBER) RATHDOWNEY CLEARANCE: Brand Central Designer Outlet Centre,
Unit 17/ 18, Rathdowney, County Laois.
2002 (AUGUST) BROWN THOMAS CONCESSION: 88 – 95 Grafton St, Dublin 2.
2002 (AUGUST) EDINBURGH HARVEY NICHOLS CONCESSION: 30 – 34 St Andrew’s Square,
Edinburgh, EH2 3AD.
2002 (SEPTEMBER) NOTTING HILL: 236 Westbourne Grove W11 – Joseph and a very
directional stable of designers for Women and Men.
2002 (OCTOBER) Store # Bal Harbour Shops 9700 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Florida
33154.
2003 (FEBRUARY) FULHAM CORNER: 299 Fulham Corner, SW10.
2003 (FEBRUARY) YORK CLEARANCE: Unit 25, Mcarther Glen Designer Outlet, St Nicholas
Avenue, Fulford York, YO19 4TA.
2003 (MARCH) 76 DUKE OF YORK SQUARE, SW3.
2003 (APRIL) DALTON PARK CLEARANCE: Unit 28 – 29 North East Outlet Centre Dalton
Park, County Durham, SR7 9HZ
2003 (AUGUST) 26 SLOANE ST closes and 16 SLOANE STREET becomes a Joseph store
housing Joseph and international designers for women
2003 (AUGUST) MANCHESTER HARVEY NICHOLS CONCESSION: 1st Floor, 21New
Cathedral St, Manchester, M1 1AD
2003 (SEPTEMBER) SELFRIDGES LTD CONCESSION: 4th Floor Dept 793 Upper Mall East,
Bullring Birmingham, B5 48P
2003 (SEPTEMBER) NOTTING HILL 61 Ledbury Road, W11 - CLOSES
2003 (OCTOBER) 53 DUKE OF YORK SQUARE, SW3 – Joseph’s own label and designer
collections for Men.