“Lee Lapthorne is hard to define, but public artist, textile designer, digital technology pioneer, photographer, curator and catwalk show producer are all appropriate titles.”
DESIGN TALENT
Lee’s first collection of unisex accessories, now being sold internationally, debuted exclusively at Harvey Nichols London. His collection has been worn by Paloma Faith, JessieJ, Fern Cotton, Jo Whiley and Kate Nash.
Lee has been described by ‘Design Week’ magazine as one of the country’s hottest creative talents in its annual list of the 50 most important people in fashion and design today and was included in the first 100 of The Observer/Courvoisier's Top 500 'Generation Next' individuals.
FASHION EVENT MANAGEMENT AND INNOVATION
As the founder and director of On|Off, Lee has produced, directed and called shows for Pam Hogg, Robert Cary Williams, Preen, Jasper Conran, Karen Walker, Nicole Farhi and Gardem during Paris Fashion Week. A truly international showcase, On|Off is the centerpiece of fashion weeks in London, Milan and Paris.
As the director of Doll, On|Off’s parent company, Lee’s clients have included Gucci, BBC, ITV, Land Rover, John Lewis, Sky, Specsavers, BNTM, P&G and Italian Vogue.
His award winning productions include the Clothes Show Live 2009, which was awarded the exhibition feature area of the year, by the industry Event Awards.
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
Lee is also a keen supporter of designers, having gained and managed sponsorship relations for designers such as Preen, Sinha Stanic, PPQ, Nathan Jenden, Meadham Kirchhoff, Louise Gray and Gardem.
As one of the country’s leading fashion and event management experts, Lee has mentored Girls Allowed star Nicola Roberts for the launch of her make-up label Dainty Doll and appeared on national TV as an adviser on ITV’s Lorraine and Sky’s Britain’s Next Top Model and Make Me a Super Model. Lee has been an industry spokesman for Gillette.
ARTIST
Lee’s art work includes commissions and installations at The Barbican’s St Giles’s, Birmingham City’s Art Galley and Museum, Gloucester Cathedral and the official documentation of the development of Bull Ring in Birmingham.
THE NEXT GENERATION
Currently Lee is the external examiner for Central Saint Martins’ Print BA (honours) degree course, an adviser for KIAD and on the CFE advisory board at the London College of Fashion. He has been a validation panel expert for Northampton University College and Grays art school.
Lee also directs and selects designers for the On|Off Visionary Award and the prestigious On|Off Presents catwalk at London Fashion Week. Lee’s championed designers have included Mark Fast, Hannah Marshall and Yang Du, all of whom have gone on to New Gen and British Fashion Awards, like New Designer of the year 2009, Peter Pilotto. Lee has organised awards for leading colleges and universities, including the London College of Fashion, Edinburgh's School of Art and the Turn.On award at Graduate Fashion Week.
He holds an MA, with distinction, in textiles.