Zac Posen

Born in Brooklyn in 1980, Zac Posen enrolled at Parsons School of Design in New York and Central St. Martins College in London, but left school to pursue his passion for fashion. Posen interned at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute and for designer Nicole Miller, then served as a design assistant at the Tocca label. Posen showed a collection of his designs in 2001's Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion show, and then put on his first major runway show in 2004. The same year, Posen was awarded the CFDA Swarovski-Perry Ellis Award for Ready-to-Wear. Backed by Sean "Diddy" Combs since 2004, Posen is planning to expand his company to include menswear and a lower-priced women's line.