Who started it?
Matthew Williamson was born in Manchester, England in 1971. At the age of 17 he moved to London to study at the illustrious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.
In 1994, with a BA in fashion design and printed textiles, Williamson's first post-graduation job was a freelance design project with Italian label Marni. He travelled widely to countries such as Mexico, Guatemala and India to learn about fabric patterns, colouring techniques and embroidery that would later feature in his work.
He soon started designing for British fashion companies Monsoon and Accessorize, while fine-tuning his own fabric swatches. In 2001, Williamson opened his first boutique in London and his clothing quickly became a hit with critics and women alike, including actress Sienna Miller and It girls Jade Jagger and Sadie Frost.
Williamson was named Elle magazine's designer of the year in 2004 and the following year he nabbed the Moet & Chandon fashion tribute award. He has also been nominated three times as designer of the year at the British Fashion Awards.
Williamson spread his wings in 2005 and was appointed creative director at Italian luxury label Emilio Pucci.