Neil Barrett was born into a family where fashion ran through the blood, with both his grandfather & great-grandfather making careers as master tailors. Barrett studied at both Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design, and the Royal College of Art in London – immediately after graduating he was appointed Senior Men’s Designer at Gucci, and just 5 years later, Barrett approached Prada, proposing the idea of a Men’s Line: 8 months into the future, and Prada’s menswear line is born (1996). By 1999, Barrett had founded his namesake label, debuting on the runway in 2000, at Pitti Uomo, Florence. With is eponymous brand, Barrett produced innovative and distinctive designs, with acute attention to fabric development and fits. Neil Barrett has since expanded into womenswear (2006), again with the same clean, contemporary outlook, and in 2009 invested in its Italy-based production division, with 85 percent of the collection made in Italy. Overall, an innovative, and accomplished designer, but one who’s influence has seemingly gone unnoticed over the years.