Growing up as the daughter of a Persian fashion designer, Farzaneh Christensen was steeped in the world of high-end fashion from the very beginning. Studying her mother’s work, in addition to the West’s very best designers (think Valentino, Chanel, Dior, Karl Lagerfeld). Christensen left for Paris in the early 90s, committed to learning about couture fashion and the nuances of European culture. The designer, who is now the head of her eponymous brand F.H.Christensen, made her way to London during her studies, and there she found her husband and went on to have her two sons, Farouk and Rafael.
Haute Couture Collection
Never sidetracked from her passion, Christensen followed her talent, giving her very first fashion show back in 2001 at the Dorchester Hotel. A hit from the beginning, this show launched her and her designs into the stratosphere of Europe’s high-end couture market. Now, nearly two decades later, F.H.Christensen is a celebrated brand, a favourite among women who love luxurious evening wear, stunning cocktail dresses, and bespoke red carpet style pieces that fuse inspiration from both the Eastern and Western worlds.
Illuminance Collection
The Illuminance Collection demonstrates Christensen’s passion for making women feel special, by adorning luxuriously dark dresses with sequins, embroidery, and beading to reflect light from each angle. The Twilight Glow gown uses special beading and the finest French silks the designer could get her hands on to create a head-turning floor-length dress. In addition to French silk, the gown is crafted from silk organza, silk duchesse, and silk taffeta, each Swarovski crystal perfectly placed to complement the soft lace details. The deep-v back and unique silhouette add to the gown’s ability to instantly enchant.
White Swans Collection
Within the White Swans Bridal Collection, brides-to-be will find gowns that blend the distinctions of both elegant and lavish. Christensen’s intentions are to keep the collection small, offering only the best of the best to the world’s most discerning brides. White Wonders, the only pure white gown in the collection, is anything but expected. Though minimal in design, the gown can only be described as “pure elegance”.
And, for brides that want to blush, the stunning Santorini Nights gown accomplishes the feat by employing a “shining golden ombre effect” with intricate embroidery that pays homage to the designer’s memories of working with her mother.
Every bit as romantic as it sounds, Finding Fairytales is yet another stunning made-to-order bridal gown, using an almost Cinderella-like lilac shade and feminine silhouette to create a dress almost as special as the bride herself.
Blush Rose Collection
And, speaking of special women, F.H.Christensen’s Blush Rose Collection is just the ticket for making women feel just that. Comprised of only “the most beautiful soft colours with detailed beading and embroidery on most of the designs”, this perfectly romantic collection provides a dreamscape for women to get lost in.
One of our favourites, The Beautiful Bold is one of the few dresses without embroidery or lace in the collection, but it definitely isn’t lacking. To the contrary, this gown features a metallic belt and off-the-shoulder look that embodies everything the haute couture designs from F.H.Christensen are: Absolutely brilliant.
Exclusive Interview with Farzaneh Christensen
We recently had the chance to chat to Farzaneh Christensen, Fashion Designer and Owner of F.H.Christensen, about her latest collection, how she got started in the world of fashion, and her exciting future plans for the label here’s what she had to say…
A15: What initially sparked your interest in fashion?
FC: I grew up in a high-end fashion environment due to my mother being a fashion designer in Persia.
A15: Are you self-taught or did you study fashion design?
FC : I learned all the traditional skills from my Mom from a very young age together with handmade embroidery which I started when I was 10 years old. In 1992 I went to Paris and started to learn more and more about couture fashion and western designers, and travelled all around Europe to get inspiration from the European cultures.
Then I decided to come to London to further my study, but got married very quickly and had my first son Farouk, and after becoming a Mum I continued with couture fashion as one of my hobbies and passion with led me towards the high-end couture fashion.
In 2001 I had my second son Rafael, but still continued with my passion and had my first fashion show at the Dorchester Hotel. It was a big success in the high-end European market.
A15: Where does your inspiration for the designs come from?
FC: My inspiration for my new collection was a rainbow I experienced in the south of France last summer. I had been walking along the beach that day in the rain, it was warm and fresh and after a while the rain stopped and I jumped into the sea and started swimming, in the middle of the sea, I turned my head and saw a rainbow starting from the mountain and ending in the see, I felt so delighted, full of joy and excitement, all the colours, rays of light, sunshine, blue sky and the sea. I decided to design my new collection and name it “Rainbow”.
A15: Which is your favourite design from your current collection and why?
FC: Another Mimosa, Captivating Coral, Exotic Island, Mirror Mirror, See-through Sensation, Spring Blossom, Twilight Glow, White Wonders, … basically, all of them are my favourite, I love what I do and it keeps me going forward.
A15: Tell us more about the collection you recently showcased at London Fashion Week?
FC: The new collection is more about silk tweeds, velvet, lots of Swarovski trims, pearls and feathers, which is taking my designs to another level of a fascination of Art and
Design.
A15: How do you want women to feel when wearing your pieces?
FC: I want women to feel empowered, elegant, sexy, professional and beautiful, I want them to feel unique and exceptional rather than ordinary. This is about equality, beauty and power.
A15: Who would you most love to see wearing one of your designs?
FC: I would love to see Hollywood Celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman, Madonna, Julia Roberts, Emma Watson, Charlize Theron, as well as Adele, Naomi Campbell, and members of the British Royal Family.
A15: Do you have a favourite designer?
FC: I love Valentino and Chanel. Dior is so feminine. they are really inspirational and lovely designers. I am very sad about Karl Lagerfeld because I think he was a very talented and artistic designer.
A15: What changes do you predict for the fashion industry over the next few years?
FC: I would like to take a revolutionary approach towards the fashion industry and create a sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly business that can produce lots of jobs for young professionals as well as not damaging the environment and our planet. It’s also very important to reach equality and shorten the pay gap between men and woman.
A15: What exciting projects do you have planned for the future?
FC: After showcasing my new collection in Paris during Fashion Week, I would like to have a fashion show during the summer in Trafalgar Square and then in the V&A to attract the fashion industry to British Heritage. Something totally different, a combination of culture (Eastern and Western), futuristic and high technics, and an important message to help our planet and global warming, as well as create jobs and help the economy. It is a big project and I hope it will help to move forward and build a better future for the next generations.
For more information and to view the collections online, visit: fhchristensenstore.london
