Peter Speliopoulos
Encyclopedia
Peter Speliopoulos, born in 1961 in Springfield, Massachusetts
, is a Greek American
fashion designer.
in 1981. Speliopoulos is best friends with fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi
who also attended Parsons. His first job as a fashion designer was as assistant stylist with Laura Biagiotti
in Rome
in 1982. He then worked briefly at the French couture house of Christian Dior
and later for New York sportswear designer Gloria Sachs whose label went out of business in 1992. In 1985, Speliopoulos was named creative director at Carolyne Roehm Inc., a New York fashion house that had been created in 1984. He left in 1991 to become fashion director with Joseph Abboud
.
From 1993 to 1997, Speliopoulos then worked as a designer for Donna Karan
in New York. He replaced Narcisco Rodriguez as head of design for the women's collection at Nino Cerruti
in mid-1997. While at Cerruti, he gave the label a fresh modern look using fine detail and exquisite fabrics. He left Cerruti in 2002 to return to New York as Vice President
of Design for Donna Karan New York. He has stayed with Donna Karan
, a fashion house owned by the French LVMH
Group, since then. In 1998 he said that his time at Donna Karan
between 1993 and 1997 "was invaluable to me in getting to where I am now at Cerruti." (Source: Interview Magazine).
Speliopoulos has also worked as a costume designer for Karole Armitage
, a New York ballet dancer who owns her own dance company. In the summer of 2000, he designed the costumes for the Athens
Opera production of The Birds
by Aristophanes
. The collaboration with Armitage continued until 2003. He has also worked as a costume designer with the Rambert Dance Company
in London
for which Karole Armitage
was a choreographer.
He says that he is always inspired by the construction of Balenciaga
, the essentialism of Halston
and the genius of Yves St. Laurent. He tries to make his garments a mix of feminine sensuality and men's tailoring, creating versatility in a woman's wardrobe.
Speliopoulos - together with his partner for more than 20 years, Robert Turner - is a Friends for Life Annual Fund donor at the GMHC.
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, is a Greek American
Greek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
fashion designer.
Life as a designer
Speliopoulos studied fashion at Parsons School of Design in New York and graduated with a BFABachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in 1981. Speliopoulos is best friends with fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi
Isaac Mizrahi
Isaac Mizrahi is an American TV presenter, fashion designer, and was the creative director of Liz Claiborne. He is best known for his eponymous fashion lines.-Early life:...
who also attended Parsons. His first job as a fashion designer was as assistant stylist with Laura Biagiotti
Laura Biagiotti
Laura Biagiotti is an Italian high fashion designer. She studied literature in Rome, expecting to become an archeologist. Then she started to help out at Mum and Dad's dressmaking business and had her first fashion show in 1972...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1982. He then worked briefly at the French couture house of Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
and later for New York sportswear designer Gloria Sachs whose label went out of business in 1992. In 1985, Speliopoulos was named creative director at Carolyne Roehm Inc., a New York fashion house that had been created in 1984. He left in 1991 to become fashion director with Joseph Abboud
Joseph Abboud
Joseph Abboud is an award-winning Lebanese American menswear fashion designer and author.-Family:The Abboud family was a working-class Christian Lebanese family that started out in the South End of Boston and later moved to the Roslindale section of Boston. Abboud's mother, Lila, was a seamstress...
.
From 1993 to 1997, Speliopoulos then worked as a designer for Donna Karan
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
in New York. He replaced Narcisco Rodriguez as head of design for the women's collection at Nino Cerruti
Nino Cerruti
Nino Cerruti is an Italian businessman and stylist, among the most famous in the world.He founded his own haute couture house Cerruti in 1967 in Paris...
in mid-1997. While at Cerruti, he gave the label a fresh modern look using fine detail and exquisite fabrics. He left Cerruti in 2002 to return to New York as Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of Design for Donna Karan New York. He has stayed with Donna Karan
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
, a fashion house owned by the French LVMH
LVMH
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A., better known as LVMH, is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris, Île-de-France, France. The company was formed after the 1987 merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy, a company formed after the 1971 merger...
Group, since then. In 1998 he said that his time at Donna Karan
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
between 1993 and 1997 "was invaluable to me in getting to where I am now at Cerruti." (Source: Interview Magazine).
Speliopoulos has also worked as a costume designer for Karole Armitage
Karole Armitage
Karole Armitage is an American dancer and choreographer currently based in New York City. She is Artistic Director of Armitage Gone! Dance, a contemporary ballet company that performs several times annually in New York City as well as touring internationally...
, a New York ballet dancer who owns her own dance company. In the summer of 2000, he designed the costumes for the Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
Opera production of The Birds
The Birds (play)
The Birds is a comedy by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed in 414 BCE at the City Dionysia where it won second prize. It has been acclaimed by modern critics as a perfectly realized fantasy remarkable for its mimicry of birds and for the gaiety of its songs...
by Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
. The collaboration with Armitage continued until 2003. He has also worked as a costume designer with the Rambert Dance Company
Rambert Dance Company
Rambert Dance Company, is a leading British dance company. Formed at the start of the 20th century as a classical ballet company, it would exert a great deal of influence on the development of dance in the United Kingdom, and today, as a contemporary dance company, it continues to be one of the...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for which Karole Armitage
Karole Armitage
Karole Armitage is an American dancer and choreographer currently based in New York City. She is Artistic Director of Armitage Gone! Dance, a contemporary ballet company that performs several times annually in New York City as well as touring internationally...
was a choreographer.
He says that he is always inspired by the construction of Balenciaga
Balenciaga
Balenciaga is a fashion house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga, a Basque designer, born in the Basque Country, Spain. He had a reputation as a couturier of uncompromising standards and was referred to as "the master of us all" by Christian Dior. His bubble skirts and odd, feminine, yet ultra-modern...
, the essentialism of Halston
Halston
Roy Halston Frowick, also known as Halston was a clothing designer of the 1970s. His long dresses or copies of his style were popular fashion wear in mid-1970s discotheques.-Early life and career:...
and the genius of Yves St. Laurent. He tries to make his garments a mix of feminine sensuality and men's tailoring, creating versatility in a woman's wardrobe.
Speliopoulos - together with his partner for more than 20 years, Robert Turner - is a Friends for Life Annual Fund donor at the GMHC.
