Born in the Indian state of Orissa, designer Bibhu Mohapatra showed an interest in fashion at an early age. His love of sumptuous Indian fabrics, vibrant colors, and the crafts of his native land have been the inspiration behind his elegant designs.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Sambalpur University in India, Bibhu moved to the United States and earned a masters in economics from Utah State University. Bibhu’s love of fashion design never wavered during his studies. With the encouragement of friends and family, he decided to pursue his dream and moved to New York City to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1996. He graduated one year later, having received the prestigious Critic’s Award for Best Evening Wear Designer of the Year.
In 1998, while at F.I.T., Bibhu was offered a position as an assistant designer at Halston, one of the most original and best known American fashion labels.
There, he developed his design skills and in 1999, when Gilles Mendel, CEO of the iconic French furrier J. Mendel, sought to repackage his label into a more
youthful brand and expand into ready-to-wear, he hired Bibhu to help realize his vision. Bibhu was appointed design director, and in that role, he
transformed J. Mendel into one of the most sought-after luxury fashion labels. The brand appeared regularly in the press and on the red carpet with Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchet, Sienna Miller and other style icons wearing Bibhu’s creations.
Following the presentation of the Spring 2008 collection, Bibhu resigned from J. Mendel in order to establish his own label. Since then, he has continued to create custom couture evening gowns, cocktail dresses and furs for a select group of private clients in New York, Europe and India.
After ten years working as a designer for top luxury fashion houses, Bibhu Mohapatra has launched his new ready-to-wear collection under his namesake
label during New York Fashion Week in February 2009.
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