Francisco Costa is a Brazilian-born innovator who has left an indelible mark on American design. One of the most celebrated fashion designers of our time, Costa spent 13-years as the creative director of the womenswear division for Calvin Klein Collection, Costa introduced sculptural sensuality and minimalist architectural codes to one of the most iconic American brands of the past century. Costa was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2006 and 2008. In 2009, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum honored him with the Fashion Design Award for excellence and innovation. His designs have been worn by some of the most admired women in the world, including Lupita Nyong’o, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lawrence and Julianne Moore. Over the years, Costa has collaborated with artist Ellsworth Kelly, international contemporary ballet choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, and architect John Pawson.
Costa is a perfectionist with an exacting passion for precision and craftsmanship. Speaking of his work in the New York Times, the fashion critic Suzy Menkes declared him “an expert on the subject of minimalism as an art form.” After the untimely passing of his mother, Costa left his native Brazil for New York City in 1985. He worked as a designer for Oscar De La Renta and later was appointed the chief womenswear designer at Gucci under the direction of Tom Ford. He joined Calvin Klein in 2003 and became the brand’s creative director of womenswear the year after. Following his departure from his post at Calvin Klein in 2016, Costa returned to his mother country to explore the natural splendor of the Amazon rainforest. It would be the first of his three immersive trips to the deep inlands of the jungle. The results of his wanderlust became Costa Brazil, a project that combines the raw power of the natural world with Francisco’s unparalleled eye for beauty. Translated from his native Portuguese, Costa literally means “coast” – the meeting point between land and sea.
He will discuss local healing rituals and the untapped wealth of curing properties from native ingredients and his powerful understanding about the urgent need for conservation.