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2018 CFDA Fashion Awards - Show© GettyImages

Carolina Herrera turns 82 years old

With over 30 years of experience she has been a unique source of inspiration to many artists such as Andy Warhol or Robert Mapplethorpe


UPDATED JANUARY 8, 2021 4:38 PM EST

To celebrate famous designer Carolina Herrera’s birthday today, we remember some highlights of her elegant life.

When we think of a classic beauty and atemporal style we think of Carolina Herrera, a truly creative fashion pioneer who developed all her ideas in her collections with over 30 years of experience in the fashion industry and creating the most sublime silhouettes for women all over the planet.

Carolina Herrera   Runway   February 2017   New York Fashion Week© GettyImages

Her signature inimitable style has been a unique source of inspiration to many artists and photographers from Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe, Francesco Scavullo,Rose Hartman, Patrick Demarchelier and Víctor Demarchelier among many more, she has always been a powerful image a true muse in all the sense of the word.

María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño was born in Caracas, Venezuela on January 8, 1939 to Guillermo Pacanins Acevedo and María Cristina Niño Passios in a family who can trace it’s aristocratic lineage back in the 1500s.

She grew up in the flourishing country during the 50’s and 60’s decades, her grandmother used to take her to Paris and choose her “toilettes” from fashion houses such as Lanvin at the Faubourg Saint Honoré , Dior and Balenciaga where she started educating her eye for the fashions best and beautiful things.

Carolina Herrera   Runway   February 2018   New York Fashion Week© GettyImages

Before becoming a famous fashion designer Carolina was known for being always on the best dressed lists and also used to be called “The Madonna of the white blouse”.

In 1980 Carolina moved to New York with her husband Reinaldo Herrera and her 4 children where she started little by little what would become a flourishing fashion brand in the Fashion business, with a little help of some of her friends like Diana Vreeland and fashion publicist Rudi Crespi who encouraged her to start designing her own line based on what she wore and her eponymous style that captivated so many people in the international jet set.

Carolina Herrera promotes CH Pink Fragrance campaign in South Africa© GettyImages
With her daughter Carolina Herrera Jr.

Her first collection consisted in 20 looks that she designed and were manufactured back in Caracas by her personal seamstress which was a total success , immediately all her socialite friends like Jackeline Kennedy Onassis or Estée Lauder made orders and soon all the most important buyers from Department stores followed.

The rest is History, so many women like Sandra Bullock, Lady Gaga, Kristen Stewart, Kamala Harris, Renée Zellweger or Caroline Kennedy have always felt confident while wearing the label, being feminine and elegant is also a way of feeling empowered.

Thank you Carolina! Long live The Queen of Fashion!