Early beginnings In 2000, Posen received a prominent career opportunity after a dress he made for
Naomi Campbell changed hands several times among several fashion insiders, including actress
Paz de la Huerta. Through
Interview magazine Editor-in-Chief Ingrid Sischy, Posen met his future publicist and event producer Ed Filipowski of KCD, who offered to represent him for free. Following the success of this presentation, Posen established his design studio in Laight Street
Tribeca. Posen has become a favorite of
Natalie Portman,
Rihanna,
Amanda Seyfried,
Kate Winslet,
Claire Danes,
Cameron Diaz,
Jennifer Lopez,
Mischa Barton,
Beyoncé Knowles and others. In 2004, fashion brand
Sean John made an investment deal with Posen.
Ashley Olsen interned with Posen in 2005 while she was a student at
New York University. In April 2008, Posen's capsule collection created in collaboration with
Target, Zac Posen for Target, was released in 75 stores in Australia. A preview of the collection was shown during March's L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. At the 2012 Academy Awards,
Glenn Close wore a Posen gown on the red carpet, as did both
Reese Witherspoon and
Naomi Watts at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. Other notables who have worn Posen creations on red carpets include
Uma Thurman at the 2013 Met Ball);
Sofia Vergara at the 2014 Golden Globes;
Anna Chlumsky at the 2014 Emmy Awards; and
Rita Ora at the 2014 AMA Awards. unveiled new uniforms for their employees, which were designed by Posen. In February 2014, Posen partnered with another major retailer,
David's Bridal, to create Truly Zac Posen, a line of affordable bridal gowns. The line was Posen's first official bridal collection. In 2014, he introduced a more casual Pre-Fall 2015 Trunk Show collection. In 2018, Posen was selected to redesign the uniforms for
Delta Air Lines 60,000 employees. But just two years later, the airline jettisoned Posen's Purple Passport line after numerous flight attendants claimed the fabric was causing skin rashes and other allergic reactions. In 2018, Posen designed the blush silk gown
Princess Eugenie of York wore for her evening wedding reception. On November 1, 2019, House of Z and Z Spoke, the fashion brand owners of Posen's company, announced an immediate closure of the label. The closure occurred soon after it was announced on August 6, 2019, that
Barneys New York, a major client of Posen's company, had filed for bankruptcy. Shortly after, Centric Brands reportedly acquired the Zac Posen trademark at auction. In May 2020, Centric Brands filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to the effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Brooks Brothers, 2014–2020 In 2014, Posen was named Creative Director for
Brooks Brothers, tapped to modernize their signature women's clothing and accessories line. He renewed his contract with Brooks Brothers in 2017.
Gap, 2024–present In February 2024, Posen was hired as the creative director of
Gap and chief creative officer of
Old Navy as part of a strategy to revitalize the brands. Posen is the first executive-level creative lead for Gap inc since the 2011 departure of
Patrick Robinson. == Other activities ==