Born in Casablanca in 1938, the son of a French Moroccan retailer, Joseph Ettedgui came to London, with his brothers, at the end of the fifties to learn the art of hairdressing Eager to explore new avenues, and with an interest in fashion, Joseph began to display clothing in his salon through a friendship with Kenzo. The brand opened its first outlet store in 1979 before Joseph’s own collection was launched, selling the wares of the hottest designers of the time, helping shape the face of British fashion. Ettedgui created his first collection under his own name in 1983, which prompted a period of rapid brand expansion. During the 1980s, Joseph opened branches in New York, Paris and Tokyo, and launched his knitwear collection, Joseph Tricot, and Joseph Denim. Additionally, he opened Joe’s Café on London’s Draycott Avenue, which became one of the hottest London eateries. Still, with a passion for fashion that went beyond his own label, Ettedgui continued to use his influence to help nurture the careers of many of today’s biggest names in fashion, including Katharine Hamnett, Franco Moschino, and John Galliano. As of 2011, the Joseph fashion brand still champions the best of global and British fashion. Joseph continues to operate stores globally, including in London, Manchester, New York, Paris, and Cannes.