Top 10 Incredible Facts about Carolina Herrera

Carolina Herrera alt.jpg Photo by Christopher Peterson – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Incredible Facts about Carolina Herrera

She is a famous and well-known professional in the field of fashion. Her name is María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño. She was born on 8 January 1939, in Caracas, Venezuela. Her parents were Guillermo Pacanins Acevedo, an air force officer and former governor of Caracas, while the mother was María Cristina Niño Passions. She was introduced to the world of fashion and design by her socialite grandmother. The grandmother took Carolina at a young age to shows by Balenciaga. Further, she bought young Carolina outfits at Lanvin and Dior and this is how Carolina developed a passion to begin her career in fashion and design that began in 1965 working as a publicist for Emilio Pucci, a close family friend, and a Florentine Marquis. However, her first job was at Pucci’s Caracas boutique. She later moved to New York City.

Her background is Venezuelan-American fashion design. More importantly, Carolina is well known for her unique personal style which has in the recent past attracted the first ladies in the United States of America. Of importance to note is that she has dressed First Ladies like Jacqueline Onassis, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump.

Her perfume brands have CH initials that represent her name, Carolina Herrera. The perfumes have fragrant for both men and women and have gone global. The growth in her brand was a great achievement such that the Spanish fragrance company Puig licensed the Carolina Herrera name to develop and market her perfumes. To sum up an attractive, handsome, elegant, good-looking elegant man, it is never a regret if a man sums up his dress with a scent from the Bad Boy from Caroline Herrera’s selection. However, the collector’s edition of Bad Boy brings together the notes of black and white pepper with the citric vibrancy of the famous Italian gree bergamot.

Read more about other influential personalities originally from Venezuela here.

1. She Associated with Mick and Bianca Jagger

Carolina herrera.jpg Photo by Czestovij – Wikimedia Commons

Caroline moved to New York in 1980 and started associating with Mick and Bianca Jagger. Her unique and dramatic style was recognized and became a well-known lady. However, the fact that she worked closely with Andy Warhol at Studio 54, made her unique dressing style, and love for fashion get recognition leading to her first appearance internationally. Her star started shining then.

2. The Start of Her Cloth Line 

her best friend Diana Vreeland who was then the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue gave her the idea of developing her own cloth line, an idea she picked quickly and implemented. She made samples in Caracas and started her collection at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Club. Her clothes were displayed at a famous boutique known as Martha’s in their prominent windows. This was the turning point in her career. The cloth line and later the perfumes lines gave her fame, rising her career to an international level. 

3. Her Rise in Career

Madrid – Carolina Herrera (Serrano 16) 1.jpg Photo by Zarateman – Wikimedia Commons

She first appeared on the International Best Dressed List in 1972, then was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1981, her friend Diana Vreeland, then Editor-in-Chief of Vogue suggested that Carolina design a clothing line. She did so, having samples made in Caracas, and debuted her collection at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Club to critical acclaim. A well-known Park Avenue boutique, Martha’s, agreed to showcase her clothing in their prominent windows. Upon this initial success, she returned to Caracas and raised capital to fund a more formal launch. Her first runway show in 1980 included the future supermodel Iman. Carolina Herrera presented her Ready-to-Wear Collection semi-annually at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. However, it was on the basis of her company is based in New York that the brand received recognition from Women’s Wear Daily and Tatler focusing more on the early attention to well-designed sleeves.

4. Carolina’s Major Clients

Bushes with Obamas.jpg Photo by White House photo by Chris Greenberg – Wikimedia Commons

Among her, very notable clients include Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who asked her to design the dress for her daughter Caroline’s wedding, Diana, Duchess of Cadaval, who asked her to design the dress for her marriage with Prince Charles-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Anjou, and actress Renée Zellweger. She has also dressed the first ladies of the United States of America some of whom have helped her brand become a global hit! Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, and Jacqueline Onassis have recorded their best dresses from her cloth line. Anyone shopping in her company is assured of the best dress globally.

To read more about another influential personality from Venezuela, click here.

5. Her Great Achievements

The Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded Herrera the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Further, she was recognized as the Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2004. In addition, she is the recipient of The International Center in New York’s Award of Excellence. It is more interesting to know that she is Spain’s Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts presented in 2002 by King Juan Carlos I. Moreover, in 1997, she was awarded the Gold Medal of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute. Other awards that she has received include the  Fashion Group International Superstar Award, the Style Awards Designer of the Year in 2012, and her collection acknowledgment by Mercedes-Benz in 2011. During the International Achievement Summit in New York, she was awarded the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 2005, not to forget the 2014 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion that made her famous globally. More importantly, she has dominated the cover of Vogue where she has appeared seven times. This is an incredible accolade!

6. She is a Member of Various Companies

Carolina is a member of various organizations. She has been a member of the board of CFDA since 1999 as well as a member of the board of directors of jewelry designer Mimiso since, 2004. 

7. Her Line of Perfumes

Carolina developed her own personal designer’s chic, exquisite fashions which achieved instant success.  Her perfumes are unique in that they are fragrant essential oils derived from plants and spices which have taken the world platform of perfumes by storm! For instance, in the late 1980s, Spanish fragrance company Puig licensed the Carolina Herrera name to develop and market her brand of perfumes. In the year 2011, her family gave her overwhelming support. This was evident in that her two daughters Carolina Jr. and Patricia Lansing took the front line in the creative direction and design. The business had an increase and had expanded to a turnover of 25,000 points of sale globally. In addition, the CH brand had raised to 129  freestanding stores. This was reported by WWD. She has remained relevant in the market since 1988 when she launched her first brand to the latest in 2023.

Her fragrances were made in collaboration with perfumers Carlos Benaim, Clement Gavarry, Rosendo Mateu, Alberto Morillas, Ann Gottlieb, Domitille Michalon Bertier, Julliette Karaguezoglou, Marie Dora Baghriche, Emilie Bevierre-Coppermann, Lucas Siezac, Anne Flipo, Alienor Massenet, QuentinBisch, Louise Turner, Yann Vasnier, Fanny Bal, Bruno Jovanovic, Nicolas Beaulieu, Olivier Cresp, Veronique Nyberg, Elizabeth Vidal, Violaine Collas, Hamid Merati-Kashani, Pierre-Constantin Gueros, Nisrine Bouazzaoui Grillie, Antoine Maisondieu, Christophe Raynaud, Dominique Ropion, Jacques Cavallier, Jean-Marc Chaillan, Maurice Roucel, Shyamala Maisondieu among others.

For more information about other Venezuelan famous people, click here.

8. Her Famous Women’s Fragrance 

Carolina Herrera 212 encased in a box.jpg Photo by Keith Williamson – Wikimedia Commons

Her women’s brand launched in 1988 received immediate acceptance worldwide. Featuring models in her first advert in 2015 included models Elisabeth Erm and Joséphine Le Tutour. In July 2016, Herrera announced the release of her new women’s fragrance which went into the market by September of the same year. This turned out to be her biggest fragrance launch in 14 years, a scent called ‘Good Girl’ with Karlie Kloss as the face of the fragrance. In 2018, Herrera showed her last line for her eponymous brand and handed creative directorship of the brand over to Wes Gordon. Some of her perfume brands for women include All. All, CH, Good Girl, Herrera Confidential, 212, Body Care, Luckycharms Collection among many others.

9. Carolina Men’s Perfume Line

212 Sexy Men.jpg Photo by ansik’s photostream – Wikimedia Commons

Venezuelan-born American designer Carolina Herrera established her fashion house in 1980. Carolina Herrera men’s perfumes have a spirit of adventure with iconic CH men’s fragrances that capture the classic elegance of the Carolina Herrera man that include CH, Bad Boy, Body Care, Herrera Confidential, and CH men’s deodorant. Among them is Bad Boy Gold Fantasy which is a luxurious Collector’s Edition of the iconic Bad Boy scent, naturally covered in gleaming gold. Bad Boy, expresses a duality reflecting the bold nature of modern man.

Give the gift of gold this holiday season with Bad Boy Gold Fantasy, a luxurious Collector’s Edition of the iconic Bad Boy scent covered in gleaming gold. Bad Boy is a fragrant expression of duality, reflecting the bold nature of every modern, man.

10. A Self-Made Successful Businesswoman

Carolina has had a life surrounded by successes developed from a bright mind, focused on success. Her love for fashion and perfume is evident from the development of local to international achievements in both cloth lines and perfumes. Of importance to note is the clients she has built over time and the trust in per products who range from the first United States of America first ladies to prominent businessmen and women and professionals.      

Read more about other influential personalities originally from Venezuela here.