American fashion designer Zac Posen was BOTD in 1980. Born in New York CIty to a middle-class Jewish family, he stole yarmulkes from his family synagogue as a child to make ball dresses for dolls. He studied fashion at the Parsons School of Design, interning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute and with fashion designer Nicole Miller.
In 1999, he moved to London to study womenswear at Central St Martins College, attracting attention with an eye-popping dress design for supermodel Naomi Campbell, created entirely from leather straps. Returning to New York in 2001, he mounted his first fashion show, began selling his designs via luxury retailer Henri Bendel, and launched his signature label. His 2002 collection earned the approval of American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, launching his career as a couture designer for celebrities including Natalie Portman and P. Diddy. Alongside high-end fashion, he also designed for department store chain Target, bridal store retailer David’s Bridal and the men’s epartment store Brooks Brothers and redesigned the staff uniforms for Delta Airlines. He appeared as a judge on fashion reality TV show Project Runway for six years, significantly boosting his public profile and brand recognition. Posen closed his design company in 2019, ending his association with Brooks Brothers the following year. In 2024, he was appointed creative director of Gap Inc. and chief creative officer of Old Navy He lives in New York City with his long-term fiancé, ballet dancer Harrison Ball.