| William Banks-Blaney | |
| Birthname: | William Banks-Blaney |
| Birth Place: | England |
| Occupation: | Fashion expert and founder of williamvintage |
William Banks-Blaney is a fashion expert and the original founder and CEO of vintage brand, William Vintage, before he stepped down from his position in 2017.[1] He has been referred to as "The Vintage King" by Vogue,[2] Harper's Bazaar,[3] The Independent,[4] and The New York Times,[5] among others.
During his time as the CEO of William Vintage, Banks-Blaney was a visiting Fellow at the London College of Fashion,[6] a guest lecturer at The Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design,[7] style ambassador to American Express,[8] and a lecturer at both the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Fashion and Textile Museum.
Barks-Blaney was also a Fashion Patron of Oxfam, creating master classes shown on Vogue.[9] He also directed a campaign with Guy Aroch.[10]
In September 2013, Quadrille Publishing announced it had signed Banks-Blaney for his first book, 25 Dresses, a hardback book focusing on the evolution of women's fashion and the legacy of haute couture in the 21st century.[11] The book was formally launched at the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts in May 2015.[12]
Banks-Blaney reportedly had a previous relationship with Gregory Barker, the former UK Climate Change Minister. In October 2006, it was announced that Barker had left his wife for Banks-Blaney, stirring up intense media scrutiny.[13]
Banks-Blaney's lawyers from Carter-Ruck soon issued a statement regarding the article, saying that Banks-Blaney won damages from the publishers of Evening Standard and The Sun over false allegations of his relationships.[14] The newspapers subsequently apologized.[15]