Wayne Hemingway

In 1961 Wayne Hemingway was born in the typical seaside town, Morecambe. Maybe not the most appropriate surroundings for one of Britains most acclaimed designers, but then Wayne has never been very appropriate anyway.

Waynes earliest memories are of his mum and Nan dressing him up as Elvis, a Beatle or Tarzan and being paraded up and down Morecambe pier (evidence available!) or being held aloft in a wrestling ring by his Red Indian father, Billy Two Rivers. These early child-modeling stints went some way towards influencing the youth who was forever experimenting with styles and cultures and reinventing himself whenever the next big thing came along.

In 1979 Hemingway went on to undertake another inappropriate move for a future fashion designer by gaining a Degree in Geography and Town Planning at University College, London.

The move that sealed Waynes fate was taken to fuel funds for the band that he then played in (he says that hes burned the evidence but we know where it is!). One day he decided to empty his wardrobe and that of his childhood sweetheart (now wife Gerardine) and took the contents to sell on Camden Market. Suddenly dawned the realization that money could be made from fashion.

With Gerardine, Wayne built Red or Dead into a label that received global acclaim resulting in winning the prestigious British Fashion Councils Streetstyle Designer of the Year Award for an unprecedented 3 consecutive years in 1996, 1997 and 1998. After 21 consecutive seasons on the catwalk at London Fashion Week, Wayne and Gerardine sold Red or Dead in a multi million cash sale.

In 1999, having sold Red or Dead they set up HemingwayDesign, which specializes in affordable and social design. The highest profile project is, The Staiths South Bank, a 800 property mass market housing project on Tyneside for Taylor Wimpey Homes where HemingwayDesign are involved from the master planning, the architecture through to the landscaping and marketing of this groundbreaking project. Over 500 homes are now lived in and The Staiths has won a series of high profile awards including Housing Design Awards (best large project).

Wayne got an MBE in June 06 Queens Birthday List, is a Professor in The Built Environment Department of Northumbria University, a Doctor of Design at Wolverhampton, Lancaster and Stafford and a Fellow of Blackburn College (Just call him Prof Doc, Doc, Doc Wayne Hemingway MA, BSc Esquire).

He is a writer for architectural and housing publications as well as a judge of international design competitions including the regeneration of Byker in Newcastle and Salford in Greater Manchester and the Stirling Prize, Europan and a TV design commentator.

He does a bit of charity work for the likes of Noise Festival, The Princes Trust (where he was the inaugural Chairman of an initiative to enable disadvantaged young people to work within the fashion industry, Shelter, Oxfam and Traid.

Wayne does talks on housing, design, entrepreneurial & marketing subjects and his career history the Red or Dead and the building of The Vintage Festival events and brand are truly remarkable stories. Wayne also hosts conferences and awards ceremonies. He scrubs up well looks quite good in black tie.