BARRY KIESELSTEIN-CORD BIO
 

 Barry Kieselstein Cord is that rare bird in the world of fashion who speaks his mind, bucks trends and decrees of direction, and yet has remained a potent force in the world of design for more than thirty years. 
 

Cord is a designer and artist.  But he is also an entrepreneur.  He sees the world through the eyes of the poet. But he also thinks like a businessman. He knows the power of a beautiful object. But he also knows that it has no power at all unless it succeeds in the marketplace—and ends up in the hands of someone who appreciates it. 
 

His unusual combination of artistic obsession and commercial prowess have made him one of the world's most successful and respected designers—a two-time winner of fashion’s version of the Oscar, the Council of Fashion Designers of America Award, and a favorite of a mind-boggling array of tastemakers and celebrities, from Tom Hanks to Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey to Lennox Lewis, Steven Spielberg to T.I., Jay-Z to Vladimir Putin, Eric Clapton to Brooke Shields, Madonna to Janet Jackson, Sir Elton John to Sharon Stone, Bruce Springsteen to Usher, Lenny Kravitz to Whoopi Goldberg, Diane von Furstenberg to Obama.
 

Created as art objects, with a sense of style ungoverned by the whims of fashion, his bold, sculptural, simultaneously sophisticated and primitive, and often whimsical pieces are coveted because they are much more than jewelry and accessories; they are art, they have been accepted into the permanent collections of the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston as examples of the finest applied arts, but more important, they are valued by individual collectors of great taste, who collect them and display every day in the world’s greatest gallery in the world—its streets.  "I don't make jewelry,” he’s said. “I do sculptures for the body.”
 

“My life as an artist started when I was about eight,” Cord has said. “My primary interest at that moment was directed toward North American Indian art. This was my first influence between the ages of 8 and 14. I produced large-scale carvings and effigies and interpretations. Between 14 and 22 my focus switched to painting and metalwork. At 14 I started to bury objects and metal in the ground to observe color and patina changes.  From the earliest moments I can recall fascination with all past cultures and an intense attraction to art and architecture, not surprising, as in their youth my mother had been an illustrator and father an architect. I still hold these fascinations and occasionally some recall slips into my work. I have rarely ever looked at the ornamentation of other artists; my primary influences come from entire cultures and periods.”
 

Educated at the Parson School of Design, New York University and the American Craft Institute, Cord first entered the creative business as an advertising art director and producer.  Before leaving the industry, he was awarded the advertising world’s top creative awards. What he learned then still informs all of his own advertising, store designs and promotions.  His own photographs are often featured in them all. 
 

Cord started his business in 1972 and Georg Jensen introduced his jewelry to the world the following year.  Their unique combination of innovative finishes, bold themes and fine craftsmanship made the world take notice.  In 1976, he introduced the first of his iconic belt buckles, and fashion folk flocked to his door.  In 1979, he won the first of two Coty Awards, then fashion’s ultimate accolade.  But more important to him was seeing his designs worn by the sexiest, most stylish men and women in the world. 
 

By the 1980s, Cord was established as one of America's most sought-after creators of distinctive jewelry and accessories, and his company, Kieselstein-Cord, based in midtown Manhattan, began to grow until it also included handbags, luggage, home furnishings, eyewear and other fine accessories.   In 1985, he opened an in-store boutique at Bergdorf Goodman. Recently he has opened his own Kieselstein-Cord stores in Munich, Jakarta, Moscow, Gstaad, St. Moritz, Zurich, Kiev, Odessa and Singapore and Hong Kong (in spring 2010) and Tokyo (in 2011).  He was also a pioneer in protecting his work—standing up when it was copied, or in fashion parlance, “knocked off” by counterfeiters.  After a two-year battle and at great personal expense, he was responsible for establishing laws that today protects designers around the world. 

 

Today, over 5,000 designs later, Barry Kieselstein-Cord remains an astonishingly successful designer and imaginative entrepreneur, who has built one of America's largest designer-owned branded luxury companies, yet remains true to his personal vision, even as he directs his employees, oversees 12 K-C stores around the world and generates millions in annual revenue. His pieces, every one of which is signed, dated, and copyrighted, are widely sought and become instant classics, bringing high prices at auctions, making them a wise investment as well as cherished indulgence.
 

His latest innovations include creating an iconic timepiece collection. He has chosen the Kieselstein-Cord alligator bracelet to incorporate the Swiss timing mechanism; production will be in green gold, platinum or Artsteel.   This instant classic will debut in Fall 2009.
 

Though Cord’s friends say he works 25 hour days eight days a week, he also finds time to cut fields on his farm in NY’s Hudson Valley, repair fences and fix ancient tractors and boardwalks through the first-class marshes that surround his property. His farm is abundant with rare flora and fauna.
 

Cord draws unending inspiration from these bucolic surroundings; he transposes and crates themes based on his green visions from the countryside. His design collections are a cornucopia of animal inspired artworks. Cord considers the most valuable and inspiring assets his family. His daughter Elisabeth, son John, and wife Karen are his never ending muses.

 KIESELSTEIN-CORD PRESS

KIESELSTEIN-CORD PECOS CONCHAS BUCKLE
FEATURED IN VOGUE MAGAZINE
KIESELSTEIN-CORD VERO PENDANT WITH DIAMONDS
FEATURED IN L'UOMO MAGAZINE
KIESELSTEIN-CORD ALLIGATOR BUCKLE
FEATURED IN PEOPLE MAGAZINE
KIESELSTEIN-CORD FLAME CUFF WITH DIAMONDS
FEATURED IN THE RITZ CARLTON

BARRY KIESELSTEIN-CORD AWARDS

Kieselstein-Cord Awards:

Sylvester Foundation Humanitarian Award

Silver Slipper Award, Houston Museum of Fine Arts

COTY American Fashion Critics Award

CFDA Award

Illustrators Society Award, New York

Hollywood Radio & Television Society Award

Art Directors Club Awards, New York

Kieselstein-Cord in the permanent Collections:

The Louvre, Paris, France

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York

Louisiana State Museum of Art, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas

Reference Books featuring Kieselstein-Cord:

The Day the Factory Died, by Christophe Von Hohenberg

Confessions of A Window Dresser, by Simon Doonan

The Charm of Charms, by Jade Albert and Ki Hackney, Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

Vanity: The Art of Looking Good, by Linda Abrams, Red Rock Press

Handbags: The Power of the Purse, by Anna Johnson, Workman Publishing

Handbags, A Lexicon of Style, by Valerie Steel & Laird Borelli, Scriptum Editions

Cadogan Publications

What Should I Wear? Dressing for Occassions, by Kim Gross & Jeff Stone. Alfred A. Knopf

Chic Simple - Belts, by Christa Worthington. Alfred A. Knopf

Contemporary Fashion, by Richard Martin. St. James Press

The Art of Accessories, by Dorothy Torem. Schiffer Publications

The Sporting Life, by Larry & Carol Sheehan.  Clarkson N. Potter

A Social History of the American Alligator, by Vaughn L. Glasgow.

St. Martin’s Press

Letter From New York, by Yusuke Suga.  Kobunsha Bunko

Perry Ellis – A Biography, by Jonathan Moore. St. Martin’s Press

Who’s Who in Fashion, by Anne Stegemeyer.  Fairchild Publications

The Cowboy Catalog, by Sandra Kauffman Potter

Kieselstein-Cord Exhibitions:

A Different View. Fine art photography by Barry Kieselstein-Cord. Bonni Benrubi Gallery, New York City, New York

Television programs featuring Kieselstein-Cord:

The Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing.  Warner Independent Pictures, with Alec Baldwin, Sarah Michelle Gellar

The Nanny Diaries. Miramax Films, with Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney

The Devil Wears Prada, 20th Century Fox; Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway

Welcome to Mooseport,  Gene Hackman, Marcia Gay Harden, Christine Baranski. 20th Century Fox. Gold jewelry, Silver jewelry, and belts.

Three to Tango,  Neve Campbell. Warner Brothers Pictures.  Gold jewelry, Sterling Silver Sport jewelry, handbags and belts.

A Civil Action, With John Travolta. Touchstone Pictures. Gold Jewelry.

Curdled, With William Baldwin. Tinderbox Films.  Gold Jewelry, Bags & Belts.

Dolores Claiborne, Gold jewelry worn exclusively by Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Mother's Boys,  Jamie Lee Curtis & Tony Goldwin. Miramax (CBS Entertainment).

Basic Instinct,  Gold Jewelry & Belts worn exclusively by Sharon Stone.

Barry Kieselstein-Cord’s works have been featured in the following publications among others:

25ans (Japan)

Architectural Digest

Aspen

Aspen Country

Aspen Magazine

Avenue

Beverly Hills 213

Beverly Hills News

Boca Raton

Bolero

Brutus Casa

Channel

Cigar Aficionado

Cosmopolitan

Daily News

Dallas Morning News

Departures

Detour

Elle

Elle Décor

Equidaie

Figaro

Forbes

Fortune

Good Housekeeping

Gotham

GQ

Hamptons

Hamptons Country

Harper's Bazaar

InStyle

InSync

International Herald Tribune

Interview

Japan Avenue

La Mia Casa

Lear's

Léonce

Lustre

Maire Claire

Manhattan File

Manner Vogue

Messemagazin (Dusseldorf)

Mirabelle

Miss (Japan)

Modern Jeweler

Neue Zürcher Zeitung

New Jersey Life

New York

New York Post

Ocean Drive

Palm Beach Illustrated

Palm Beach Society

People

Point of View

Quest

Schmuck Magazin

Stern

The Globe and Mail

The London Times

The New York Times

The New Yorker

The Robb Report

The Star-Ledger

Town & Country

Tycoon

Ultra

Vanity Fair

Vogue

Vogue (Deutsch)

Vogue (Italia)

Vogue (Paris)

W

Wallpaper

Woman's Wear Daily

Worth Avenue

 

MUSEUM ACQUISITIONS

The Louvre, Paris, France

Alligator Trophy Handbag

Charlotte Handbag

Alligator Buckle on black lizard strap

Winged Victory Buckle on black calfskin strap

Serpent Buckle on honey lizard strap

Winchester Buckle on black lizard strap

Classic Horse Buckle on black livery strap

Women of the World Muse Ring

Alligator Bracelet

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York

Women of the World Elisabetta Cross Pendant on Pyrite Beads

Women of the World Cuff Bracelet

Alligator Buckle on black alligator strap

Serpent Buckle on black lizard strap

Squirrel Buckle on brown lizard strap

Classic Horse Buckle on black calfskin strap

Alligator Trophy Handbag

Charlotte Handbag

Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, Texas

Alligator Bracelet

Women of the World Muse Ring

Alligator Trophy Handbag

Alligator Buckle on black lizard strap

Winged Victory Buckle on black calfskin strap

Serpent Buckle on honey lizard strap

Winchester Buckle on black lizard strap

Classic Horse Buckle on black calfskin strap

Louisiana State Museum,, New Orleans, Louisiana

Round Alligator Earrings

Long Alligator Earrings

Alligator Bracelet

Alligator Bracelet

Alligator Buckle on black alligator strap

Alligator Buckle on khaki alligator strap

Alligator Trophy Handbag

National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, Dallas, Texas

Cowgirl Buckle

Cowgirl Buckle

Cowgirl Earrings

Cowgirl Cufflinks

Cowgirl Bolo

 

BARRY CORD'S ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT MAY BE VIEWED AT:

 

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For pricing and availability in both national and international sales or for customer service please call: 1.800.886.0607

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For Kieselstein-Cord distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, please contact:

Matthias Schwarte at email; office@agentur-schwarte.de; +49 (8051) 96650; 

or Thomas Kirkwood at email; TK@thomas-a-kirkwood.com; +49 (172) 6100 353

ALL DESIGNS & GRAPHICS © KIESELSTEIN-CORD 2004 - 2009

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED