Fashion designerAmericanJewishSyrian-American

Isaac Mizrahi

Isaac Mizrahi is an American fashion designer, actor, singer, and television presenter known for his eponymous fashion lines and diverse work in entertainment and performing arts.

1. Overview

Isaac Mizrahi is a renowned American fashion designer, actor, singer, and television presenter. He is recognized for his eponymous fashion lines and currently serves as the chief designer for the Isaac Mizrahi brand under Xcel Brands. Beyond his own labels, Mizrahi has also held prominent roles as a chief designer for major fashion houses such as Geoffrey Beene and Calvin Klein. His career spans diverse creative fields, including extensive work as a costume designer for Broadway and opera, various television and film appearances as a host, judge, and actor, and unique projects like book publications and opera direction. His multifaceted career reflects a significant influence across the fashion, entertainment, and performing arts industries.

2. Early Life

Isaac Mizrahi was born on October 14, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York City. He is the son of Sarah and Zeke Mizrahi; his father was a manufacturer of children's clothing. Mizrahi is of Syrian-Jewish descent, with his maternal grandparents hailing from Aleppo, Syria. He grew up in Midwood, Brooklyn, as the youngest boy in his family. His early passion for design manifested at the age of ten when he purchased his first sewing machine with money he had saved from babysitting. By the age of fifteen, he had already launched his own label, IS New York, with assistance from a family friend. For his education, Mizrahi attended Yeshivah of Flatbush, followed by the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and later the Parsons School of Design at The New School.

3. Fashion Career

Isaac Mizrahi's fashion career is marked by periods of critical acclaim, business challenges, and successful brand revitalization through strategic partnerships and diffusion lines.

3.1. Brand Launch and Early Success

Mizrahi launched his first collection in 1987, presenting it at a trunk show hosted by the New York department store Bergdorf Goodman. The collection quickly garnered significant praise from fashion editors, leading to numerous orders from top retailers. In a 1989 interview, Mizrahi described his designs as "controlled and glamorous," "elegant," "distilled, refined," and drew inspiration from decadence and the vibrant diversity of New York City. He also articulated an interest in appealing to a refined and exclusive clientele. In 1992, the esteemed French fashion house Chanel acquired a stake in Mizrahi's company, providing financial backing for its operations.

3.2. Business Challenges and Evolution

Despite ongoing critical acclaim, Isaac Mizrahi's sales experienced inconsistency. According to Bloomingdale's executive Kal Ruttenstein, Mizrahi's label had "good years and bad years," indicating volatile performance. This instability was primarily attributed to the designer's tendency to frequently change his aesthetic each season, preventing the establishment of a distinctive "Mizrahi look." Although the company annually grossed between 10.00 M USD and 20.00 M USD, it never achieved profitability and incurred substantial losses in its final four years of operation. Consequently, Chanel withdrew its financing in October 1998, leading to the closure of the company after the Fall 1998 collection. Among Mizrahi's notable admirers and clients during this period were Hollywood figures such as Nicole Kidman, Selma Blair, Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker, Debra Messing, and Natalie Portman.

A dress designed by Isaac Mizrahi in 1994-95, featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.
A dress designed by Isaac Mizrahi in 1994-95, featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.


Between 1995 and 1997, Mizrahi also introduced a diffusion line named "IS**C." This line was intentionally designed with a lower price point, ranging from 275 USD to 850 USD, aiming to broaden the label's appeal beyond the very expensive Isaac Mizrahi collection. However, "IS**C" failed to gain significant market traction and was discontinued in 1997. In 1996, Mizrahi collaborated with Louis Vuitton, creating a distinctive two-way clear bag to commemorate the brand's 100th anniversary.

3.3. Brand Resurgence and Current Engagements

Isaac Mizrahi made a significant return to the fashion scene in 2002 by launching another highly successful diffusion collection, "Isaac Mizrahi for Target." This line became an enormous hit, expanding beyond clothing to include accessories, bedding, housewares, and pet products. Over five years, its sales volume tripled, reaching over 300.00 M USD, effectively introducing the designer to mainstream American consumers. The Target line was discontinued in 2008 when Mizrahi transitioned to Liz Claiborne.

Mizrahi's tenure at Liz Claiborne lasted only one year, in 2009. Despite advertising campaigns that featured Mizrahi alongside women of diverse sizes, races, and ages in major fashion magazines, the line struggled from its launch. The clothes and accessories were difficult to locate, primarily carried by a limited number of smaller department stores, which were not typically found in major cities. For example, Gottschalks carried only a few items before declaring bankruptcy and liquidating mere weeks after Mizrahi's launch. Furthermore, the few existing Liz Claiborne outlets were often situated in remote outlet malls, making them inaccessible to most customers. Consequently, in December 2009, the Liz Claiborne website was closed, and rumors of the company's financial distress circulated widely. By fall 2010, Liz Claiborne clothes were being sold at J.C. Penney and were no longer designed by Mizrahi.

In 2010, Mizrahi launched a new label named IsaacMizrahiLIVE!, exclusively available on QVC. The following year, in 2011, Mizrahi sold his brand to Xcel Brands, Inc. for 31.50 M USD. Under Xcel Brands, Mizrahi continued the IsaacMizrahiLIVE! business on QVC and also launched various categories under the Isaac Mizrahi New York, Isaac Mizrahi Jeans, and Isaac Mizrahi brands. As of August 2012, footwear and denim products were introduced in Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom. His first-ever fragrance, Fabulous, was set to debut in September on QVC and in Bloomingdale's in October. Mizrahi has maintained his role as a shareholder, creative director, and media personality for his namesake brand under Xcel Brands.

4. Media and Entertainment Activities

Isaac Mizrahi has maintained a significant presence in television and film since the 1990s, showcasing his diverse talents as a presenter, judge, and actor.

In 1980, he made a brief appearance as Touchstone in Alan Parker's film Fame, which was set at the same High School of Performing Arts he attended. In 1993, he appeared in the Michael J. Fox comedy, For Love or Money, playing the role of an up-and-coming fashion designer named Julian Russell. In 1995, a documentary film titled Unzipped was released, chronicling the development of his Fall 1994 collection, with Mizrahi himself as the subject. He also appeared as himself in the 1995 film Catwalk, and in 1997, he made a cameo in the film Men in Black as one of the "celebrity aliens" granted asylum on Earth. His acting career continued with appearances in Woody Allen's films, including Celebrity (1998), Small Time Crooks (2000), and Hollywood Ending (2002), where he played Elio Sebastian. In 2010, he took on a leading role in Florent: Queen of the Meat Market. In 2022, Mizrahi played Amos Hart in the long-running Broadway revival of Chicago.

On television, Mizrahi's extensive appearances include:

  • In Fall 2005, his talk show, Isaac, debuted on the Style Network. He previously had a show on the Oxygen network, where he occasionally performed jazz songs in a nightclub setting.
  • He is frequently featured on E!'s programs and is known for his flamboyant personality.
  • He appeared as himself in the episode "Plus One is the Loneliest Number" from the fifth season of Sex and the City, and in an episode of Spin City.
  • Mizrahi guest-starred on the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, portraying a reporter for the cable channel Fashion TV in the episode "Lose the Boss".
  • He also appeared as himself in the first season of The Apprentice (episode 6), supporting an auction for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
  • In 2006, he participated in the public radio game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, famously stating, "Fat is the new black."
  • He also appeared in a fourth-season episode of Gossip Girl.
  • Mizrahi was a contestant in the Jeopardy! Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational, where he advanced to the semi-finals after initially finishing second in a quarter-final game, replacing Andy Richter due to scheduling conflicts. He ultimately lost to Michael McKean.
  • In 2006, Mizrahi pro bono designed the denim work aprons for the conservators at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.
  • In 2009, Mizrahi began co-hosting the first season of The Fashion Show on Bravo, alongside singer Kelly Rowland. This series was launched as a replacement for Project Runway after it moved to the Lifetime network. Mizrahi returned as co-host for the show's second season in November 2010, this time with supermodel Iman, who had previously hosted the Canadian version of Project Runway. Bravo expressed confidence that Mizrahi's dynamic presenting style would complement Iman's credibility and pioneering status in the fashion world.
  • In 2012, Mizrahi served as a head judge on the debut season of Project Runway: All Stars, alongside Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman, which aired on the Lifetime TV Network. He continued as a judge on Project Runway All Stars until 2019.
  • In February 2012, Mizrahi worked as a red carpet correspondent for Live with Kelly during the 84th Annual Academy Awards. His segment included interviews with prominent figures such as Brad Pitt, Emma Stone, Rooney Mara, and Gwyneth Paltrow, airing during a special episode of Live with Kelly the morning after the Oscars.
  • In 2013, Mizrahi played himself in the final season of Showtime's The Big C.
  • In January 2024, Mizrahi appeared as a guest judge on the sixteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

5. Costume Design

Isaac Mizrahi has made significant contributions as a costume designer for various stage productions, earning critical acclaim for his work in Broadway and opera.

He has served as the costume designer for three Broadway revivals. These include the plays The Women (2001) and Barefoot in the Park (2006), as well as the operetta Threepenny Opera (2006). His work on The Women earned him the prestigious 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design.

Beyond Broadway, Mizrahi designed the costumes for the Metropolitan Opera's 2008 production of Orfeo ed Euridice, directed by Mark Morris. Mizrahi has maintained a long-standing collaboration with Morris, a partnership that began in 1997 when Mizrahi created costumes for a Morris film project titled Falling Down Stairs, part of Yo-Yo Ma's Inspired By Bach series.

6. Other Creative Projects

Isaac Mizrahi's creative endeavors extend far beyond fashion, media, and costume design, encompassing various artistic and commercial ventures.

  • He authored a series of comic books titled Isaac Mizrahi Presents the Adventures of Sandee the Supermodel, which were published by Simon & Schuster.
  • Since December 2007, he has regularly narrated the children's classic Peter and the Wolf as part of the Guggenheim Museum's Works & Process performing arts series.
  • In 2008, he published his book How to Have Style.
  • In 2010, Mizrahi took on multiple roles for Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, designing the sets and costumes while also directing the production. He later returned to the Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 2014, where he designed and directed Mozart's The Magic Flute.
  • In 2013, Johnson & Johnson released a series of Band-Aid adhesive bandages featuring an Isaac Mizrahi theme.
  • In 2016, "Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History", his first career retrospective exhibition, opened at The Jewish Museum in New York City. The exhibition was organized by Guest Curator Chee Pearlman and Kelly Taxter, The Jewish Museum's Barnett and Annalee Newman Curator of Contemporary Art. It was on display from March 18 to August 7 and was accompanied by a catalog published by Yale University Press, which included essays by Kelly Taxter, Lynn Yaeger, and Ulrich Lehman, with an introduction by Chee Pearlman.
  • In 2019, he published his memoir, IM.

7. Controversy

In 2006, Isaac Mizrahi became the center of a public controversy during an interview he conducted for E! at the Golden Globe Awards. During the interview, he touched actress Scarlett Johansson's breast, an incident that drew significant media attention. In a 2013 interview on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, Mizrahi attempted to downplay the incident, asserting: "This wasn't nasty... This was like, 'Are you wearing a bra? Are you wearing an underwire bra?' And she was like, 'Oh well.'" This explanation was met with mixed reactions, with some interpreting it as an attempt to minimize the intrusive nature of his actions.

8. Personal Life

Isaac Mizrahi married his partner of six years, Arnold Germer, in a civil ceremony held at New York City Hall on November 30, 2011.