Born in Spain on August 9, 1935 and raised in Belgium,
Fernando Sanchez travled between Paris, Marrakech and New York during his lifetime. As a teenager, he would make regular visits with his mother to Paris, which influnced his move to "The City of Lights" at the age of 17. In Paris, Sanchez learned his trade working with his friend and former classmate, Yves Saint Lauren. He attended the Ecole De La Chambre Syndicale De La Couture and later went to work for Nina Ricci and designed lingerie for the House of Dior before launching his own label. Inspired by West Side Story, Sanchez moved to New York city in May of 1960, "...it was West Side Story, and it was everything that I wanted." Sanchez would say.
