Born in Nice and trained in fashion design, Nicole began her career in Paris as a freelance. In the early 1970’s she moved to London to begin her long and close association with Stephen Marks. In 1982, Marks launched the Nicole Farhi label, giving Nicole the opportunity to design a collection which more closely reflected the clothes she herself wanted to wear. Five years into the life of the new company, Nicole launched a collection of sporty, easy pieces, a diffusion line under the name Farhi. Since then the Nicole Farhi brand has grown to take in swimwear, shoes, accessories and eveningwear. An eight time nominee for the British Fashion Awards, Nicole Farhi won the British Classics award in 1989 and the Contemporary collections in 1995, 1996 and again in 1997, she has continued to win awards for her menswear and homme as well as being named British Designer of the year at the 2001 Maxim Awards.