John Warden Arts & Culture Wall Of Fame

John Warden was born in 1939 and raised in Niagara Falls, Canada. John began sewing when he was just ten
years old. His evident talent won him two scholarships. He attended Parsons School of Design in New York and
graduated with top honours in 1963.
After graduating, John moved to Montreal to begin his career as the designer for a well known clothing
manufacturer. Soon after, he launched his first collection and it was very well received. His unique style
combined the colours white, black and cream with modern and timeless lines. His second collection brought
him great recognition and soon reached the fashion elite across Canada.
The first John Warden Boutique was opened in 1966 where his clientele included Margaret Trudeau, Ivana
Trump, Mariette Levesque and many other celebrities. He created a pilot collection for Le Chateau. His
collections ranged from men's, woman’s and children's clothing.
From 1968 to 1980, John worked in association with Canadian manufacturers and his clothes were distributed
all over the world. In 1967, he designed the uniforms for Expo 67. In 1976, John along with other designers
created the uniform for the Olympic Games in Montreal.
Throughout his career John won several awards; in 1964 the Canadian Cotton Council award, in 1978 Designer
of the World which he shared with Yves Saint Laurent, and in 1983 the Canadian Designer of the Year. The
same year he was honored by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II and received the Fashion
Award for Achievement.
He lost his battle with cancer on June 29, 2007 in Montreal, Quebec surrounded by his family. John will be
remembered as a Canadian fashion icon