Tim Blanks
Editor-at-large of The Business of Fashion
Tim Blanks is editor-at-large of The Business of Fashion, where he has reviewed collections and interviewed designers since 2015. Born in New Zealand, he became known to a wide audience as host of the television series Fashion File from 1989 to 2006 and later as editor-at-large of Style.com, and he is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable runway critics working today.
| Role | Editor-at-large, The Business of Fashion |
|---|---|
| Since | August 2015 |
| Television | Host of Fashion File, 1989 to 2006 |
| Previous role | Editor-at-large, Style.com |
| Award | CFDA Eugenia Sheppard Media Award (2013) |
Who is Tim Blanks?
Tim Blanks was born in New Zealand and has built his career in Canada, Europe and the United States. He is a fashion critic, interviewer and broadcaster whose reviews are known for their cultural references, drawing on music, film and art as much as on clothing.
Career
- 1989 to 2006: host of the television programme Fashion File, including the Masters of Style series of designer interviews
- Style.com: editor-at-large, reviewing and filming collections in the fashion capitals
- Since August 2015: editor-at-large at The Business of Fashion
- Polimoda: member of the faculty of the fashion school in Florence
He has also written for publications including Vogue, GQ, the Financial Times, Interview, Fantastic Man and Arena Homme Plus, and has served on the panels of awards such as the International Woolmark Prize. In 2013 he received the CFDA's Eugenia Sheppard Media Award.
Influence on the fashion business
Blanks has interviewed many of the designers who shaped contemporary fashion, and his long television career helped bring designer culture to a mainstream audience before online video and social media. His move from Style.com to The Business of Fashion in 2015 came as runway coverage shifted to digital platforms, and he has since been one of BoF's main voices on collections and creative direction.
His reviews are closely read by designers, buyers and executives because they place each show within a designer's body of work and in a broader cultural context. He has described his wide ranging approach to criticism as natural rather than deliberate: "It's not something I do deliberately, because it is just the way I think."
Why it matters
In a period of frequent creative director changes across major houses, critics such as Blanks help the industry interpret what a new collection signals for a brand. His work bridges the creative and business sides of fashion, explaining design in terms that matter to people who must buy, market and sell it. He also represents a generation of critics who carried fashion criticism from television and print into digital publishing, where reviews now appear within hours of a show and reach a global professional audience.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Tim Blanks?
Tim Blanks is a New Zealand born fashion critic and editor-at-large of The Business of Fashion, a role he has held since 2015. He previously hosted the television series Fashion File and was editor-at-large at Style.com.
What is Tim Blanks known for?
He is known for runway reviews rich in cultural references and for long form interviews with leading designers, including the Masters of Style series on Fashion File. He received the CFDA's Eugenia Sheppard Media Award in 2013.