Francisco van Benthum was born in the Netherlands in 1972 and began his career in the late 1990’s as soon as he graduated from the prestigious fashion department at the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Arnhem. He immediately started searching for his own vision as a menswear designer by exploring and stretching the boundaries of traditional men’s fashion and playing with its codes and restrictions. And that has become his trademark: adding a contemporary twist to the classical form by reinterpreting and recomposing the outline and elements of the traditional menswear silhouette. Alongside developing the brand and the business, van Benthum has always been involved in external design projects, assignments and collaborations with other designers. In 2012, van Benthum was awarded a Fashion Grant for his work and career achievements so far, given by the Netherlands Prince Bernhard Culture Foundation in collaboration with the Dutch Fashion Foundation.