Zac Posen is a contemporary fashion designer. Posen grew up in New York City, attending Saint Ann's School. He went to design school at Central Saint Martins in London, where he began to conceive his distinctive aesthetic. At 16, he interned at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute, under the tutelage of Richard Martin, followed by an internship with Nicole Miller and a position at Tocca.

In 2001, he was one of the new names at the Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion show. In the early 2000s, Posen had success with designs worn by prominent young actresses including Natalie Portman, Liv Tyler, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Claire Danes. In 2004, Posen was awarded the CFDA Swarovski-Perry Ellis Award for Ready-to-Wear after his first major runway show. Posen is as much an entrepreneur as a design success; by 2005, many major stores were carrying his collections. In 2006, renowned fashion historian Didier Ludot granted him the honor of showing his work in his Palais Royal stores during Paris Fashion Week.