Edward Rayne
| Sir Edward Rayne | |
|---|---|
Edward Rayne in 1975.
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| Born |
Edward Rayne August 19, 1922 US |
| Died | 7 February 1992 (aged 69) Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex |
| Other names | Eddie Rayne (bridge) |
| Occupation | chairman and managing director of H. & M. Rayne Ltd (1951-87); board of governors Genesco Inc., (167-73); director Debenhams Ltd (1975-1988); president Debenhams Inc., (1976-86); executive chairman Harvey Nichols (1978-88) |
| Notable credit(s) | FRSA (1971), CVO (1977); Chevalier l'Ordre Nationale du Mérité (1984); knighthood (1988) |
Sir Edward Rayne, CVO (19 August 1922 – 7 February 1992) was head of H. & M. Rayne (often simply known as Rayne), one of the foremost British manufacturers of high-end and couture shoes. With a Royal Warrant to both the Queen and Queen Mother, Rayne shoes were worn by high society and film stars.
Under his stewardship H. & M. Rayne took a stake in Genesco – then the largest shoe company in the world – secured licensing deals with Bergdorf Goodman and Bonwit Teller and encouraged British designers to embark on franchising. Having served a long apprenticeship in making shoes at the family firm, he was also a skilled designer – Jean Muir described him as the best British shoemaker of his age.
Rayne served on the boards of Debenhams and Harvey Nichols (director and chairman respectively) and was a high-profile ambassador for British fashion; he was chair of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers (IncSoc) and its successor the British Fashion Council (BFC), as well as working for numerous other trade and industry bodies. He did much to place London Fashion Week on the international map; his Guardian obituary said: "If any single man persuaded American fashion buyers and correspondents to take London Fashion Week seriously, it was Rayne".
As Eddie Rayne, he was a talented bridge player, representing England at the age of 21 and becoming European Bridge Champion at the age of 26. An interview shortly before he took up his role as chairman of the BFC also noted his facility with other card games: "He is the Sky Masterson of Mayfair. As a colleague said: 'Nobody beats Eddie at poker'."
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