Canadian fashion designer and brand founder Frank Lyman has died surrounded by his family. The team behind his eponymous womenswear collection shared the sad news across its international social media accounts this weekend.
The announcement read: “It is with great sorrow that we announce the loss of the company’s founder and CEO, Frank Lyman. He passed away May 30th with his family by his side.
“Not only was Frank a great family man with three children and four grandchildren he adored, he was also a visionary in the fashion industry.
“Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he garnered numerous awards and accolades, and was recognized as a brilliant fashion designer and business leader. He will always be remembered for his passion, generosity, and his exceptional ability to motivate and mentor…We will honour his name and continue what this great man accomplished. Of course, we will miss him enormously.”
Frank Lyman began a career in fashion over 50 years ago, launching his own brand in 2001. The collection has been shortlisted for Drapers’ Brand of the Year award seven times. In 2016, the designer was honoured by the Montreal Fashion Foundation while the Montreal Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Mercador Export Leader award in 2017.
Frank Lyman offers daywear, luxe casual coordinates, embellished and embroidered denim, eveningwear and wedding wear across three divisions: Frank Lyman Montréal, Frank Lyman Denim and LYMAN. Its collections are sold by thousands of independent boutiques in more than 65 countries.
The designer and CEO passed on his talent and passion for the industry to his children, who have gradually taken over the business throughout the last year. The brand’s team includes his daughter and the company’s co-founder and president, Stephanie Lyman; his son and vice president of business development, Patrick Lyman; and Johanne Baron, vice president and head of design, who collaborated with Frank Lyman for over 30 years.
Donations in memory of Frank Lyman can be made to the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation here.