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by | Mar 16, 2018 | Hosta

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Ben Barry (born February 9, 1983) is a Canadian entrepreneur, academic, author, and women's health advocate.[1] He is currently the Dean of Fashion at the New School.[2] Ben is the founder and CEO of the Ben Barry Agency, a modelling agency and consultancy known for its use of diverse models, and the author of the Canadian bestseller Fashioning Reality: A New Generation of Entrepreneurship.[3][4]

Early life and career

Barry was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He attended the Elmwood School before moving on to Ashbury College,[5] and graduated from the University of Toronto, where he was a member of Trinity College, in 2005 with a BA in Women's Studies and Political Science. He later attended the University of Cambridge and completed an MPhil in Innovation, Strategy, and Organization in 2007 and a PhD with an Ogilvy Foundation research grant at Cambridge Judge Business School in 2012.[3][6][7][8] Barry's second book, Beyond Beauty: Discovering, Challenging, and Refining Beauty, will examine perceptions of beauty across the world and will be based on his Ph.D. research.[3] He is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Fashion Incubator, and sits on the Board of the Canadian Foundation for Women's Health.[9][10] Barry was an assistant professor of equity, inclusivity, and diversity in fashion at the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Fashion before being promoted to Chair of the School of Fashion in 2018.[11][8][12] In 2021, he was hired as the new Dean of Fashion at the New School in New York City, New York, USA. He also writes a bi-weekly small business column for The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper of record.[13]

Ben Barry Agency

Barry began the Ben Barry Agency at the age of 14,[14] an agency known for its use of diverse models; those of widely different sizes, races, ages, and abilities. This was is in contrast to most modelling agencies of the time which imposed strict height, weight, and age requirements.[6] The Agency took part in the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.[3][6][15] Barry has been acknowledged for his efforts to reform the fashion industry to more accurately represent women's diversity, and to end the use of a standard physical beauty ideal.[14][16][17]

Awards

He has been awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and is the inaugural male recipient of the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.[1] According to Maclean's, he was recognized as "one of twenty-five leaders of tomorrow".[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Governor General Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case - Status of Women Canada". cfc-swc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  2. ^ Feitelberg, Rosemary (2020-12-10). "Parsons Names New Dean of Fashion". WWD. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Ben Barry". Speakers Spotlight. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
  4. ^ "Young model agent changing the face of fashion". CTV News. 2007-03-13. Archived from the original on 2007-03-23. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). www.business.umt.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ a b c Morra, Bernadette (2007-03-07). "Barry slowly breaking barriers". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  7. ^ "Judge Business School: Programmes - PhD - A-Z Listing of PhD Students - Ben Barry". Judge Business School. Archived from the original on 29 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  8. ^ a b Reisz, Matthew (2012-05-24). "Super-skinny models won't supersize the profits". timeshighereducation.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  9. ^ "Toronto Fashion Incubator Board of Directors". Toronto Fashion Incubator. Archived from the original on 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  10. ^ "Board of Directors - About Us - Canadian Foundation for Women's Health". Canadian Foundation for Women's Health. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  11. ^ Delap, Leanne (2018-05-04). "New Chair of Ryerson fashion school changing the world by changing culture". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  12. ^ "Ben Barry". fashion.ryerson.ca. Ryerson University. Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  13. ^ "A card for all occasions". The Globe and Mail. 2008-10-25. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  14. ^ a b "Models of all shapes and sizes". Windsor Star. 2008-10-13. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  15. ^ "Ben Barry: Modelling Agent". University of Toronto Magazine. Retrieved 2008-11-11.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "A New Kind of Fashion Model?". CBC News. 2007-03-17. Archived from the original on April 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  17. ^ "Male modelling boss a winner for advancing cause of women". Ottawa Citizen. 2008-11-06. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2008-11-11.

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