THREE BROTHERS, BABAK GOLKAR, HAMAN GOLKAR AND FARHAN GOLKAR, FOUNDED THE LABEL IN 2007.
BABAK GOLKAR STUDIED HIS CRAFT AT THE LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION, AND HAS WON CPL AROMAS FASHION DESIGN AWARDS. HE WAS ALSO A FINALIST IN THE NIQUITIN CQ DESIGN AWARDS. HAMAN GOLKAR LEARNED HIS FASHION SKILLS AT THE FAMOUS CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS COLLEGE IN LONDON. FARHAN GOLKAR PURSUED HIS STUDIES IN DESIGN AT THE CHELSEA COLLEGE OF ART.
THE EMPEROR 1688 LAUNCHED IN SAKS FIFTH AVENUE FOR SS09. AND TO THIS DAY SHARES AN IMPORTANT AND STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REGIONS PREDOMINANT RETAILER.
THE BROTHERS HAVE WON THE PRESTIGIOUS ESQUIRE DESIGNER OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR THEIR MENSWEAR LABEL EMPEROR 1688 IN 2011 AND IN 2012 WHERE AWARDED AGAIN WITH THE REGIONS MOST STYLISH.
THE EMPEROR 1688 IS A FAVOURITE OF MANY CELEBRITIES, MOST RECENT OF WHICH ROBIN THICKE DRESSED FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES AND HIS LATEST MUSIC VIDEO “FEEL GOOD” BY THE EMPEROR 1688.
THE EMPEROR 1688 RECENTLY WON THE INTERNATIONAL WOOLMARK PRIZE FOR THE REGION AND WILL BE REPRESENTING THE REGION AT THE GRAND FINALS IN LONDON AS PART OF LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN IN JANUARY 2015. THE WOOLKMARK PRIZE IS NOTED FOR DISCOVERING YVES SAINT LAURANT AND KARL LAGERFELD IN THE SAME YEAR. THE GOLKAR BROTHERS WITH THE EMPEROR 1688 ARE VERY PROUD AND HUMBLED TO BE REPRESENTING THE REGION WITH THEIR MENSWEAR COLLECTION. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A MENSWEAR CATEGORY HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE COMPETITION; IT IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME A MENSWEAR BRAND FROM THE MIDDLE EAST HAS WON THE REGIONALS AND TAKING PART IN THE GRAND FINALS.
THE GOLKAR BROTHER WERE NAMED OFFICIAL BRAND AMBASSADORS FOR PREMIUM LUXURY CAR MANUFACTURER AUDI IN APRIL 2015
ESTABLISHED IN 2007, THE EMPEROR 1688 IS AN INNOVATIVE LUXURY BRAND THAT PRIDES ITSELF THE FANTASY AND IDEAL OF MENSWEAR IN THE EYES OF THE GOLKAR BROTHERS. SOURCING INSPIRATION FROM CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE, WORLD CULTURE AND TRADITIONAL ENGLISH TAILORING, FUSING ALL TOGETHER FOR A CONTEMPORARY CUSTOMER. THE EMPEROR 1688 IS PRODUCED IN ITALY AND EUROPE USING THE FINEST FABRICS FROM PRESTIGIOUS EUROPEAN MILLS. THE EMPEROR 1688 HAS A STRONG FOLLOWING, WORN BY MANY A-LIST CELEBRITIES, ATHLETES AND ROYALTY ACROSS THE GLOBE.
THE EMPEROR 1688 HAS 3 STAND-ALONE BOUTIQUES IN DUBAI, A SHOP IN SHOP IN GALLERIES LAFAYETTE AND STOCKS REGIONALLY WITH SAKS FIFTH AVENUE WITH WHOM THE BRAND SHARES A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP.