DALLAS, Aug 30, 2005/ FW/ --- If Jil Sander is the Queen of German Fashion, Wolfgang Joop is the King.

Both handsome and photogenic, his face is as recognizable in the world over as much as his fashion and his fragrances.

Born in Potsdam, Germany on November 18, 1944, his ancestral home was situated next to the grounds of Frederick the Great's opulent rococo Sanssouici Palance and its splendor would fuel his inspiration throughout his life.

Joop studied advertising psychology, drawing, sculpture and the theory of art at the Univery of Braunschweig. He was later invited to become an honorary professor of life drawing and design at the University of Art in Berlin.

He was a journalist, workin for 'Die Wet' first before he started his fashion career, when in 1968, with his former wife Karin Benatzky (whom he had two children, Henriette and Florentine), they were awarded all three first prizes in a design competion sponsored by the magazine Constanze.

At that time, he was also working as a freelance designer for fashion houses in Italy, France and Germany.

The first collection to carry his name was presented in 1979. The JOOP! label followed in 1981, the ready-to-wear line was added in 1987, JOOP Jeans in 1987 and the fur collection was introduced in 1990.

In 1998, Joop sold 95% of his stake in the JOOP! GmbH to Wunsche AG, then sold the remaining 5% in July 2001. This ended his involvement with JOOP! and enable him to redirect his energy to other creative projects including writing and illustration and the launch of his new label 'Wunderkind.'

Presented during the Fall/Winter 2004 season in Berlin, Wunderkind debuted in New York during the Spring 2005 season.

Like Jil Sander, Wolfgang Joop is a national celebrity in Germany and international celebrity in the world of fashion. Joop has a strong sense of personal identification and projection of style, making him popular here in the U.S.

Wunderkind Fall 2005 (Photo by Javier Mateo)

See the Joop runway shows: