The most popular fashion designers in the world. The most influential fashion designers in the world
Fashion is not only an industry, but also an art. Fashion is always sensitive to changes in society, sometimes it helps to “keep up the mark” and maintain a presence of mind in unbearable situations - it’s worth remembering the French women in occupied Paris, who stubbornly continued to wear dresses and demonstrate French chic to the invaders to show: “You can’t conquer us. You can seize our lands, but you cannot break our spirit!..” We decided to talk about 20 famous couturiers, the main innovators and revolutionaries of the fashion world and real Artists who worked in the name of beauty.
Charles and Jean-Philip Worth
The first couturier in the history of High Fashion is deservedly considered the Englishman Charles Frederick Worth - the king of fashion designers and the fashion designer of kings, among whose clients there were 9 crowned persons. In 1857, Worth opened his first full-fledged fashion house - on the Rue de la Paix in Paris. After the death of Charles himself, the House passed to his sons, Jean-Philip and Gasn. Jean-Philip Worth in the 20th century will also become a famous couturier, a favorite of the great Italian actress Eleonora Duse. The Vorta would become the first fashionable dynasty.
Jacques Doucet
Young Jacques Doucet was not at all going to connect his future with fashion - he dreamed of becoming a famous artist. But after the death of his parents, Jacques inherited their production of Doucet Lingerie, a family business selling underwear. "Mr. Jacques", as he was now called, got involved in the business and turned it into the main fashion house of the early 20th century. Doucet created luxurious, majestic, intricate outfits, and valued luxury and beauty much more than practicality and relevance. He was a well-known philanthropist and helped young talents: for example, it was Mr. Jacques who discovered Paul Poiret and Madeleine Vionnet to the fashion world.
Jeanne Paquin
Paul Poiret
Paul Poiret began sewing as a child, creating outfits for his sisters' dolls. After learning from Jacques Doucet, he got a job at the House of Worth, and having honed his skills there, he opened his own House. Poiret was the first fashion designer to suggest that women abandon the corset and wear antique-style tunics and high-waisted dresses. Poiret's outfits and fabrics were always luxurious - he looked for inspiration in the culture of the East, like many couturiers after the arrival of the Russian ballet and the famous "Diaghilev seasons" in Paris. At that time, Russia was also considered the "East", and Poiret even created the Kazan collection with elements of Russian folk costume.
Unfortunately, already in the 1920s, the popularity of couturier began to decline. There were completely different things in fashion, and Coco Chanel became a symbol of change. Poiret was outraged by the abundance of black and the simplicity of her clothes, he even asked Mademoiselle Coco herself if all this meant that she was in mourning. The cruel Coco answered Poiret: “Yes, for you!”
Coco Chanel
This legendary woman really needs no introduction - we think everyone, regardless of age, gender and place of residence, has heard of Mademoiselle Coco. A little black dress, Chanel No. 5 perfume, the first trouser suits, a tweed jacket that has become a cult, the luxury of simplicity and elegance, instead of pomposity and embellishments, Chanel 2.55 quilted it-bags - all this has been inherited by modern fashionistas from the main Frenchwoman of the fashion world.
Elsa Schiaparelli
"Shocking Elsa", the first eccentric of fashion and the ancestor of pret-a-porte, is now far from being as famous as her main rival, Coco Chanel. Their working methods and approach to fashion differed as much as possible: Elsa loved to shock, worked with surrealist artists and did not like black and tweed at all. It was she who introduced shocking pink into fashion - bright fuchsia, shocking pink, which became her calling card - she was buried in a suit of this color. Together with Salvador Dali, Elsa designed and created a lobster dress, a skeleton dress, and a whole collection of hats: a mutton chop hat, a shoe hat, a telescope hat... We cannot talk about this woman full of ideas and energy without admiration - be sure to read her inspiring autobiography "My Shocking Life"!
Madeleine Vionnet
Madeleine Vionnet has always been called the "fashion architect" - it was she who came up with the oblique cut technique and was a real master of draperies. Her dresses, thanks to the craftsmanship of the cut, always fit perfectly, emphasizing every curve of the client's body. And the fashionable "pirates", trying to copy Vionne's outfits and capitalize on her talent, fought for hours trying to figure out their design - they had to first unpick the dress, embroider numerous tucks and try to understand how these pieces fit together into one harmony.
Jeanne Lanvin
Jeanne Lanvin's career as a fashion designer began with dresses for her little daughter - seeing the charming dresses of the baby walking with her mother, other women stopped to find out what kind of tailor sews such wonderful children's things. Jeanne Lanvin soon began to sew dresses for adults, but children's collections were also sold in all her stores. She always looked for inspiration in the living colors of nature and the canvases of artists, admired Botticelli and Renoir. And the hallmark of the House was the famous shade "blue Lanvin".
Jean Patou
Jean Patou was not a master in drawing or sewing, and often created his models directly on the mannequin. He became the first designer to start producing sportswear - tennis skirts and shorts, swimwear, and gained fame as a tailor for tennis star Suzanne Lanolin. Patou looked for inspiration in the works of cubist artists, adopting their geometric shapes, strict lines and contrasting colors.
Madame Gre
Madame Gre, in her own words, always wanted to be a sculptor - and did not see the difference between working with stone and working with fabric. She, like a real sculptor, created all her masterpiece dresses “live”, right on the mannequin and without patterns, so it was simply impossible to copy her things. The incredible complexity of the drapery, the perfect fit of the outfits turned the models into the best examples of ancient art.
Marcel Rocha
Marcel Rocha in 1942 anticipated the revolution that Christian Dior would make in fashion five years later: even before the appearance of the famous new look, Rocha returns to women's wardrobes the corset, forgotten for many war years. And also - loose flannel trousers, an item that was generally not typical for the women's wardrobe of those years. Women before the advent of Marcel Rochi wore trousers only in exceptional cases - either on vacation or at home, and Rocha made them a full part of everyday wardrobe.
Jacques Fat
Before becoming a fashion designer, Jacques Fat managed to serve in the army, get captured, receive several military awards and work on the stock exchange - only then did he open his own atelier. Fat learned the skill of the designer himself. And he gained popularity thanks to the new style of a chic young Parisian he created: he sewed fluttering airy skirts, luxurious dresses, and even before Christian Dior he began to experiment with a silhouette that would soon be called new look.
Christian Dior
Christian Dior was glorified by his famous 1947 collection - the one that showed the post-war world the feminine silhouette of the new look. From that very collection for ten years (until his death in 1957), Christian Dior was the recognized king of fashion. Dior approached the creation of collections with incredible care: in his autobiography Dior on Dior, he talks in detail about how he worked on shows, how he could send a single dress for rework 7-8 times and in the end not even include it in the collection.
Hubert de Givenchy
Before opening his own House, Hubert de Givenchy managed to work with the most famous designers of those years: Jacques Fat, Christian Dior, Elsa Schiaparelli. It was Elsa who gave him a start in life, who saw talent in a young man. Givenchy's muse and regular client for 40 years was Audrey Hepburn - she came to him for costumes for the film "Sabrina", and this meeting was the beginning of a long-term friendship. For this film, Hubert Givenchy received his first Oscar as a costume designer and designed outfits for Audrey in many more films - including the most famous, Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Cristobal Balenciaga
Cristobal Balenciaga is a real mystery of the fashion world. He never let strangers into his life, so not much is known about her. At the age of 13, he completed his first order - he approached the Marquise de Cassa Torres on the street and said that he would have sewn an outfit much better than the one she is wearing now, if he had the same fabrics. The marquise was surprised, but suggested that the boy try to make her a toilet - and was shocked when he sewed an outfit for her no worse than any eminent couturier. At 16, he opened his own atelier. At 19 - own fashion house. He was a great architect and knew how to combine the severity of lines with exaggerated volumes, restraint and luxury. Coco Chanel herself recognized him as her only competitor - and the only Couturier with a capital letter among designers.
Paco Raban
Paco Raban in the 60s made a real revolution in fashion - this time technological. His collection, consisting of only 12 outfits and presented in Paris in 1966, made a splash - he created outfits from modern materials: plastic, metal, feathers and metal mesh, paper, dry flowers. His works fully reflected the spirit of the space age, the fashion for futurism and fantasies about the technogenic future. It is possible that Paco Raban's education as an architect prompted him to use materials that were not at all “fashionable” and not used in fashion, although he did not work a single day in his specialty.
Pierre Balmain
The very first collection of Pierre Balmain, released in 1945, amazed the public. Balmain sang the luxury, brilliance and brightness forgotten during the war years. The collection included evening dresses, kimonos, trouser suits made of expensive fabrics - and all with rich trimmings, sewing, embroidery, and lace. He liked to dress women beautifully, but without excessive extravagance.
Pierre Cardin
The first years of his work, Pierre Cardin devoted exclusively to the creation of costumes for the theater, and only then moved on to the creation of women's and men's collections. He retained some theatricality in his approach to modeling: the main distinguishing features of Cardin's style were the use of unusual synthetic materials, bright simple colors and unusual shapes - it was thanks to this that he received the unspoken title of the main futurist of the fashion world. The most famous creation of Cardin was the balloon dress.
Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent began his career with Christian Dior, and after his death, became the head of the Dior house. His 1958 collection earned rave reviews from critics, but in the 60th Saint Laurent was drafted into the army, and he returned to fashion only a year later - but already in his own House of Yves Saint Laurent. Yves Saint Laurent invented the first women's tuxedo, introduced many other elements of men's wardrobe into women's fashion and is considered the founder of the unisex style.
- people are creative, unpredictable, delightful. It seems sometimes difficult to immediately understand the entire collection presented by them at fashion shows in Paris, Milan and other capitals of fashion and beauty. But nevertheless, every year their popularity is gaining momentum more and more, fashion does not stand still, everything in the world is spinning and I want to add beauty and style to the world every day, which is what the celebrities below do. So, let's begin..
After all, Alexander McQueen, like no one else, knew fashion for a century ahead, he presented such things at shows that even such pop stars as Lady Gaga and Rihanna were shocked by. Fashion critics and connoisseurs loved him for his inner beauty, which penetrated into every outfit. His skill in tailoring is also evident in every outfit.
For many years, his right-hand man was Sarah Barton, who is now the creative director of the Alexander McQueen brand. She continued the work of the master. Already in 1996, McQueen was awarded the "Best Designer of the Year" award, Britain truly loved him. The Givenchy company at that time gladly accepted him as the chief artist - fashion designer.
So Alexander replaced his predecessor in Givenchy, the well-known John Galliano. Soon Alexander opened his own brand of clothing and accessories of the same name and quickly climbed the star Olympus, it was impossible not to notice him. Back in Givenchy, he had unique fashion shows at the Paris Fashion Week. Many critics for the success of McQueen were not happy and talked about him that he got out of the British garbage heap to the star Olympus. The shock in his career was a show called "The Rape of Scotland". Recall that Alexander McQueen is of Scottish origin and what happened in this country once in history affected him very much. Girls in bandages and imitation blood appeared on the show. At that time, in the early 2000s, no one could have imagined that such shows were possible.
So the designer "shaken" Givenchy fashion house from the hardships of the 2000s, gave rise to a new time in Parisian fashion, clothes became more liberated and open. For this he was nicknamed "the bull in the boutique." Even Chalayan and John Galliano were in some shock and delighted with such displays and ideas of Alexander. But these people are very difficult to surprise. Devon Aoki is a Parisian model, he made people wear colorless lenses and go out on the catwalk like that. Or he strewed the runway with stones and gravel and put models on high heels - how do you like extreme?! This is what McQueen remembered for with his shock shows. His clothes have always evoked emotions in everyone - good or bad, however, it does not matter. The main thing is memorable. His clothes are difficult to wear in everyday life. The whole world remembered his collection "Plato's Atlantis".
Lady Gaga bought a lot of things dedicated to the female insect, the female goddess of Atlantis. Shoes with high heels made a splash in the world of fashion and beauty.
Vivienne Westwood is another British fashion star. This woman is the real fashion queen of England. After all, she has been at the top of the fashionable Olympus for half a century. Vivienne was born in 1941!!! And she is still full of strength and energy, which is manifested in her outfits. Her fashion often changed, but was always unusual. In the 1970s, she introduced punk fashion to Britain.
Everyone wore torn bright stockings and tights, over which were the same torn short shorts or just leather underpants. In the Bufalo collection in the early 80s, everything had already changed - hoodies, long skirts, wide trousers, harem pants, kipish on the head. Neo-romanticism came into fashion in Westwood. Then there was the wire crinoline from the 90s.
Again she remembered about punk, but everything was already much softer: puffy skirts and corsets, quite saturated with dramatic colors. She makes ready-to-wear collections like haute couture! And it's wearable, which is the most important thing! Her fashion is understood!
That's who introduced sex into people's understanding through fashion. This is John Galliano - the only one in the world of fashion. On the podium of his collection - a real show. With great live music. Or if there is no music, there are naked models on the catwalk.
Fur, leather, suede (recall that this is the trend of 2015) go well with silk and lace. Enchanting models of Galliano are always at the top of their fame.
Many of his outfits are in the famous fashion museums of Paris and England. John Galliano dresses such famous celebrities as Dinah Ross, Vanessa Paradis, Keira Knightley, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Watts.
The design of his clothes is also very fond of models, Iman, and. Galliano, in addition to clothing, creates a perfume of the same name, which instantly becomes popular. For many years, John Galliano served as creative director and fashion designer at Dior. At that time, Dior regained his name, became bright, feminine clothes in the spirit of Christian Dior. At the same time, he also ran his John Galliano clothing line. The designer himself has always conducted advertising campaigns and photo shoots of his clothing models. At the very peak of his career, he was fired from Dior, and he also lost his company due to insults in a Parisian cafe. Now John is again trying to rise to the fashion Olympus from the bottom, we have no doubt that he will succeed.
Fashion designers: Roy Holston
Roy Halston Frowick is an American by birth, born in 1932. A little-known designer, compared to John Galliano, and. Nevertheless, his fashion history is also very interesting. He was originally a hatmaker for Charles James, the unrecognized genius of the 60s in the fashion world. Having gained experience, he realized that he needed to open his workshop and in 1953 he did this by opening the first hat boutique in Chicago, and then in New York. Show business stars and Hollywood celebrities quickly learned about him.
Gloria Swenson, a sex symbol of the 60s, was a regular client of the couturier. After that, the women ran in a crowd for a new hat to Roy Hoston. Roy's dress designs came down to women's idea of diet and nutrition.
He introduced thinness into fashion, everyone wanted to fit into a dress from Halston.
A plunging, plunging shirt dress showed off the perfect curves of the girls in it. Roy Holston dressed the wives of presidents, first ladies. The era of Holston ended very quickly and swiftly. In 1990, the designer died of AIDS, many of the ideas from Holston's clothes were transferred to the Gucci collections.
Fashion designers: Donna Karan
I want to talk a lot about Donna Karan. This woman is an era.
Gorgeous outfits are worn by fashionistas all over the world. Demi Moore in the 90s starred with almost every collection of Donna, was the face of her brand. Karan loves 3 colors very much: black, white and beige. Throughout her career, it was these three colors that made her the idol of millions of fashionistas. Her perseverance and ability to run the right business led Donna Karan to a well-deserved place on the fashion podium: she entered the top three of the greatest female fashion designers along with
It led to the fact that clothes became mass and affordable, and soon an industry of elite clothes appeared, which is distinguished by its originality and exclusivity. The most famous have become part of the culture, their creations delight the public, become an object of desire and even collectibles.
The creators of classic and modern fashion brands began to shape public taste, dictate the rules of life, and influence consumer activity. Who are these masters of thoughts? Let's talk about which famous fashion designers of the world were recognized trendsetters in different periods of time.
Coco Chanel
The fashion industry certainly starts with Coco Chanel. She radically changed the idea of a woman's costume, and of the lifestyle in general. In 1909, a former pupil of the orphanage opens a shop-workshop for the manufacture of hats. Later he starts making clothes. She saw her mission in creating comfortable clothes for ladies. Coco felt the change in the lifestyle of her contemporaries and sought to create outfits in which they could feel comfortable.
In 1913, she opened a store in Deauville, where she presented her sportswear collection for the first time. During the First World War, she sewed clothes from jersey. Chanel was also a fierce opponent of the corset and offered a suit that allowed the ladies to do without this constraining element. She offered the most simple clothes, her laconic dresses became classics. Also, for the first time, Koko herself put on trousers for everyday life, and not for riding, as it was before. Since then, her collections have been full of trouser suits, as well as tweed and bouclé twos: jacket + skirt with a recognizable black piping, patch pockets and large buttons.
After the death of Coco Chanel in 1971, the fashion house she created was able to stay among the best in the world. And today he continues to preserve and develop the traditions of the great creator, developing elegant and sophisticated outfits.
Cristobal Balenciaga
The great Spanish fashion designer was born in 1895, already at the age of 24 he opened his first fashion house during the civil war, moved to Paris, where he began a brilliant career as a couturier.
He, unlike other fashion classics, went from a tailor to a fashion designer, he could cut and sew a dress, and not just draw it. Crowned persons and stars became clients of the Balenciaga house: Grace Kelly, Duchess of Windsor, Elizabeth Taylor. They appreciated him for his impeccable taste and style, he created masterpieces, not dresses. Cristobal subtly felt the potential of the fabric and always knew how to emphasize the beauty of the female figure.
Balenciaga was a recognized trendsetter, he dictated the laws of fashion, and did not listen to them. In the 50s, the maestro proposed collarless blouses, it was he who first used square shoulders.
In the 60s, Cristobal made a splash with a collection of bag dresses that were extremely comfortable and at the same time advantageously concealed figure flaws. Also in his best collections, the world saw trapeze dresses, a narrow silhouette of a dress, called "line one". He invents a shirt sleeve in a women's blouse, offers a baby doll dress that has driven fashionistas all over the world crazy.
In addition to revolutionary dresses, Balenciaga sews loose coats and jackets, offers ladies comfortable wide-cut short coats, as well as coats with a hood. In the late 70s, the master realized that fashion was no longer high, that the syndicate was taking power over Fashion Houses. He refuses all offers to sell the Fashion House. In 1972, the couturier died, several attempts were made to revive the brand, but they were not successful.
Christian Dior
Famous fashion designers often come from the poorer strata of society. But Christian Dior grew up in a wealthy family, he studied art, he was going to become an artist. The family went bankrupt, and he had to think about earnings. In 1946, at the age of 41, he opens his own fashion house in Paris. And already in 1947 he released the first revolutionary New Look collection.
"New look" Dior embodied the idea of a woman as a beautiful flower. The fashion designer went against all modern trends and brought back the ideals of the past. His dress with a narrow waist and a wide bell skirt, which took up to 40 meters of fabric, delighted women who were tired of military hardships and sharply criticized colleagues. So, Coco Chanel and Cristobal Balenciaga accused Dior of retrograde and bad taste. Even more attacks were caused by the launch of ready-to-wear lines. But Dior continued to release luxury collections, which enjoyed continued success.
For 10 years of work, Christian Dior has developed 6 more collections, the distinguishing feature of which was a narrowed waist and emphasized femininity. In 1957, Christian Dior died, but his Fashion House has not lost its glory to this day.
Modern masters: Dolce and Gabbana
The world famous fashion designers of the last quarter of the 20th century Dolce & Gabbana broke into the fashion world in 1982. Prior to this, each member of the duo went his own way in the world of fashion. They met in a small studio in Milan. In 1985, Dolce and Gabbana presented the collection of their own studio "Real Woman" and conquered the ladies with their new approach to fashion. Their muse is a strong, self-confident, beautiful woman of non-model parameters.
In the future, the designers focused on the extravagance and brightness of the images, they boldly combine various fabrics, they are very fond of lace. But at the same time, all their collections meet the highest standards of luxury. Of particular interest is the men's line, which combines elegant Italian style, chic, masculinity and originality. To date, Dolce & Gabbana produces seven clothing lines, from luxury to children's and beachwear. They do not give up leadership positions as well-known fashion designers.
Giorgio Armani
The famous Giorgio Armani was born in 1934, he began his career as an assistant to Cerutti and Ungaro.
In 1975, he opens a company under his own name and launches a collection of jackets for men, in which he refuses the usual narrowing to the bottom and eliminates the shoulder pads. Its slogan is elegance and simplicity. In the women's collection, he uses methods borrowed from men's fashion, creating an original double-breasted suit, which becomes the hallmark of the House of Armani. Today, Armani continues to run his House, his clients are stars from all over the world. Brand "Armani" produces 5 clothing lines, each of which embodies the philosophy of the company.
Givenchy
Famous fashion designers note that Hubert de Givenchy is a true aristocrat in the clan of fashion designers. Begins to be interested in fashion at an early age, fascinated by the collections of fashion houses of that time. He learns from colleagues, and also graduates from the school of fine arts, and in 1952 opens a fashion house in Paris, becoming the youngest designer of his time.
His style is rich colors and prints combined with simple and sophisticated silhouettes. Thanks to the efforts of Givenchy, a blouse with white Bettina frills has firmly entered the wardrobe of French women. He was Audrey Hepburn's favorite stylist, creating her unique and recognizable look. For her, the master invents a shirt dress and many simple and elegant outfits that have become a symbol of the era.
Among his clients there are many world stars and celebrities who are attracted by the charm and sophistication of Givenchy outfits. In 1993, when Audrey died, Givenchy realized that the world had lost the embodiment of femininity and there was no one else to create beauty for. He sells the Fashion House and retires forever.
Fashion in Russia: Vyacheslav Zaitsev
Famous clothing designers note that Russia has its own unique charm and style, and Vyacheslav Zaitsev embodied it. The artist was born in 1938. From childhood he was fond of drawing, got the profession of a fabric designer and from 1962 headed an experimental group in the Soviet House of Models on Kuznetsky Most.
In 1979, he began working in his atelier, which later became the Fashion House named after him. Zaitsev's style is elegant extravagance. He often uses the traditions of the national Russian costume; in the West he is called the Russian Cardin. In his collections you can see rich fabrics, furs, leather, he creates luxurious clothes for going out and practical outfits for every day. In Soviet times, Zaitsev dressed the entire elite of the USSR, today his clients are the Russian establishment.
Valentin Yudashkin
If you make a list of "Famous Russian clothing designers", then the first lines in it will be the name of Valentin Yudashkin. He is a member of the Haute Couture Syndicate of Paris. His Fashion House successfully operates not only in Moscow, but also in France. Yudashkin's style is chic and luxury. His first collection appears in 1987, he quickly gains worldwide fame. Yudashkin regularly refers to the Russian theme in his collections. The designer has a great love for decor: sequins, appliqués - all this makes his outfits so bright and unusual. The Yudashkin House is the place where Russian show business stars dress up.
Igor Chapurin
Collections of clothes of famous designers became the impetus for the development of the creative thought of the young designer Igor Chapurin. He took his career start from participating in a fashion design competition, in which he won and immediately received recognition. In 1993 he released the first author's collection, and in 1999 he received the "Golden Mannequin" for his new collection. Chapurin's style is intellectual clothes, he creates clothes for thinking middle-aged ladies. Chapurin's collections are distinguished by the complexity of the cut and great convenience, the master pays great attention to details and decor. There are many celebrities among the clients of the Chapurin Fashion House, the Russian elite loves to flaunt in his outfits.
Fashion youth
Famous fashion designers continue to work, the industry is growing, attracting new forces from among the youth. All over the world, the avant-garde of fashion consists of young and even young people who bring fresh ideas to the world of clothing. Modern famous fashion designers - Stella McCartney, Olsen sisters, Eilish Macintosh, Jaimee McKenna, Russell Sage. Today they are creating the future, striving to amaze the world with new solutions and turn the idea of beauty upside down.
Many of our readers have caught the 1980s and the fashion of those days. And although Soviet fashion differed significantly from the haute couture of the leading houses, the influence of fashion designers who were popular at that time is undeniable. This is the time of Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein. The trends that these designers created have not only changed the world of fashion - they have changed the look of the entire population of our planet.
1 Calvin Klein
The breakthrough of the Calvin Klein company occurs in the mid-70s, when the production of designer jeans begins, on the back pocket of which the inscription “Calvin Klein” proudly flaunted (later, such clothes - with the name of the company in a prominent place - became a real fetish for inveterate fashionistas, and this gave rise to the so-called "logomania").
In the 80s, Calvin Klein launched a line of underwear that instantly became popular thanks to provocative advertising with semi-nude models.
2 Ralph Lauren
Stylish and elegant suits from Ralph Lauren in the 80s become a real sign of good taste. And the very image of Ralph Lauren becomes a kind of guideline for how a wealthy person should look: in a classic polo shirt (the Polo clothing line with the logo in the video of a polo player on a horse is still popular), a deliberately carelessly thrown over jacket and expensive accessories.
Ralph Lauren creates a new image of a wealthy man in the 80s, who now does not look ideally emasculated, but simply self-sufficient, who only needs to wear branded clothes to emphasize his status.
3 Jean Paul Gaultier
At the age of 18, Jean-Paul sent his sketches to all the leading couturiers, and thus got a job with Pierre Cardin. Despite the lack of special education, already in the mid-70s, Gauthier released his own collection, and by the 80s his name became widely known, not least due to scandal.
Jean-Paul Gaultier boldly blurred the line between genders, releasing collections with men's skirts and high-tech outfits for women. Also in the 80s, Gaultier designed the cone bra dress, which became Madonna's trademark in the early 90s.
4 Karl Lagerfeld
Since the beginning of his career, he has worked with four fashion houses at once, creating completely different collections of work for each. In the early 1980s, Lagerfeld became artistic director of the House of Chanel while working on his own clothing line, KL. For the house of Fendi, the designer has developed a signature logo with a double letter F, and also released a line of sunglasses and a collection of jeans. The first series of perfumes from Fendi was also initiated by Karl Lagerfeld.
5. Gianfranco Ferre
Educated as an architect, Gianfranco Ferret later became known as the "architect of fashion". The designer released his first collection in 1978, and in the early 80s a line of men's clothing under the Ferre label followed. In the late 80s, Gianfranco became art director of Christian Dior and was given just nine weeks to create his first home collection. And indeed, in just a few months, the new collection was ready.
6 Gianni Versace
Gianni Versace first launched his own clothing line in the late 70s in Milan. His brother Santo became the chief administrator of this fashion house, and his sister Donatella was in charge of photo shoots. In the mid-80s, Versace released the men's fragrance L'Homme, which brought a new wave of fame to Versace. Like Lagerfeld, Versace supported the cult of top models in every possible way, paying outrageous fees to the main models of his shows.
In 1997, Gianni was killed by a serial killer. A few days later, he committed suicide without explaining his act.
7. Donna Karan / Donna Karan
Donna Karan began her career at Anna Klein's house, and by the end of the 70s she became the house's chief fashion designer. In the 80s, she started her own clothing line, targeting the average consumer. Karan eschews flashy outfits for incredibly high prices, and relies on affordable prices and youth as the target audience. It was a winning decision: the company's profits were so great, and the brand's popularity was so wide, that in 1984 Donna Koran was enrolled in the Coty Hall of Fame.
Donna Karan also introduced the fashion for tight black tights and short skirts, which have become a real salvation for overweight women who want to wear a mini. Donna also introduced the concept of "Seven Simple Things," which implies that a woman's wardrobe needs just seven items to look different every day and lack nothing.
8. Giorgio Armani / Giorgio Armani
The Italian designer launched his own clothing collection in the mid-1970s and became known for his stylish men's jackets. In the mid-80s, Armani signed a contract with L "Oreal, which laid the foundation for the Armani Junior, Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani perfume lines.
In addition, Giorgio Armani was the costume designer for American Gigolo starring David Bowie, Comfort of Strangers, and The Untouchables.
9 Franco Moschino
Franco Moschino began his career as an illustrator for Gianni Versace. In the early 1980s, he formed his own company, Moonshadow, and released a high-end clothing collection, but soon decided to release Cheap and Chic clothing, which was more affordable.
In his collections, Moschino made fun of high fashion, adding a touch of absurdity to his collections. So, on the belt from his collection was written “Waist worth the money”, and on the jacket “Expensive jacket”, or such inscriptions as “Where to wear this?”. Franco invariably placed his “MOSCHINO” logo in the most visible place of clothing, usually in gold color. It's funny, but thanks to such steps, Moschino himself got into the world of high fashion and created a brand that others now imitate.
Galliano decided to take it outrageously, and doused all his fashion models with water right before going on stage.
According to the site vintag.es
Designers are those authorities in the fashion industry who dictate fashion standards to us and define trends. Each designer is famous and recognizable for something of his own, and each has a special unique handwriting. Some of these people become real legends in the world of fashion and style. How did they do it? Maybe they are just minions of fate - or behind this is the desire to make their dream come true and gigantic work? What made them famous?
Gabrielle Boner Chanel (Coco Chanel)
Probably everyone knows the famous Mademoiselle today. She is quoted, she is sought to imitate. She had a huge impact on the fashion of the 20th century, founded the fashion house Chanel, gave the world her signature perfume under the numbers. Coco got her nickname when she sang in a cabaret. She was an extraordinary, bold and bright personality, with great willpower and impeccable taste. To her we owe the modernization of women's fashion, the adoption of many elements from the men's wardrobe, the popularity of the universal little black dress, pearls, tweed suits, small hats, costume jewelry and tan.
Coco Chanel made luxury practical. Most of all in clothes she valued comfort and embodied this principle in her collections. She said that "luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury." Among Mademoiselle's clients and acquaintances there were many world celebrities. In an interview, when asked about what events in her life aroused her interest in art, she replied: “Living in an orphanage under the supervision of nuns, I learned to sew. They taught me basic seamstress skills and I was smart enough to understand the method. I really got my hands on and focused on design at an early age, which is why I got famous clients so quickly.”
Chanel opened her first store in 1910 in Paris. They sold hats. Later, clothing appeared in her stores. Interestingly, the very first clothing that Chanel created was a dress made from a sweater. People paid attention to her outfit and asked where she got it, and in response, Koko offered to make the same outfit for those who were interested. She later said that her condition was "based on an old sweater I wore because it was cold in Deville."
Karl Lagerfeld
One of the most influential fashion designers, a man of phenomenal capacity for work, a multifaceted nature, the owner of many talents. This world-famous designer of German origin has been head of the Chanel fashion house since 1983. In addition, Karl is a designer and founder of his own fashion brand, a talented photographer, director, owner of a publishing house and a personal library of 300,000 volumes. Lagerfeld says about himself: “I am like a chameleon, several people live in me at the same time. Creating for me is like breathing. I don't even think about it. When I sit in the director's chair of Chanel, I am Chanel. When I go to Rome and I am at the Fendi House, I am Fendi. I start work on a new collection the day before the previous one is shown."
His creative abilities manifested themselves in early childhood. He studied at the Lycée Montaigne under the High Fashion Syndicate on the same course as Yves Saint Laurent. Lagerfeld collaborated with a large number of famous fashion houses, creating fragrances, ready-to-wear lines, shoes, and accessories. After he created his first fur collection for Fendi in 1966, which was a huge success, he was noticed by the most influential people in the fashion world.
In the 70s, Lagerfeld began to collaborate with famous directors and create costumes for the actors of the La Scala theater. He breathed new life into the fashion house of Chanel, becoming its head and designer, saying: “Yes, she said that fashion is dying, but style is immortal. But the style must adapt, adapt to fashion. Chanel had her own life. Great career. She's over. I did everything to make it last, and I continue to do everything to make it last forever. My main task is to try to transpose what she did into today. Guess what she would do if she lived now and here, if Mademoiselle were in my place.
Friends call Karl Kaiser (Caesar, in German) for his amazing ability to do several things at once. He hides his age and worries that there is not enough life to realize all his creative ideas. Lagerfeld loves books (he even created the Paper Passion fragrance with the smell of a freshly printed book), draws illustrations for works, cannot imagine life without photography, sews costumes for cinema and theater, produces perfumes, develops his own brand, creates hotel design, shoots short films and organizes exhibitions, releases women's collections.
Elsa Schiaparelli
The famous Italian designer of the first half of the 20th century, who is considered a surrealist from the fashion world, the main rival of Chanel, the creator of the ready-to-wear style. Elsa was born into a family of aristocrats, from childhood she studied painting, art history, and loved the theater. Working part-time as a tour guide in Paris, Elsa watched how the wives of wealthy Americans were least interested in architecture and most of all in fashion stores. Presumably, it was then that she came up with the idea to shock the public with unusual clothes.
Having met an emigrant from Armenia, whose knitted sweater Elsa liked so much, she persuaded her to create unusual models of clothes together. The fruit of their labors was a very unusual black woolen dress with a bow in the form of a butterfly. Thanks to their work, they attracted attention and received a large order from the Strauss sportswear store. It was this order that gave fame to Schiaparelli and the knitwear factory to the Armenian diaspora. Elsa founded her own fashion house. As originally planned, she shocked the public with her collections. They embodied her wildest fantasies and dreams, expressed something irrational and incomprehensible. Each item was unique. Many were created in a single copy. Hearts, constellations, hugging hands, snakes, giant flies, unusual drawings, embroidery and bizarre accessories - all this attracted attention and shocked.
It was Elsa who first invented the concept of "boutique" (a store that sells small series of designer clothes). Many celebrities collaborated with Elsa and bought her clothes with pleasure. Schiaparelli had a contract with Hollywood. She was friends with Salvador Dali (it was he who suggested to her the idea of a dress with lobster and parsley and a phone bag). Under the influence of Dali, Elsa created her most unusual things: a hat in the form of a shoe or an inkwell, gloves with pockets for matches. Costume jewelry was the embodiment of the strangest ideas; lollipops, medicines, erasers, pens, pencils, dried beetles were used as materials.
Elsa often called her fashion house crazy. The popularity of the Schiaparelli collections was huge, everyone wanted to have these strange clothes, even the Duchess of Windsor herself. But when she had to leave for the United States due to the outbreak of World War II, she seemed to be forgotten about. Upon returning to Paris in 1944, her style was no longer in demand. Chanel dominated the fashion scene and Elsa decided to leave the fashion world.
Both talented women were innovators in the fashion world, but completely different. Chanel created within the framework of the classics, without focusing on brightness and catchiness. Elsa was extravagant, loved to shock and provoke. The contribution of both to fashion is undeniably invaluable, although the Schiaparelli brand has not existed for a long time. Elsa's ideas and discoveries can be seen embodied in modern fashion, as if she was ahead of her time. Unusual color combinations, fuchsia color (shocking pink is also Schiaparelli's idea!), bottles in the form of a female body, fur shoes, ankle boots, unusual bags - all these are the ideas of the talented Elsa, who had a huge impact on the world of fashion and style.
Christian Dior
One of the most famous French fashion designers, to whom we owe ultra-feminine New Look dresses. He had artistic talent, and in his youth he dreamed of becoming a great artist. After his private Art Gallery went bankrupt, he went through hard times, poverty and unemployment, but fate seemed to be preparing a different path for him. He began to design theatrical costumes, draw sketches for French fashion magazines. And these sketches became extremely popular, he began to cooperate with the fashion department of the newspaper Figaro, he was noticed. I decided to specialize in fashion models, although hat designs were much more popular. Dior was noticed by the famous fashion designer Piguet, but due to the war, Dior's career did not start at that time.
Upon his return from the army, Christian began working at the famous fashion house Lucien Lelong, where he learned a lot. In 1946, thanks to the financing of a textile magnate, Dior's fashion house opened in Paris. At the age of 42, he became famous, his first collection, called by himself "The Crowned Line", was recognized as revolutionary and was a resounding success. Just imagine the post-war period, when women yearned so much for beauty and sophistication, for emphatically feminine and luxurious outfits. Dior, incredibly sensitive and talented, felt the mood of the society, its desires and dreams. Parisians were so tired of masculine jackets and short skirts then that they greeted the Dior collection with delight. Feminine silhouettes, luxurious and bright fabrics, cinched waists, ankle-length skirts (either puffy or straight), small round shoulders - everything in this collection was the very embodiment of traditional femininity and charm.
But not everything was so rosy. Feminists have criticized the collection, saying that the return to crinolines and corsets indicates the oppression of working women. Many believed that after the war, luxury and flamboyance were out of place and blasphemous. However, despite the criticism, the new look captivated the public. Dior's popularity was overwhelming, his name became associated with luxury and good taste. Each of his collections was awaited with bated breath, and each was a success.
Only in 1954 was there a slightly dangerous moment for Dior's career, when Chanel returned to the fashion scene, who could not stand the "horrors of the 50s", as she spoke of Dior's models. But Dior very intelligently got out of the situation by releasing a new collection, light and unconstrained. Different than before, but still the same feminine. The silhouettes were more natural, the lines softened. Dior's personal assistant, after the death of the great couturier, once said that "if Dior were alive, fashion would not be in such a deplorable state in which it is now."
Yves Saint Laurent
One of the leading fashion designers of the 20th century, whom Christian Dior chose as his successor. From childhood, he drew and loved the theater, made home puppet shows, glued costumes and painted scenery. Laurent worked as an assistant to Dior and was fascinated by his genius, and Dior, in turn, immediately recognized the future master in the young man.
At 21, Laurent becomes the head of one of the most famous fashion houses after the sudden death of Dior and literally saves the brand from financial ruin. He presented his first women's collection of a softer and lighter version of the new look with an A-line silhouette. Laurent was the first to introduce French fashion to the USSR (1959) by flying here with 12 fashion models.
It seemed that bright prospects lay ahead as a successor who lived up to the expectations of the late Dior. But it was not, however, without envy and trouble. The owner of the fashion house Dior (Marcel Boussac) is rumored to have insisted that Saint Laurent be sent to military service in Africa, thereby wanting to get rid of the designer. There he learns that he was fired from the Dior fashion house.
In 1961, the brand Yves Saint Laurent (Yves Saint Laurent) appears, his first collection was a great success. Oriental motifs, bright colors, inspiration comes from African countries. Saint Laurent also produces perfumes, works as a theater designer, creates scenery and costumes.
The ideas of Laurent's subsequent collections also received great recognition and became a kind of fashion classic: women's tuxedos (later they became the brand's signature feature), trouser suits, high boots, turtleneck sweaters, black leather jackets, safari-style dresses, ethnic motifs. Laurent becomes the first designer to launch a full-fledged ready-to-wear line and also the first designer to have an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during his lifetime.
Giorgio Armani
The Italian fashion designer is called a fashion pioneer of the 20th century, a master of tailoring, an adherent of quality and a great aesthete. Giorgio from childhood loved art and theater, he painted and sewed clothes for dolls. He had a dream of becoming an actor, but his parents insisted on the profession of a doctor. After two years of study, Giorgio dropped out of the university. He found himself in the world of fashion. Armani created his own brand in 1974, and before that he worked as a window dresser in a large chain department store, and also designed menswear for Nino Cerruti.
Armani's professional fabric skills have led to the fact that, in fact, thanks to him, the approach to tailoring menswear has completely changed. Lightness and smoothness appeared, which, along with simplicity and conciseness, provide his products with a special chic and convenience. After the overwhelming success of the men's collection, Armani began to present women's collections, paying special attention to working women. In his collections, traditional views harmoniously coexist with the most modern trends. He modernized the classics with great grace and taste. Luxurious materials, experiments with the combination of fabrics, functionality and versatility, casual elegance are the hallmarks of the Armani collections.
Ralph Lauren
A well-known American designer, who is called the king of ready-made dresses, who "discovered America for America." His company (Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation) produces accessories, clothing, underwear, textiles, furniture, wallpapers, perfumes, dishes. Lauren has been named Designer of the Year three times and has also been named Fashion Legend by the U.S. Designers Council. For many people, Ralph Lauren is an example of how a person from a low social stratum can reach great heights with a dream and talent. A native of Belarus (his parents met and got married in the USA), from a poor large family, Ralph from a young age set himself the goal of succeeding. He was struck by the wardrobe of a classmate, which belonged only to him alone, and in which the clothes were so neatly laid out. In Ralph's apartment, there was only one closet for everyone. Since then, the future designer decided to work and save money for his dream.
Interestingly, Lauren does not have a fashion designer diploma, but at the same time he is one of the world's best designers. He does not sew clothes himself, but he is an inspirer, a designer, he thinks through each collection to the smallest detail. The designer himself says this: “I never went to fashion school - I was a young guy who had his own style. I could not imagine that "polo" would become what it is. I just followed my instincts."
At first, Ralph worked as a salesman (sold clothes, gloves and ties), then became a tie designer, created a fundamentally new model (he was inspired by the novel The Great Gatsby): a wide silk tie (while thin ties were in vogue then). Thanks to an investor, Lauren and her brother opened a store and their own Polo Fashion brand. People wanted high-quality and stylish things and accessories, the brand was gaining more and more popularity. Lauren released ready-to-wear collections (first for men and then for women) and accessories. He was the only one to produce sports shirts in 24 shades.
Loren's collections combine chic, sophistication and at the same time ease, simplicity and brightness. “My clothes are a vision of what I believe in. Someone once told me that I am a writer. It's true - I write through my clothes. She embodies history, not just clothes, ”said Lauren. Ralph's wife inspired him to create women's clothing collections: “My wife has good taste and her own style. When she wore shirts, sweaters and jackets bought from men's stores, people always asked where she got it. I associated her appearance with a young Katharine Hepburn - a rebel girl on a horse with her hair fluttering in the wind. I made shirts for her." Lauren brought Western style into fashion. And polo shirts never seem to go out of style.
Boy Ralph's dreams come true: he is one of the richest people in the world, he has a strong family, three children, owns a ranch and is one of the world's largest collectors of vintage cars.
Roberto Cavalli
The famous Italian designer asks to be called a "fashion artist" and is famous for his exotic and spectacular collections of clothes and accessories. His fashion house adheres to the philosophy of femininity, chic and bright temperament. The designer himself in an interview said that his fashion “became successful and relevant, because other designers continued to produce monotonous things ... For a long time, designers tried to dress women on an equal basis with men. I changed this trend. I'm trying to emphasize the feminine, sexy side that is present in every member of the fair sex.
A great influence on the disclosure of Cavalli's talent was made by his grandfather, the famous artist Giuseppe Rossi, and his mother, who was a dressmaker and designer. As a child, helping his mother with sewing clothes, Cavalli realized that he wanted to work in design and fashion. He was one of the best students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, he studied the technology of printing on textiles. Even then, he created a series of floral prints that attracted the interest of large factories in Italy. Cavalli always loved to experiment, while still studying at the Academy, he began to come up with different ways of dyeing leather and fabric, he was then only 20 years old.
And so, these experiments led to the fact that in the early 70s, Cavalli himself invented and patented a printing system on leather, which allowed it to be dyed in six different colors. This revolutionary invention instantly became popular with various fashion houses. Stretch denim jeans are yet another hit from Cavalli that made the Maison prosperous and successful.
The bright and extravagant clothes of Roberto Cavalli are in great demand among fashionistas around the world, they are worn by the most glamorous celebrities on the planet. Cavalli believes that a woman should have a character and a strong personality. In an interview, he said: “Beauty comes from within, and is a reflection of the individuality of each person ... Beauty is a calling card that helps at the first meeting, but is completely useless at the second.”
Valentino Garavani
The founder of the Valentino fashion house, the famous Italian fashion designer loved to draw since childhood, in his youth he loved art and was interested in fashion. He was an apprentice, studied at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, and at the School of the Chamber of Haute Couture. He worked in several fashion houses, then opened his own atelier. His works were distinguished by refinement, excellent cut, expensive fabrics, handmade decor, and sophistication. In 1960, the Valentino brand was born.
Thanks to a meeting with the architect Giametti, the future CEO of the fashion house, Valentino gets the opportunity to engage only in creativity, without delving into the intricacies of business. He himself said: “I only know how to draw dresses, receive guests and decorate a house, but I don’t understand anything in business.” In one of the collections of the 60s there were red outfits, which later became the hallmark of the Valentino fashion house. The fashion designer says: “Red is the best color. It suits any woman, you just need to remember that there are more than 30 different shades of this color.
Over the years, the designer has dressed celebrity celebrities, many of them preferred to purchase exquisite wedding dresses from him. Among his clients were such legendary personalities as Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor. At the Oscars, many actresses shone in outfits from Valentino. In 2007, the famous fashion designer announced his retirement from the world of fashion, and in 2008, a farewell show took place at Paris Haute Couture Week, where all the models walked the catwalk in red dresses, and the audience gave a standing ovation.
