“… Well her people were a bit
cagey about which designer she favoured …”
ARMANI, Emporio – Fashion Designer
[Emporio] Armani began a design business in 1970 with the encouragement of his friend Sergio Galeotti and established
his own men’s wear label in 1971. He adapted his lines for women and added a women’s wear line in 1975. Armani
is known for his relaxed designs for women that are inspired by men’s wear. He used men’s wear fabrics in his
sophisticated, unstructured jackets and suits for women. Armani has established a new standard of understated elegance: easy
fit garments for women, precisely cut and beautifully tailored.
BAILEY, David - Fashion Photographer
[David] Bailey was a fashion photographer during the sixties who was famous for his upfront ‘in your face’
high contrast portraits. His photographs ‘injected a shot of streetwise working class energy into the sometimes precious
world of fashion photography’ [Peter Marshall, http://photography.about.com/]
BARTLEY, Luella – Fashion Journalist/Fashion
Designer.
[Luella] Bartley is a young British Vogue Fashion Journalist turned Fashion Designer she designs her clothes using
80s punk references, quirks and a sense of humour and fun. She received the ‘Young Designers Award’ from Elle
Magazine. She designed the opening titles for the fourth series of ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ and her fashion style
was used as inspiration for some of the costumes in this series [Art School Chic].
BENETTON, Luciano, Guiliana, Gilberto, and Carlo –
Fashion House
Benetton is a famous Italian family-run fashion house known for its wool garments and bright colours. Benetton has
been referred to as the ‘McDonalds of the Fashion industry’, with
an extensive range of accessories including sunglasses, watches, fragrances etc. There are nine factories world wide, seven
thousand sale outlets in 100 countries.
BIBA [Barbara Hulanicki] Fashion House
Biba was started by Barbara Hulanicki as a boutique in London’s Kensington and at the height of its success it
came to be a world of its own occupying an entire department store, It sold makeup and clothes based on Hollywood of the 30’s
and 40’s, hot pants and slinky evening wear, all in outrageous colour combinations all at affordable prices.
BLAHNIK, Manolo – Shoe Designer.
[Manolo] Blahnik is an influential shoe designer who works with elite fashion designers to create some of the most
famous shoes worn by the world’s richest and most influential women. The styles sold through his London and New York stores are highly sophisticated. He is noted for his use of
coloured leather, often decorated with graceful, fluid designs. Most of his shoes have a signature taped vamp.
BURBERRY – Fashion Label
Burberry is a fashion label started in 1856 by Thomas Burberry. Famous for inventing the water resistant material gabardine,
Burberry’s signature pieces are the trench coat and the plaid. Burberry’s designs’ are distinguished by
clean lines, classic style and traditional colours.
CAMPBELL, Naomi – Fashion Model
Naomi Campbell is a British born supermodel known for her sophisticated, sultry style that has made her a media star
and international celebrity. She was the first black model to appear on the covers of Time Magazine and French and British
Vogue.
CARDIN, Pierre – Fashion Designer
[Pierre] Cardin is a French Fashion Designer, his clothing is dramatic bold and often irregular in cut. He is well known for
his early astronaut suits, metal body jewellery and futuristic look. He has designed clothes for Schiaparelli and Dior.
CARTIER
Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847, [Henri] Cartier is a French Jeweller, famous for producing high quality jewellery
and accessories.
CHANEL, Coco
[Coco] Chanel originally set up in business
by her lover Boy Capel she established the ‘poor girl’ look of jersey sports clothes in neutral colours, bright
and plentiful costume jewellery, and famous two tone pumps. Altogether it was the perfect clothing for women liberated from
the corset and more were freed under her influence. Her clothes not only transcended class barriers of the time, but they
carried the wearer through day to night.
CHOO, Jimmy – Shoe Designer
[Jimmy] Choo is a Hakka Chinese designer based in London, England. On of his well known clients was the late Princess Diana. Choo
is famous for expensive handmade shoes and handbags.
CLARKE, Nicky
Nicky Clarke is a glamorous hairdresser with heavyweight celebrity clientele. Nicky is reputed to be a style leader
and makes regular appearances on UK television.
CODDINGTON, Grace
At 18, Grace won British Vogue’s ‘Young Model’ competition, and for the next decade lived the life
of a cover girl. In 1969, she joined British Vogue as a fashion editor; there she remained until 1987 when Calvin Klein hired
her to be his design director. She went to American Vogue the following year and became the creative director in 1995, a position
she still holds. In 1993, Coddington had a retrospective show called ‘Short Stories’, the first ever from a fashion
editor’s perspective.
CONRAN, Jasper
[Jasper] Conran is a British designer who designs everything from dresses to dinner plates. He is the son of Sir Terence
Conran.
DE LA RENTA, Oscar
[Oscar] De La Renta is known for ornamentation and extremely feminine silhouettes, De La Renta has cultivated clients
among the rich and beautiful with whom he socialises. Following brief apprenticeships in Europe, De La Renta went into design for Elizabeth Arden in New York where his idealism of toughs of
European glamour applied to the conventions of American dress making was crystallised. In 1993, he returned to Europe to design Balmain couture, while satisfying
the chic American women who see Oscar De La Renta as a designer who makes faltering dresses and sophisticated suits with a
special gift for dress up and evening glamour.
DIOR, Christian
‘His clothes, while wearable, gave women the feeling
of being charmingly costumed, there was a saintly, romantic flavour about them.’ – Edna Woolman Chase, Editor
of Vogue.
[Christian] Dior gave the fashion world of 1947 in his New Look show, the tonic it needed. It gave women what they
craved – femininity, opulence, and an entirely new approach to dressing up. The New Look required a handbag cinched
waist and huge quantities of fabric. The hat was of enormous importance too. Dior not only changed clothes, but he brought
an air of anticipation.
DOLCE [ Domenico] & GABBANA [Stafana]
Dolce & Gabbana first made their name in the 1980’s taking their inspiration from Neo-realist films and sartorial
style of south style Italian Matriarch. Their look was a welcome antidote to the ubiquitous 1980s ‘inverted triangle’
shape of the power suit, with huge macho shoulder pads and minimalized hips. The image they promoted heralded the current
focus on the bosom, through the strong use of the corset and waspie. Their aim was to create fashion for woman as a heroine
rather than a workhorse. Their advertising promotes a character with a tough exterior but with a new resonance. This return
to femininity with its distinct cultural twist helped pave the way for the retro-role-playing catwalk shows in couture and
prêt-a-porter.
ELLIS, Perry – Fashion Designer
Perry is an American fashion designer, he has worked as Design Director for a well known sportswear firm, in 1978 his
success led him to become the head of his own women’s sportswear collection. He is known for creating sophisticated,
stylish, individualistic clothes which are sort after and admired by high profile personalities, key retailers and the fashion
press.
FENDI, Adele and Eduardo – Fashion Designers
Fendi is an Italian fashion label founded in 1925 by Adele and Eduardo Fendi; they are famous for their fur garments.
GAULTIER, Jean Paul - Fashion Designer
Jean Paul is a French fashion designer known for his designs featuring inspiration from such themes as kitsch, fetishism,
futurism as well as art, fantasy and surrealism. His most famous contribution to fashion was reinventing underwear as outwear
in the design of Madonna’s unforgettable cone bustier.
GIVENCHY, Hubert de – Fashion Designer
Givenchy’s designs were always elegant, refined and beautifully made. Givenchy’s elegant and classic style
is noted for its separate skirts and tops; unusual embroidered and printed fabrics; tubular evening dresses; sumptuous ball
gowns; jewelled headbands; shawls; princess silhouette; sleeveless coats; funnel necklines; and his perfumes. He was the designer
of Audrey Hepburn’s clothes and film costumes. Givenchy remains one of the major fashion houses in the world.
GOLD, Jared – Fashion Designer
Jared is an American fashion designer, who started out crafting hats and costumes for rave attendees. He is known for
his Gothic gowns which are characterized by dramatic necklines, bishop sleeves and sweep-the-floor lengths. In 2001, Jared
debuted the Black Chandelier label, a competitively priced line aimed at the ready to wear market. His recent collections
have moved away from the dark, edgy look that once characterized his style, but have retained the high drama for the extreme
that makes him a standout.
GUCCI – Fashion House
Gucci is an Italian fashion label started in 1920 by Guccio Gucci who started out creating leather travel accessories.
Guccio passed away in 1953. His songs – Aldo, Ugo, Vasco and Rodolfo ran the label and opened a boutique in New York following the Rome and Milan stores they had opened with their
father. Gucci is known for unique ties, belt clasps, moccasin, bamboo handles handbags. The clothes are now designed by Alessandra
Facchinetti [design director of the women’s collection] and John Ray [design director of the men’s collection],
also Frida Giannini who was promoted to creative director of accessories.
HAMNETT, Katharine – Fashion Designer
Katharine is an iconic British fashion designer with international status; her clientele include Mick Jagger, Gwyneth
Paltrow, Madonna, David Bowie, Bob Geldof and Minnie Driver. Hamnett’s trademark fashion trends include: power dressing, spearheading and returning to tailing the military and utilitarian look, stretch denim
garment dying and retro styles including boiler suits, trench coats as dress, bubble suits, low waist jeans and condom pockets
on boxer shorts. Her innovations include: the need to use organic cotton, charitable contributions on products, stone washing
and space dying. She is know for her world issue protest through t-shirt slogans i.e. – Choose Life, 50% don’t
want perishing, World Peace Now, Clean Up Or Die, No War, Say no To The Euro, Preserve the forests, Education not Missiles,
World Wide Nuclear Ban Now, Use A Condom, Save Africa, Blair Out.
HERMES, Thierry – Fashion Designer
Hermes was started by Thierry Hermes who founded his saddlery company in 1837. Gradually, he added boots, jewellery,
home décor items, and silk scarves. In 1920, his son, Emile added luggage. The first Hermes store opened in its current Parisian
location in the 1930’s, the famous Hermes scarf soon became a great success. Hermes is a member of Chamber Syndicate
du Pret-a-porter.
HILFIGER, Tommy – Fashion Designer
Tommy is an American fashion designer known for his casual approach to fashion, and his clean-cut, simple, recognizable
designs. Tommy also designs fragrances, belts, bedding, home furnishings and cosmetics.
KARAN, Donna – Fashion Designer
Professional wearability dictates Karan’s work; her first collection was a capsule wardrobe of separates based
around the ‘body’ - practical stretchy, leotard shape with poppers at the crotch. Karan also designs to flatter
the normal woman saying, ‘you’ve got to accentuate your positive to delete you negative’ and only designs
clothes that she would wear herself.
KLEIN, Calvin – Fashion Designer
Calvin is an American fashion designer; he is a pioneer of jeans, underwear and ‘the wholesome, all-American
look’. He studied at New York’s high school of art and design and the Fashion institute of technology. In 1993,
he received the title of ‘America’s Best Designer’.
LACROIX, Christian – Fashion Designer
[Christian] Lacroix is a French fashion designer known for his glamorous, dramatic, flamboyant and expensive looking
clothes, also for the use of sumptuous fabrics such as velvet, satin and taffeta.
LAGERFELD, Karl
[Karl] Lagerfeld is a German fashion designer known for his partnership with the House of Chloe, also for his exquisite,
floaty and ready-to-wear collections. He is well known for such creations as: the shower dress [with beaded water streaming
down the back], the car dress [with radiation grill and fender], eccentric hats, armchairs, handbag earrings, handbag hats,
the doll sized shoulder bag and the quilted hip bag.
LAUDER, Estee – Fragrance Entrepreneur
[Estee] Lauder is an American cosmetics and perfume entrepreneur, she transformed beauty into big business by cultivating
classy sales methods and giving away samples.
LAUREN, Ralph
[Ralph] Lauren is an American fashion designer, he was the first designer to have his own store, and he was also the
first to sell a whole lifestyle image. His like ‘Polo’ was considered ‘the power suit of the early 1980’s’.
LOPEZ, Jennifer – Fashion Designer
Singer, dancer and actress, [Jennifer] Lopez debuted a theatrical collection featuring denim shorts/pants, cashmere
sweaters, flowered baby doll tops, satin, crystals and lots of fur.
CCARTNEY, Stella – Fashion Designer
[Stella] McCartney graduated from London’s Central St. Martin’s college of Art & Design in 1995. At 15, she worked with Christian Lacroix
on his first couture collection, McCartney was appointed chief designer in the house of Chloe, succeeding Karl Lagerfeld in
one of the most high profile posts in the industry. She is known for her delicate camisoles, sensual and romantic teamed lace
petticoats and the nineties update of the 1970’s trouser suit. Like her mother she is also an animal rights activist.
MCQUEEN, Alexander – Fashion Designer
[Alexander] McQueen is one of Britain’s most influential designers; he has mastered 6 methods
of pattern cutting from flamboyant styles of 16th Century to sharp, contemporary tailoring which has become his
signature. He graduated from Central St. Martin’s college of Art and Design in 1991. His provocative designs attract a small but loyal clientele. Before he opened his own studio in
East London in 1992, McQueen developed a reputation for controversy and shock tactics which earned him the title of ‘enfant
terrible’ and ‘the hooligan of English Fashion’ with trousers called ‘Bumsters’ and a collection
called ‘Highland Rape’. Alexander is one of the only designers to receive the ‘British Designer of the Year’
in 1996, 1997, and 2001.
MOSCHINO, Franco – Fashion Designer
[Franco] Moschino studied art at school; he started his career in 1971 as a sketcher for Armani, with whom he worked
11 years. In 1976, he started his own company ‘Moon shadow S.P.A’. Moschino is known for his charisma, imagination
and irreverence; he rebelled against the fashion industry and disrespected the established fashion business which led to many
copyright battles with other fashion houses including Louis Vuitton and on many occasions, Chanel. He was once sued by the
House of Chanel for spoofing their perfume on a tee-shirt, which showed a television set with the words, ‘Channel No.5’.
Parts of the Moschino profits are devoted to a non-profit organisation founded by Franco Moschino. This organisation uses
its profits to support various charity projects.’ Moon shadow S.P.A.’ is now directed by Rosella Jordini, since
Moschino’s early death.
MUIR, Jean – Fashion Designer
[Jean] Muir is a Scottish Fashion Designer. She is famous for avoiding the conceits of the haute couture, for disliking
the word designer and preferring to be known as a maker of ‘ready-to-wear clothing’. Muir’s style is based
on the most disciplined and an almost geometric attention to proportion the end result is fluid and rich with intuitive flair.
The collections seem classic and radical, familiar yet new. They are highly fashionable yet have nothing to do with fashion.
NEWTON, Helmut – Fashion Photographer
[Helmut] Newton is a fashion photographer, known for his contribution of fashion photographs
to French Vogue in 1961, which he did for 25 years, during this time, he was a regular contributor to Linea Italiana, Queen
Nova, Jardins des Nodes, Marie Claire and American, Italian and German Vogue. He is best known for his fashion and nude photography.
O’CONNOR, Erin – Fashion Supermodel
Erin O’Connor is a leading British Supermodel. She was discovered by a Model 1’s talent scout at a Birmingham fashion event. Erin’s signature look is that of an angular,
linear hauteur with a face that is fiercely symmetrical and porcelain pale. She is synonymous with the notion of ‘imperfect
beauty’, and Karl Lagerfeld described her as ‘a modern anti – beauty’. Erin has modelled clothes for Galliano, Dior, Karan, Prada, Versace,
and Dolce & Gabbana and featured in top fashion magazines such as Vogue, W, Elle, Nova, Harper’s Bazaar, Harpers
& Queens, i-D and Visionnaire. In 2003, she featured in a three part Channel 4 documentary ‘This Model Life’
which confirmed her as a household name in the UK.
OLDFIELD, Bruce – Fashion Designer
Bruce is world renowned fashion designer; he has designed outfits for Jerry Hall, Barbara Streisand, Catherine Zeta
Jones, Diana Ross and Princess Diana, along with other leading member of the British and European aristocracy. Bruce started
his own ready to wear label in 1975 and his couture label in 1978. Bruce plays
himself in The Last Shout.
ORLANDI, Luca
‘While it is very Italian in flavour, it has been
tweaked so it really suits the American customer.’ – Neuman Marcus. [Describing Orlandi’s collection]
Luca is an Italian fashion designer. After graduating from university in Italy, Luca moved to New York where he opened the first Luca
Luca boutique. In 1992 and debuted his collection the same year.
QUANT, Mary – Fashion Designer
Quant revolutionised not only the face of British fashion but the faces of the fashionable. False eyelashes and crazy
frosted colours were a fundamental part of the 1960’s image, and she had them first. At the forefront of the revolution,
she opened the first boutique in the Kings Road in 1955. She popularised mini skirts, mini rib sweaters, and hipster
belts. She one made a much more hip King’s Road version of the Barbie Doll called Daisy, after her logo, the daisy flower
– which can be found in ranges of bed linen, bags and sweaters. Quant was awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) she went to Buckingham Palace to receive it from the Queen in
a mini skirt.
PRADA, Miuccia – Fashion Designer
Prada’s designs have been described as ‘uniforms for the slightly disenfranchised’
RABANNE, Paco – Fashion Designer
[Paco] Rabanne is a fashion designer known for his sleek, modern, sensible, ready-to-wear collections which express
spirited youth and energy. To wear Rabanne fashion is to embrace the moment and simultaneously look to the future.
SAINT LAURENT, Yves – Fashion Designer
Saint Laurent started his career with Christian Dior and was a prodigy. His Cossack-inspired
outfits were a high point of 70’s fashion and he smartened up the idea of cross dressing with ‘le smoking’
the superbly tailored classic black tuxedo for women. He also created safari looks and other trouser suits dressed up adult
looks, and sumptuous brocade creations to complement his outrageous scent, opium.
SASSOON, Vidal - Hairdresser
Sassoon was an archetypal figure of the 1960’s, from London’s East End like many of his contemporaries
he was the hairdresser who reinvented the bob, taking it down the neck in steps and heightening it at the top, it had exactly
the right dimensions for the 1960’s dolly bird look and the almost amateurishly simple symmetry of the clothes.
SHRIMPTON, Jean – Fashion Model
Jean Shrimpton was a supermodel and actress in the 1960’s and 1970’s, she was also once engaged to 1960’s
fashion photographer, David Bailey.
TREE, Penelope – Fashion Model
‘Penelope hath frightened stare, and nests of Robins in her hair
Twas Villeneuve caused Twig to be, but only Vogue could make a tree’
[Extract from ‘The Year That Was’ by Judith Wax]
Penelope Tree was a British fashion model, known for being an ‘IT girl’ of the 1960’s.
‘Penelope is never only of today. To each gesture she brings a sense of all things that ever interested her,
out of this she invents a new little role for herself which she plays with devastating humour … she is a delight.’
TUFFIN [Sally[ & [Marion] FOALE – Fashion Designers
“We
didn’t want to be chic, we just wanted to be ridiculous’ – Sally Tuffin & Marion Foale.
Sally Tuffin and Marion Foale are British fashion designers. David Bailey has photographer their clothes for Vogue
Magazine, and Twiggy has modelled in their clothes.
VALENTINO
Valentino’s clothes represent the romance, beauty, femininity and decadence of Rome, the city where he launched his
own label in 1960. Valentino worked with Jean Fesses and then Guy Laroche before becoming a couturier himself. Initially he
made extravagant couture gowns for wealthy Italian socialites, but in 1968 he caused a sensation when he launched a radical,
all white collection. Fiery red, however, is Valentino’s signature colour, used for precious gowns and his couture collection
and beaded pyjama pants for ready-to-wear. His suave demeanour, impeccable manners and womanly, seductive clothes are about
style, not high fashion.
VANDERBILT, Gloria – Fashion Designer
[Gloria] Vanderbilt is an American artist and socialite, she is well known for her work as a painter and as a stage
and film actress, author and [post-1960] as designer of house wares and fashion.
VERSACE, Gianni /VERSACE, Donatella – Fashion Designers
‘I like to dress egos, if you haven’t got an ego, you can forget it!’ – Gianni Versace
[Gianni]
Brightly coloured, sexually exuberant, and celebrity endorsed, Versace’s clothes brought something of Hollywood glamour back to fashion. His sexy,
extrovert designs were worn by the famously rich of both sexes, from rock stars to royalty; Elton John to Princess Diana;
one Versace dress could make a woman’s career and he is credited with fuelling supermodel phenomenon with his flamboyant,
baroque style, it often seemed out of pace with modern sobriety but Versace celebrated by the breadth of fashion. He said;
‘I don’t believe in good taste’ and then created a demure pastel suit for a princess.
[Donatella]
In 1997, [Donatella] Versace became the head of Design after the death of her brother, Gianni.
WESTWOOD, Vivienne – Fashion Designer
[Vivienne] Westwood is considered the Designer’s Designer, she is well known for her shop in London which became the focus of the punk
rock movement. She gained International recognition in the 1980’s with her pirate and New Romantics Look.
YAMAMOTO, Yohji – Fashion Designer
[Yohji] Yamamoto graduated from Bunkafukuso Gakuin School of Fashion in 1969, he is known for the simple appearance
of his designs, coupled with the sophistication of their construction.
