A stunning, well-tailored costume will do more to improve your image than a pair of old frayed jeans. Consumers want to wear good-looking clothes and attractive jewelry to enhance or maintain their standing in society. The fashion industry is a big part of our economy. Who are the people behind the brand names that are so familiar? Here is a short list:
|
|
Chanel
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) created feminine fashion that provided the feeling of luxury
and combined traditional
women's clothing with styles, fabrics, and articles of clothing used by men. She felt comfortable
wearing sports jackets and ties worn by men in casual settings. Her fashion revolution
liberated women to express their femininity with elegance and grace. Chanel's logo
is frequently seen in perfumes, purses, shoes, and jewelry.
|
|
Prada
Prada was founded by Mario Prada and his brother in 1913 when they opened a luxurious boutique in Milan.
The shop included imported silver, Austrian crystal, and exquisite leather handbags
and luggage. The tradition of high-quality distinctive goods is continued today.
The Hollywood film "The Devil Wears Prada", starring Meryl Streep, has brought a lot of attention to the world of fashion. The film is a testament to the amazing transformations that can be achieved by wearing elegant clothing.
|
|
Versace
Gianni Versace (1946-1997) became interested in fashion working in his mother's small dress shop.
His first commercial success was the design of a line of clothes for Florentine Flowers in 1972.
Versace continued a successful clothing design career in Milan. By 1978 he had become a design
leader of women's and men's fashions. After Gianni's death,
his brother Santo Versace became the CEO of the Versace firm
and his sister Donatella Versace became the head of design.
Jennifer Lopez wore a sensational green dress by Versace to the Grammys in 2000.
 Marion Cotillard |
 Jean-Paul Gaultier (1952- ) is a French fashion designer who never received formal design training. He started sending sketches to famous couture stylists, and Pierre Cardin hired him as an assistant in 1970. His first individual collection was released in 1976. By 1981 he was known for irreverent, provocative designs, and for using unconventional models in his exhibitions, such as old and fat women, or tattooed and pierced models. Gaultier's sheer lace design worn by Teri Hatcher at the 2006 Grammy Awards drew international attention. Gaultier was again in the spotlight with his design of the scalloped gown worn by Marion Cotillard, the Best Actress winner at the 2008 Oscars ceremony. |
 Teri Hatcher |
Ralph Lauren
Born in New York as Ralph Lifshitz in 1939,
Ralph Lauren is a designer of affordable casual dress.
In 1967 he purchased the Polo label and launched a world-wide fashion empire that
includes clothing lines for men and women. His business ventures have also diversified to include
home decor.
Armani
Giorgio Armani (1934- ) abandoned the study of medicine to become a photographer.
He initially worked as
a window dresser for the Italian department store La Rinascente, and later became a designer
under Nino Cerruti. He established his own company in 1974, and gained fame and success
with his streamlined tailoring, imaginative designs, and sophisticated choice of materials
for many Hollywood personalities. Some of his alluring couture creations use
animal prints, satin, velvet, and sparkling Swarovksi crystals which shimmer with every
movement of the body.
Giorgio Armani has also applied his artistic skills to coordinate the interior and exterior of the Mercedes-Benz CLK automobile using classic brown leather for the trim and the center console, and subtle greenish tints for the exterior paint.
|
|
Gucci
Guccio Gucci (1881-1953) was the son of an Italian leather craftsman.
He learned to appreciate international culture through his travels
to Paris and London.
When he returned to Italy in 1920, he opened his first Gucci shop in Florence where he
featured finely crafted equestrian accessories. Guccio's sons expanded the firm
by opening new shops in Rome, Milan, and New York. The Gucci brand may be found in luggage, handbags,
sunglasses, as well as in perfumes.
Today, there are over 180 Gucci boutiques in the world, and Gucci articles are sold in many
stores serving clients who have a taste for luxury.
Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger (1951- ) struggled when he first started in business. His store
"The People's Place", in upstate New York went bankrupt when he was 25.
Tommy Hilfiger incorporated a company bearing his own name and became its president
from 1982 until 1989. Starting from men's jeans and sportswear, the Hilfiger brand now
is licensed for an extensive collection of men's and women's wear, children's wear,
footwear, eyeglasses, fragrances, and home furnishings.
Fendi
In 1925, Edoardo Fendi and Adele Casagrande established a leather and fur shop in Rome that was
enormously successful. In 1965, the inverted FF logo was introduced and became an international
status symbol. Today, the Fendi company has a large store on New York's Fifth Avenue, as well as numerous
Fendi boutiques around the world. The high prices commanded by the fashionable Fendi purses
have created a large market for fake goods from Asia bearing logos that are eerily similar to
the inverted FF.
Dolce & Gabbana
Domenico Dolce (1958- ) and Stefano Gabbana (1962- ) met while working as assistants in a studio in Milan.
In 1985, they took part in a fashion show featuring "New Talent", and the following year, they presented
their first independent women's ready-to-wear show. Dolce and Gabbana have expanded their line to include
menswear and fragrances in shops across the world. D&G designs feature richly colored fabrics,
outrageous Mediterranean style,
extravagantly embroidered coats, gangster boss pinstripe suits, and underwear-as-outerwear.
Their line of underwear is promoted with alluring ads featuring models with beautiful bodies
in provocative poses.
