Lifestyle/Fashion
Abercrombie & Fitch was founded by David Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch in 1892 in New York. The Company opened its first European location in London in 2007. A number of the company’s T-shirts have caused controversy
Agent Provocateur was founded by Joseph Corre and Serena Rees who opened the first shop in 1994, in London's Soho. Corre is the son of British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and Sex Pistols' ex-manager, Malcolm McLaren
Hardy Amies served at the Queen’s official dressmaker from 1952 to 1989
Georgio Armani worked as a designer in fashion house Nino Cerruti from 1961 to 1970, after which he left to pursue freelance work. He achieved his international breakthrough by tailoring for numerous Hollywood names and especially for Richard Gere in the title role of American Gigolo in 1980. Emporio, Exchange – Armani brands
Ted Baker's managing director Ray Kelvin started his first store in 1988 in Glasgow
Victoria Beckham has a line of fashion products under the label Dvb
Pierre Balmain was a French fashion designer. Known for sophistication and elegance, he once said that "dressmaking is the architecture of movement”
LK Bennett – chain of shoe shops started by Linda Bennett
Manolo Blahnik is a Spanish fashion designer and an eponymous fashion label, one of the worlds’ most prominent in women's shoes
Ozwald Boateng is a British fashion designer of Ghanaian descent, known for his trademark twist on classic British tailoring style. Boateng opened his first shop on Savile Row at the age of 28
Hugo Boss established his company in Metzingen, Germany, in 1923. All fragrance brands (Hugo, Hugo Boss and Baldessarini) are owned by Procter & Gamble. Supplied uniforms for the Nazi party
Burberry was founded in 1856 when 21-year-old Thomas Burberry, a former draper's apprentice, opened his own store in Basingstoke. The trench, black, white and red pattern known as ‘novacheck’ or the 'Burberry check' was first used as a lining for their trenchcoat in 1924. It wasn't until as late as 1967 that the Burberry Check, now a registered trademark, was widely used on its own for items including umbrellas, scarves and luggage. In 2006 Burberry announced the closure in 2007 of their factory in Treorchy, South Wales
Sarah Burton was named as the new creative director of Alexander McQueen in 2010 following McQueen’s death. She designed Catherine Middleton's wedding dress
Pierre Cardin was born near Venice. He introduced the ‘bubble dress’ in 1954. He purchased Maxim's restaurants in 1981. Space Age Look – Cardin, 1967
Coco Chanel was the only fashion designer to be named on TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people of the 20th century. In 1921, Chanel No. 5 perfume was introduced by Chanel. Developed by Ernest Beaux, the perfume was the first to be sold worldwide. When she was asked what she wore in bed, Marilyn Monroe replied ‘Two drops of Chanel No. 5’. The influential Chanel suit, launched in 1923, was an elegant suit comprising a knee-length skirt and trim, boxy jacket. The House of Chanel in Paris, under Karl Lagerfeld, remains one of the top design houses today
Coco Chanel had an affair with Igor Stravinsky
Chloe was founded in 1956 by Jacques Lenoir and French-Egyptian creator Gaby Aghion. Produces women’s prêt-a-porter, accessories, and fragrances
Jimmy Choo is a London-based women's luxury fashion designer best known for his exquisite hand-made shoes. Choo is a Malaysian of Hakka Chinese descent who was born in Penang in 1961 into a family of shoemakers. He is the most famous of alumni of Cordwainers' Technical College in London
Andre Courreges is a French fashion designer, known for his ultra-modern designs. Known as ‘the lord of the miniskirt’, he also designed go-go boots
Christian Dior's first collection, Corolle Line, premiered in 1947. He established his main fashion house in 1949; Christian Dior New York, Inc. The New Look was the name given to the women's clothing fashions introduced by Parisian fashion designer Christian Dior in the spring of 1947. Christian Dior died of a heart attack in 1957
Dolce & Gabbana are very popular for their designs in the Hollywood industry; they have designed clothes for Madonna, Monica Bellucci, Isabella Rossellini and Kylie Minogue amongst others. The company is based near Milan (Legnano)
Fendi is an Italian fashion designer brand founded in 1918. Today, Fendi is owned by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A. group, with creative director Karl Lagerfeld at it's helm. Commonly referred to as the ‘Zucca’ print in its original form and ‘Zucchino’ in its smaller style, Fendi's iconic ‘double F’ logo pattern was first designed by Karl Lagerfeld in the 1960's. Fendi is well known for its ‘baguette’ handbags
French Connection was founded in 1969. In 1997, French Connection began branding their clothes ‘fcuk’ (French Connection United Kingdom)
Diane von Furstenberg invented the wrap dress
John Galliano was born in Gibraltar. John Galliano was succeeded by Raf Simons as Creative Director at Dior. In 2011, Dior announced they had suspended Galliano following his arrest over an alleged anti-Semitic tirade in a Paris bar
Jean Paul Gaultier produced sculptured costumes for Madonna during the nineties with her infamous cone bra for her Blond Ambition Tour and designed the wardrobe for her Confessions Tour in 2006, as well. Jean-Paul Gaultier is known for a popular line of perfumes. His first fragrance, Classique, a women's floral-oriental, was introduced in 1993, followed by Le Mâle for men two years later. Both were highly successful, and Le Mâle is now the number-one men's fragrance in the European Union based on sales. Gaultier co-presented the first six series of Eurotrash with Antoine de Caunes
Hubert de Givenchy is a French fashion designer who founded the The House of Givenchy in 1952. He is famous for having designed much of the personal and professional wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, as well as clothing for clients such as Jacqueline Kennedy
The House of Gucci, better known as simply Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1906. In 1990, Tom Ford was hired by Gucci's then creative director Dawn Mello as chief women's ready-to-wear designer, and later appointed design director. In his first year at the helm, he was credited with putting the glamour back into fashion introducing Halston-style velvet hipsters, skinny satin shirts and car-finish metallic patent boots. In 1995, he brought in French stylist Carine Roitfeld and photographer Mario Testino to create a series of new, modern ad campaigns for the company. By 1999, the house, which had been almost bankrupt when Ford joined, was valued at about $4.3 billion. Envy, Rush, Canon – fragrances by Gucci
Guerlain is a French perfume house, among the oldest in the world. The House of Guerlain was owned and managed by members of the Guerlain family from 1828 to 1994, when it was acquired by the LVMH group
Guess was founded by Georges, Armand, Paul, and Maurice Marciano, four brothers born in Morocco. They moved to California from France in 1977 and founded the company in 1981
Katharine Hamnett's oversized t-shirts with large block letter slogans were adopted by pop bands including Wham!, with their "CHOOSE LIFE" slogan prominently displayed in the music video for Wake Me Up Before You Go Go in the early 1980s
Norman Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1940; and Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Queen’s coronation dress was designed by Norman Hartnell
Wayne Hemingway is an English fashion designer and co-founder of Red or Dead
Hermes leather goods, fashion, and perfume company is based in Paris. It is widely regarded as among the most prestigious and exclusive fashion houses in the world and is known for its famous 'H' logo. One of Hermès' most recognized products is the silk scarf. The Kelly bag was first produced in the 1930's and later nicknamed for Grace Kelly, who made it famous after appearing in the pages of ‘Life’ in 1956 carrying the bag. The most famous handbag, the Birkin, was named for actress Jane Birkin. For years Hermès has partnered with Tuareg tribesmen on silver jewelry
Tommy Hilfiger has been criticised for manufacturing clothes in sweatshop conditions in the United States territory of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. As a U.S. Commonwealth, clothes made there can be labeled ‘Made in the USA’ but federal labor laws including the minimum wage do not apply. True Star – a fragrance created by Hilfiger and with spokesperson Beyoncé Knowles. Red Label – a line of denim-themed products including jeans, t-shirts, and sweatshirts by Hilfiger
Anya Hindmarch – handbag designer. She designed the global sell out Tote bag I'm Not A Plastic Bag
Lisa Ho brand has built into one of the most recognised brands in Australia and has a strong celebrity following with the signature pieces being worn by Delta Goodrem, Elle Macpherson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Olivia Newton-John and Jennifer Lopez
Barbara Hulanicki (born 1936) was a Warsaw-born fashion designer, known as the founder of the iconic clothes store Biba
Marc Jacobs designed Scarlett Johansson’s wardrobe for ‘Lost in Translation’. He has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997
DKNY (Donna Karan New York) is the label of fashion designer Donna Karan. Black Cashmere, Pure Cashmere – Donna Karan fragrances
Kenzo Takada is a Japanese fashion designer. He is also the founder of Kenzo, a worldwide famous brand of perfumes, skincare products and clothes
Cath Kidston is a fashion designed and cousin of Kirstie Allsopp. She is particularly known for her nostalgic floral patterns
Calvin Klein – born Richer Klein in The Bronx to Jewish Hungarian immigrants. CK One, CK Be, Euphoria, IN2U – Calvin Klein fragrances
Michael Kors is a fashion designer based in New York City. He is best known for designing classic American sportswear for women, including Michelle Obama
Christian Lacroix was famed as being a favourite designer of Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous
Karl Lagerfeld has collaborated with a variety of different fashion labels. In 1972 he began his long collaboration with Fendi, designing furs, clothing and accessories. In 1982, Lagerfeld left Chloe and took the position of chief executive of design at the House of Chanel
Estee Lauder began in 1946 when Joseph Lauder and his wife Estee Lauder began producing cosmetics in New York City. Aramis – fragrance produced by Estee Lauder
Ralph Lauren was born Ralph Lifschitz in The Bronx to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. Polo Ralph Lauren was founded in 1967. Purple Label, Black Label, Blue Label – Ralph Lauren clothing labels. Romance – perfume by Ralph Lauren
Sonja de Lennart designed Capri pants in 1948
Christian Louboutin is a French footwear designer. Since 1992, the footwear has incorporated shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature
Stella McCartney was appointed chief designer of Paris fashion house Chloe in 1997, following in the footsteps of Karl Lagerfeld. In 2001, she resigned from Chloé in order to enter into an eponymous joint venture with Gucci. In 2007, Stella McCartney launched a skincare line called CARE
Alexander McQueen’s graduation collection was bought in its entirety by influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow. McQueen became head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano. In 2000 he became creative director of Gucci
Issey Miyake is a Japanese fashion designer. He is known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances. Survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
Thierry Mugler, born 1948 in Strasbourg, is a fashion designer, photographer, and creator of a fashion design company of the same name. Angel, Alien – perfumes by Thierry Mugler. Created the famous black dress worn by Demi Moore in the 1993 movie, Indecent Proposal
Mulberry was founded in 1971 by Roger Saul and his mother Joan. Noted for its leather poacher bags including the binocular bag and dispatch bag. Alexa handbag designed by Emma Hill
Jean Muir – fashion house, trademark navy blue. Designed Diana Rigg’s catsuit for The Avengers
Bruce Oldfield was brought up and educated in the care of children's charity, Barnardo's. He dresses Hollywood actresses, British and International royalty and European aristocracy. In 1990 Oldfield was awarded the OBE for services to fashion and industry; and in 2004 he published his autobiography Rootless
Paloma Picasso is best known for her jewelry designs for Tiffany & Co. and her signature perfumes. She is the youngest daughter Pablo Picasso
Prada was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada, in Milan. Prada is best known for its’ black nylon designer handbags and signature triangle logo. Miu Miu – Prada line
Emilio Pucci was a Florentine Italian fashion designer and politician. He and his eponymous company are synonymous with geometric prints in a kaleidoscope of colours
Mary Quant teamed up with her husband, Alexander Plunkett-Greene, and an accountant, Archie McNair, in 1955, to open a clothes shop on the Kings Road in London called Bazaar. Quant's popularity was at its peak in the mid 1960s, during which time she produced the dangerously short micro-mini skirt, ‘paint box’ make-up, and plastic raincoats. In the late 1960s, Quant launched hot pants
Paco Rabanne fled Spain for France with his mother when the Spanish Civil War broke out. Paco Rabanne is known for his costume designs for such films as ‘Barbarella’. XS and Black XS are perfumes by Paco Rabanne
Nina Ricci is a fashion house founded by Maria ‘Nina’ Ricci and her son Robert in Paris in 1932, and owned by the Spanish beauty and fashion group Puig since 1998. L’Air du Temps is the brand's most popular fragrance
Zandra Rhodes was born in Chatham. In 1969, she established her own retail outlet in the fashionable Fulham Road. She designed for the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Zandra Rhodes designed costumes for Freddie Mercury and Brian May of Queen
Yves Saint-Laurent was born in Algeria. In 1999, Gucci bought the YSL brand and Tom Ford designed the ready-to-wear collection while Saint-Laurent designed the haute couture collection. Mondrian dresses – Yves Saint-Laurent
Safari jacket – created by Yves Saint-Laurent in 1968
Yves Saint-Laurent lived in Marrakech
Rive Gauche range – Yves Saint-Laurent, 1966
Yves Saint-Laurent designed dresses for Catherine Deneuve
Elsa Schiaparelli was born in Rome of Italian and Egyptian heritage. She was a great-niece of Giovanni Schiaparelli, who discovered the canals of Mars. Singer sewing machine heiress Daisy Fellowes, who was one of Schiaparelli's best clients, owned a pink gemstone that inspired the color shocking pink. She collaborated with many surrealist artists, Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Alberto Giacometti, between 1936 and 1939
Paul Smith set up his first shop in Nottingham in 1970. He gradually expanded his retail business, being the first fashion brand to open on Floral Street in London's Covent Garden in 1979
Gwen Stefani has a fashion line named L.A.M.B.
Philip Treacy designed hats for Alexander McQueen's white 'Haute Couture' collection at Givenchy in Paris, and has also designed for Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel. In 2005 he was commissioned to design hats for the wedding of the Prince of Wales to the Duchess of Cornwall
Valentino Garavani, best known as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino SpA brand and company
Versace is an Italian clothier founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. After Gianni Versace was killed by Andrew Cunanan in 1997, his sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice-president, stepped in as creative director of the designing House and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO. Some of the celebrities that have been the face ‘for Versace’ are Madonna (1995 and 2005), Demi Moore, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. Halle Berry was the face of Versace for Spring/Summer 2006
Versace logo – head of Medusa
Louis Vuitton’s iconic Monogram Canvas design can be considered the first designer label in contemporary history; the design was created in 1896 by Vuitton's son Georges and was intended to prevent counterfeiting. Ironically, Louis Vuitton has become the most counterfeited brand in fashion history, with just over 1% of all items branded with the Vuitton logo not counterfeit
Vera Wang trained as a figure skater. When she failed to make the US Olympic team, she entered the fashion industry. Wang was a senior fashion editor for Vogue magazine for sixteen years. In 1985, she left Vogue after being turned down for the editor in chief position currently filled by Anna Wintour and joined Ralph Lauren as a design director for two years. In 1990, she opened her own design salon in the Carlyle Hotel in New York which featured her trademark bridal gowns. Victoria Beckham’s wedding dress was designed by Vera Wang
Dame Vivienne Westwood was born Vivienne Isabel Swire in the village of Tintwistle in Glossop, Derbyshire. She is linked with the Sex Pistols via Malcolm McLaren and their SEX/Seditionaries boutique on King's Road, in London during the 1970s. In 2005, Westwood joined forces with the British civil rights group Liberty and launched exclusive limited design T-shirts and baby wear bearing the slogan ‘I AM NOT A TERRORIST, please don't arrest me’. Vivienne Westwood’s first runway show was the Pirate collection in London, in 1981
Serena Williams has a clothing range called Aneres
Charles Worth, widely considered the Father of Haute Couture, was an English-born fashion designer of the 19th century
Zara is the flagship chain store of Inditex Group owned by Spanish tycoon Amancio Ortega
