1. Marc Jacobs
A stock boy of 15 in a now defunct clothing boutique, Marc Jacobs made his mark with his extraordinary talent in the mid 80’s launching his own line. In over 60 countries, his retail stores number is 285 in 2013 and includes both his lines, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Marc Jacobs Collection. Having worked with big names such as Louis Vuitton, Marc turned heads with his designing and made LV a fashion power house from just being a luggage firm. Marc Jacob is among the most famous American fashion designers today with his brand having a valuation of USD$ 25.9 billion. Once derided by Oscar de la Renta for being a copyist, Jacobs does not hide the fact that his designs always use the style of the previous decades as basis. Among his notable collections were a grunge line for Perry Ellis that failed, and the very first ready to wear collection from Louis Vuitton that proved to be a success.
2. Tom Ford
Tom Ford, counted among the most famous designers today, was born in Texas and even took training to be an actor. But fate had other “designs” for him. Tom Ford’s popularity as a designer reached peaks when in the year 2000, he was declared the winner of the Best International Designer Awards. Being the creative director for Gucci, he is the one man who had put back the glamour that was lacking from the fashion world. With his blooming ideas of skinny satin shirts and car finish metallic boots, he made his way all to the top by his own and finally being the creative director to YSL as well, when Gucci had acquired the house. A man with such great ideas, he is now the owner of his own line that consists of not just extremely fashionable and one of kind clothes but eye-wear and a beauty line as well. Tom Ford owns many popular labels such as Cathy Hardwick, Perry Hills, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford. Nominated by the council of Fashion Designers of America, recently he has been chosen by Guardian as among the “50 best dressed over 50’s”. The advertising campaigns he conceptualized for the YSL fragrance lines were hailed for its creativity and commercial impact. Unfortunately, he had to part ways with Gucci after a struggle for artistic control did not end in his favor. But fortunately, Ford’s artistic level is so high that he made a seamless transition into movie directing, as he helmed a film that got Academy Award nominations right on his first attempt.
3. Coco Chanel
Born Gabrielle“Coco” Bonheur Chanel, she is a excellent French fashion designer (who started her career as a hat seller), founder of the well known Chanel brand, whose modernist thought, practical design, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important and influential figure in 20th-century fashion. Maybe she was indeed a Nazi collaborator, saved only by the intercession of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. She was indeed an anti-Semite who had a violent loathing of Jews. She was indeed cold-blooded when she closed down her shop to spite the 3,000 workers who had been lobbying for better working conditions in terms of work hours and wages. Despite all these, Chanel was also indeed a great fashion designer who will always be remembered for the classic suit and perfume No. 5. Coco Chanel’s unique and elegant designs need no introduction. Even after her demise the brand continues to be the world’s favorite. She was known as among the first few designers who had worked towards creating dresses more comfortable and stylish eliminating the use of corsets, which in that era were developing serious health issues. Her designs were chic and sportive considered to be revolutionary in the post world war period. With the invention of the little black dresses and suits for women, Chanel is the brand that became the inspiration for the modern woman. She was the only fashion designer to be named on Time 100: The Most Important People of the (20th) Century.
4. Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren is worth $7.5 billion and the 162nd richest man of the world as of September 2012, as predicted by Forbes and he got it all because of his fashion sense. In 1970, the first Polo logo was seen in Lauren’s line of women’s suits that was designed in the classic men’s style. Two years later, the famous short sleeve shirt with the Polo emblem appeared, and it soon became a classic. These shirts have been collected by men all over the world ever since. Lauren, on the other hand, has been collecting rare and classic cars. The collection is so unique that it has been featured in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
5. Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani, an outstanding Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy, with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion and a personal fortune of $7 billion as of 2012. Sportsmen have taken a liking for the Armani designs, with Chelsea Football Club commissioning the Italian to not only design the suits of its players, but also the suite for its directors in its football stadium. He has also designed the suits worn by the players of the English football team. With the brand name of Armani up his sleeve, Giorgio Armani is the one man army working his way through as a fashion designer with so many talents and standing up at the helm of the fashion world. He began his work as a window dresser and later on went to the menswear section as a seller and gained the required experience. Making the difference in the advertising world for his brand, Armani proved to be the one to show the light to his predecessors about sensible marketing and the working of proper business. Unlike the other fashion houses he was the one to ban models of BMI below 18. Armani has had made differences in the fashion world, with not only his vision but his ideas in marketing and the healthier way of promoting his brand.
6. Calvin Klein
Born in 1942 in New York, Klein also capitalized on his own charisma and lean good looks. With just a coat shop and high hopes and lots of knowledge in art, Calvin Klein appeared on Vogue for the first time in 1968 and there was no turning back. Throughout the decades, rumors about his own sexual orientation seemed to fuel the ongoing mystique and appeal of this designer. His biggest business rival, Ralph Lauren, was believed to envy Klein’s ability to charm so effortlessly, and to “work a room”. From his initial $10,000 investment, Klein has expanded his fashion line into a virtual empire, designing everything from expensive clothing to accessories. From having sportswear, classic blazers and lingerie to his women’s collection, he extended his work with underwear for men and with that he and his brand became a statement.
7. Yves Saint Lauren
Yves Saint Laurent became popular in fashion circles due to his creativity in redesigning the clothes considered to be masculine into beautiful, feminine wardrobe for women. Perhaps, one of the most famous fashion designers in France, Yves was the first one to introduce power dressing for women in the form of “power suits” in the year 1966. He is also credited with designing the men’s smoking jacket. The most important fashion legacy which he has left behind is the “ready-to-wear” fashion clothing. In his early years in the fashion industry, Dior had almost immediately selected his talents and immediately offered him to work with them. Overcoming the initial years of his mundane work of decorating studios and designing accessories, later, his designs were selected for a couture collection. At the age of 21 he was the creative director of Dior and that had saved the brand from a financial ruin. His trapeze dress became a trend and he a legend. The brand, YSL is the reason for the fashion trend that became the new ‘it’ thing during the 60’s 70’s, the beatnik look, safari jacket for both men and female, tight pants and of course the thigh high boots.
8. Christian Dior
Born in January of 1905, this French designer was best known for his distinctive “New Look” silhouette. First shown in 1947; his suits and dresses revolutionized the way women dressed after the Second World War. Today, talented designer John Galliano carries on the legendary designer’s legacy in Paris, where he creates dramatic couture ball gowns, chic prêt-a-porter, and luxurious accessories for Dior. Galliano’s talent and his over-the-top runway shows have ensured that the brand remains strong and viable in today’s world.
9. Valentino Garavani
He started in 1959 when he established his own fashion house in Rome. Valentino, however, became known for creating the dresses that Jacqueline Kennedy wore for a year after the assassination of her husband, the late President John F. Kennedy. Since then, Valentino has been known to hobnob with the powerful and the famous. Royalty from Belgium and the United Kingdom wears his designs. In 2006, he agreed to appear in a cameo role playing himself in the movie The Devil Wears Prada. He is not only the most talented Fashion Designers of today, but knows his client’s requirements the best too. The degree of his understanding and love for dressing can be seen in business too. He owns a virtual 3D website where one can have a 360 degree of the dress they wish to buy.Valentino, before retiring had left his final mark to the fashion world by presenting his spring/summer 2008 ready-to-wear show in Paris, which was supported by many famous models of the time.
10. Donatella Versace
She is the sister of Gianni Versace, and she has proven to be no lesser sibling. After the murder of Gianni in 1997, Donatella took over and has taken the Versace name to new heights. She made sure that Versace shops would cater to the different fashion centers around the world, particularly Milan and New York. Planning to work as in the field of Public Relation for her brother Giovanni (Gianni), Donatella Versace found her line of career in being the icon of fashion designing. Donatella launched her own fragrance in 2001 naming it Versace Women and took her brand from just being a clothing line to creating fashion accessories, home furnishing, hotels and so on, changing the entire outlook of the company to a lifestyle brand. This is the most renowned brand that has inspired women from all fields.
