Alexander McQueen
... is one of our featured designers - click here for information

Cerruti
Italian Design house with a real classic feel.

Diesel
Founded in Italy in 1978, Diesel has attracted a following of fashion-forward fans who love the label’s edgy, wearable designs. The company is famed for its jeans (well-worn, dirty, and industrial for the most part), with DieselStylelab functioning as the offshoot for the more luxurious, experimental (and of course expensive) creations. The quasi-military fabrics like leather, denim and canvas are often offset by eye-catching details like ruffled trims, extraneous zippers, and jagged seams - perfect for the urban, club-happy crowd that snatches them up.
www.diesel.com

Dior
In 1949 Christian Dior changed the direction of mid-century fashion with his extravagantly feminine ’New Look’. Today, the label’s head designer John Galliano has established the look of the ’Anything Goes’ era with his own extreme makeover of the house. There isn’t one starlet in Hollywood who hasn’t walked a red carpet in one of Galliano’s signature bias-cut, ruffled stunners. Gwen Stefani, Beyonce Knowles and Paris Hilton are ardent fans of his daytime looks. Hedi Silmane’s designs are as much a hit with women as with men: Linda Evangelista and Nicole Kidman have worn Dior men’s suits.
www.dior.com

Dolce & Gabbana
... is one of our featured designers. Click here for more information.

Donna Karan
There is probably no designer as synonymous with New York style as Donna Karan. While she was still a student at Parsons School of Design, the Long Island native launched her career with Anne Klein in the late 1960’s and became successor to the fashion house after Klein’s death in 1974. A decade passed before Karan branched out on her own and introduced the highly acclaimed Donna Karan New York Collection in 1985. Karan’s focus on the body through simple yet sophisticated designs, such as bodysuits, wrap skirts and corseted eveningwear, made her a favourite throughout Hollywood. In 1989, she reached out to the masses with the comfortable street-smart line, DKNY, and gradually expanded her fashion empire to include eyewear, fragrances, accessories and home furnishings. Although French luxury conglomerate Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) acquired her business in 2001, Karan remains the chief designer of the international company that bears her name.
www.donnakaran.com

Fendi
Once a modest fur and leather goods store begun by married couple Eduardo and Adele Fendi in Rome in 1925, Fendi has evolved into a line synonymous with luxury. Now headed up by Karl Largerfeld, who had his first stint with the label in 1966, Fendi has expanded to include accessories in addition to its ready-to-wear and apparel collections. Most notably, the house caused a stir in the fashion world in 1997 when it released the now-famous baguette handbag (so named because it’s worn tucked under the arm like a loaf of French bread). Fendi’s latest collections combine ultra modern haute couture with a hint of edgy, futuristic drama, and, as always, plenty of fur.
www.fendi.com

Ghost
Founded in 1984 by Tanya Sarne, Ghost is famous for its unique crepe-like fabric made from woven viscose yarn, a derivative from wood. The fabric - think soft, not scratchy - is then dipped into dyes and transformed into highly wearable, machine washable separates. The formula works. In 2004, the company celebrated 20 years in the fickle fashion business. Catherine Zeta Jones, Sandra Bullock, Liv Tyler, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep are all followers of this English brand.
www.ghost.co.uk

Gian Franco Ferre
Formally trained as an architect, northern Italian native Gian Franco Ferre treats fashion design the same way one might approach the design of a building, with meticulous attention to form, structure and balance. After travelling to India in the early 70s, Ferre dove into fashion, first with accessories, and later, launching his own label, Baila, in 1974. Signature women’s and men’s collections soon followed, and Ferre stepped into the field of high fashion with the debut of his couture line in 1986. He took his philosophy to the house of Christian Dior, where he was stylistic director from 1989 to 1997. Still influenced by his first trips to Asia, Ferre’s designs display an East-meets-West aesthetic that vehemently rejects trends and gimmicks, concentrating instead on a relaxed sophistication and casual elegance.
www.gianfrancoferre.com

Gianni Versace
...is one of our featured designers - click here for more information

Giorgio Armani
This former window dresses and one-time medical student now holds the clam to being the prince of minimalist glamour. Starting out as a designer for Nino Cerruti in the 60s, Armani broke away in 1970 to begin his own freelance design business, first with menswear, then adapting those same pieces for women. This crossing over between men’s and women’s fashion - relaxed, unstructured silhouettes for men; aggressive, masculine cuts for women - became his hallmark as he lead the 80s trend of the power suit and redefined the notion of corporate dress. Known for a muted colour palette of blacks, whites, and grays. Armani’s sleek, easy-fit garments had clad many a Hollywood starlet - and landed their creator a retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in 2000.
www.giorgioarmani.com

Gucci
Gucci is a $3 billion mega-brand representing a trend-setting culture club for the jet set elite. But it was always so : grown out of Guccio, Gucci’s humble saddle shop into a licenser of mass Italian class, Gucci almost dissolved before seeing life again under the guiding light of fashion god Tom Ford. The balance of corporate and creative strength was disrupted in 2004 when the pair left the company after a disagreement with owners, the Pinault-Printemps Group. The reins of the fashion lion have been handed to a trio of designers trained by Ford. Literally every major celebrity (A, B, C and D list) has worn a Gucci piece at least once.
www.gucci.com

Helmut Lang
The name Helmut Lang has become synonymous with the cerebral brand of minimalism that took the fashion world by storm in the late 80s. Lang’s razor sharp lines and high tech fabrics are made for only the most disciplined of bodies - even his signature tshirts, which elevated the clingy tee to couture status, are famously unforgiving (and famously expensive). Born in Vienna, Lang was named CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year in 2000.
www.helmutlang.com

Hugo Boss
This classic menswear label dates back to 1923 when founder Hugo Boss began manufacturing overalls, raincoats and uniforms for working men. Their boxy, big-shouldered suits were the ultimate eighties must have. Today, the line encompasses three brands - Boss Hugo Boss, Baldessarini and Hugo Hugo Boss (the younger more directional line).
www.hugoboss.com

Jean Paul Gaultier
Where some designers aim to bring high fashion to the everyday, Jean Paul Gaultier propels it to the realm of art, fantasy and surrealism. Taking his inspiration from city streets and club scenes, Gaultier has managed to touch on such themes as kitsch, fetishism, futurism and 40s French sailor suits in his collections, ever since his electronic jewellery debut in 1976 with Francis Menuge. His fanciful visions have made him an obvious collaborator for film and he’s designed costumes for director Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (The City of Lost Children), Pedro Almodovar (Kika), Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), and more. Perhaps his most famous contribution to modern fashion was his reinvention of underwear and outerwear in the design of Madonna’s unforgettable cone bustier, which she flaunted on stage for her 1980 Blond Ambition tour.
www.jeanpaulgaultier.com

Jil Sander
Founded in Hamburg in 1968, Jil Sander’s first collection of all-white uniforms was an anomaly in an age of colour-crazed florals - and sold out instantly. Since that day, her ’pure’ approach has broken the hard rules of luxury fashion and beauty while garnering a die-hard fan base of cerebral sensualists.
www.jilsander.com

Max Mara
Today the company founded in 1951 is run by son and chairman Luigi Maramotti, 46. The Max Mara classic style is consistent, thanks to design director Laura Lusuardi who has been with the company for many years. In 2001 Maramotti, in a rare interview, told Harper’s Bazaar: “What’s next is clothes that live longer. It might seem antique. But it’s also modern. In the market, the idea is for everyone to throw everything away each season. But I’m interested in making good designs and things that last.”
www.maxmara.com

Miss Sixty

Missoni
This Italian knitwear company, rich in tradition, had its start in 1947 when Ottavio Missoni designed his first tracksuit. The label evolved to include dresses, but it wasn’t until 1958 that the name ’Missoni’ was sewn into the label. The easily identifiable, classic zigzag pattern in the boldest, richest colours. Also look for vibrant eye-catching prints. Keeping it in the family, Angela Missoni is the force currently behind the label. The designs are still influenced by a sense of tradition, but Angela seems willing to take sexier, more risque chances by expanding her choice of fabric and cuts. Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz and Sharon Stone all wear this house.
www.missoni.com

Miu Miu
The fashion business runs deep in Miuccia Prada’s veins, but the former mime performer and political science PhD seemed an unlikely successor to her family’s luxury leather goods company started by her grandfather in 1913. Nonetheless, the reluctant Miuccia assumed control of the Milan-based family business in 1978 and turned Prada into one of the most exciting names in fashion. Her sleek, black nylon handbags created a flurry among fashionistas in 1985 and paved the way for her highly acclaimed ready-to-wear collection introduced 4 years later. Prada’s precise, clean lines were embraced by the fashion elite as well as celebrities such as Uma Thurman, who turned heads at the 1995 Academy Awards in a dreamy lavender Prada ensemble. With a less expensive sister line, Miu Miu, as well as boutiques around the world, this mime gone mogul has an estimated fortune of $1.4 billion and was recently named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 30 Most Powerful Women in Europe.
www.prada.com

Moschino
There is no fashion label more playful, quirky, or irreverent than Moschino. The fun started in 1983 when the brand’s late founder, Franco Moschino, adorned his saucy whimsical fashions with messages. Literally words on the clothes, including statements like ’Who’s to say what’s in good taste?’. Often, the brand name was emblazoned in large letters too. He went on to spoof high fashion lines, mocking such classics as the Chanel jacket with garish trimmings and details. In addition to Moschino, there is also the less expensive Cheap and Chic line, and a menswear collection that also has a sense of humour. All are consistent with the original designer’s penchant for a colourful, sexy, tongue-in-cheek approach. But current designer, Rosella Jardini, who worked closely with Moschino for more than a decade before his death in 1994, has been lately moving away from over-the-top gimmicks in the women’s collections to a slightly softer, more feminine aesthetic that is no less fun.
www.moschino.it

Nicole Farhi
In the last two decades, Nicole Farhi has emerged as one of the UK’s leading designer names. Her unique blend of easy, but functional tailoring with luxurious, desirable separates and accessories has created a loyal following in the UK, USA and Japan, and increasingly throughout the world.
www.nicolefarhi.com

Pal Zileri
Pal Zileri, classic Italian designs.

Paul Smith
London based designer Paul Smith has been turning ’proper’ men’s and women’s fashion on their proverbial ears since he abandoned his dreams of being a competitive cyclist and started his own label in 1976. The designer is known for taking classic school boy, school girl and tomboy looks and having a little fun with them, in the form of super-bright stripes, loud prints, contrasting colours and fabrics, and extra sharp tailoring. He made his mark first with his men’s collection, but added women’s soon afterward, and now has 12 different Paul Smith brands, including accessories, shoes and furniture. Its all very English, and very whimsical.
www.paulsmith.co.uk

Polo
Born in the Bronx in 1939, this fashion heavyweight exhibited a taste of fine clothing at the age of 12, when he’d save up the pay from his after school job to purchase expensive suits. Despite this early love, Lauren never formally studied fashion, instead learning the ropes working in glove factories, and later, the A. Rivetz & Co. tie manufacturer. It was then that he began designing his own wide ties, which led to the founding of Polo Fashions with his brother in 1968. Ralph Lauren’s women’s label followed, as did his home collection, and by the mid-80s Lauren was selling the world his ideas of sophistication, power and taste. More than any other designer Ralph Lauren has marketed his preppy, English-tweed clothing as less fashion and more lifestyle. It is this image of a refined, classic luxury that has made him one of the most successful American designers of the last century.
www.polo.com

Roberto Cavalli
... is one of our featured designers - click here for more information.

Stella McCartney
The daughter of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Linda, Stella McCartney, born in 1972, hardly had a chance to be ordinary. At just 15, she was already working with fashion heavyweight Christian Lacroix on his first couture collection. She later went on to study fashion design in London, gathering plenty of attention at her graduation show for employing friends Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss as models. After launching her own line, McCartney signed on as chief designer at Chloe, the French couture house. Her collection of delicate, feminine clothing was positively received by the fashion world, boosting Chloe’s sales and reputation and proving that McCartney wasn’t just gliding by on her name. She left Chloe, however, in 2001 to develop her own label as part of the Gucci group, and opened her New York store in 2002. McCartney’s line blends frilly elements like pastel silks and ribbons with street-worthy rocker accents, like slasher-tees and industrial zippers. All clothes are animal-free, including the shoes, which are outfitted from a leather-like plant derivative.
www.stellamccartney.com

Tommy Hilfiger
Dressing should be fun, creative way to express yourself, with clothes celebrating your individuality, says Tommy Hilfiger, whose designs epitomize the creativity and diversity of America. The Elmira, New York, native began his retail career in 1969 with $150 and 20 pairs of jeans. The self taught designer opened his own stores in upstate New York called People’s Place. As principal designer for his namesake company, Hilfiger ensures that his complete lifestyle collections for men and women, children and the home reflect a combination of the classics and the latest fashion trends. Hilfiger is actively involved in a number of charities and causes, including the Washington DC Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation and the Anti-Defamation League. He has also served on the board of directors for the Fresh Air Fund and the Race to Erase MS. The fashion industry has honoured Hilfiger many times. His achievements include the GQ magazine Designer of the Year award, VH1’s ’From the Catwalk to the Sidewalk’ award and the prestigious CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award.
www.tommy.com

Valentino
Valentino is a master of elegance and opulence. In business since 1960, the Italian designer made his mark early on creating luxurious gowns with intricate detailing and tastefully body-conscious silhouettes. The fabrics tend to be both delicate and rich - laces, chiffons, and silk crepe, along with wool, leather and suede. Valentino has long been popular among European royalty, American socialites, and celebrities. While his new creations get a great deal of attention, and requests, especially around red carpet time, many also collect his vintage dresses, like the black gown with white piping Julia Roberts wore to accept her Oscar in 2001. The menswear collection is known for sharp classic tailoring.
www.valentino.it

Yves Saint Laurent
The Yves Saint Laurent and Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche brands seem to be recovering from an identity crisis that began in 1999, when the luxury label was first purchased by Gucci for $900 million and design direction taken over by super slick Tom Ford. Yves Saint Laurent, who retired in 2002, changed the way women dressed when he launched his label in 1962. He put them in mannish pant-suits with square shoulders, smoking jackets, safari jackets, and tuxedos, but softened the androgyny with billowy peasant blouses and fitted, flouncy couture gowns in dramatic colours. New designer Stefano Pilati is bringing it all back home, returning to those YSL classics and making them staples of the eveningwear and ready-to-wear collection.
www.yslonline.com