Famous 20th Century Fashion Designers

Vote for Your Favourite 20th Century Fashion Designers

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Gianni Versace
(Italian Fashion Designer, Businessman and Founder of ‘Versace’)
Gianni Versace
20
Birthdate: December 2, 1946
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Reggio Calabria, Italy
Died: July 15, 1997
Legendary Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace founded the brand Versace, reputed worldwide for its luxury products, including clothes, accessories, and fragrances. He had also designed for renowned artists and for series and movies, too. He was shot dead outside his Miami mansion, Casa Casuarina, by Andrew Cunanan. 
 2 
Coco Chanel
(French Fashion Designer Best Known as the Founder of 'Chanel' and Her Signature Perfume ‘Chanel No. 5’)
Coco Chanel
19
Birthdate: August 19, 1883
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saumur, France
Died: January 10, 1971

Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and founder of the Chanel brand. She is credited with replacing the corseted silhouette as the feminine standard of style with a sporty, casual chic. Her work as a designer redefined the fashionable woman in the era post World War I. She also played a vital role in revolutionizing jewelry, handbags, and fragrance.

 3 
Karl Lagerfeld
(Famous as the Creative Director of the French Fashion House 'Chanel')
Karl Lagerfeld
8
Birthdate: September 10, 1933
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Died: February 19, 2019
German fashion magnate Karl Lagerfeld, son of businessman Otto Lagerfeld, had served as the creative director of Chanel and Fendi. He was also a talented photographer and caricaturist, and had a penchant for collecting books. He was known for his signature sunglasses, white hair, fingerless gloves, and detachable collars.  
Recommended Lists:
 4 
Ralph Lauren
(Fashion Designer, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of the ‘Ralph Lauren Corporation’)
Ralph Lauren
7
Birthdate: October 14, 1939
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York City, United States

Fashion designer and businessman Ralph Lauren is the founder of the Ralph Lauren Corporation, a global multibillion-dollar fashion enterprise. Beginning his career as a salesman for a tie company, he went on to launch his own fashion lines and established himself as a popular name in the fashion industry within years. He is known to be a generous philanthropist.

 5 
Virgil Abloh
(Fashion designer)
Virgil Abloh
9
Birthdate: September 30, 1980
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Rockford, Illinois, U.S.

Virgil Abloh is not just a designer but also a qualified architect. He has been a DJ, too. Apart from heading Louis Vuitton's menswear collection as its artistic director, he also became the first Black designer to lead a major fashion brand. He has also launched the luxury streetwear label Off-White.

 6 
Donatella Versace
(Fashion Designer and Chief Creative Designer of the Luxury Fashion House 'Versace')
Donatella Versace
22
Birthdate: May 2, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Reggio Calabria, Italy
Donatella Versace, sister of the founder of the Italian fashion brand Versace, Gianni Versace, inherited the company after Gianni’s murder in 1997. Donatella is now the company’s chief creative officer. She supports Elton John’s AIDS Foundation and was the first woman to win the GQ Designer of the Year award. 
 7 
Tom Ford
(Fashion Designer & Founder of His Eponymous Luxury Brand 'Tom Ford')
Tom Ford
12
Birthdate: August 27, 1961
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Austin, Texas, United States

Tom Ford is an American fashion designer. During his time as the creative director at Gucci, Ford saved the fashion house from near bankruptcy and turned it into a powerhouse. In 2006, he established his eponymous luxury brand and has since been referred to as a style icon and fashion icon; he was named in All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons list.

 8 
Yves Saint Laurent
(French Fashion Designer and Founder of His Eponymous Fashion Label)
Yves Saint Laurent
3
Birthdate: August 1, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Oran, Algeria
Died: June 1, 2008

Yves Saint Laurent was a French fashion designer who founded his eponymous fashion label in 1961. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most popular and influential fashion designers, Saint Laurent is credited with helping women all over the world find confidence by looking both elegant and comfortable at the same time. His life and career inspired many films.

 9 
Kate Spade
(Fashion Designer, Founder and Co-Owner of the Designer Brand ‘Kate Spade New York’)
Kate Spade
23
Birthdate: December 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Died: June 5, 2018

Kate Spade was an American entrepreneur and fashion designer. Spade is credited with founding Kate Spade New York, a popular luxury fashion design house, which competes with the likes of Michael Kors. Kate Spade is also credited with creating stylish and affordable handbags that caused quite a revolution in the fashion world.

 10 
Victoria Beckham
(English Fashion Designer, Singer and Member of the Girl Group the ‘Spice Girls’)
Victoria Beckham
39
Birthdate: April 17, 1974
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Essex, England, United Kingdom

An internationally recognized fashion designer and style icon, Victoria Beckham is widely regarded as one of the most powerful women in the UK. She was appointed an OBE for services to the fashion industry in the 2017 New Year Honours. Also a popular singer, she was part of the best-selling female group of all time, Spice Girls.

 11 
Halston
(Fashion Designer)
Halston
6
Birthdate: April 23, 1932
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Died: March 26, 1990

Designer Halston began his career designing hats for American milliner Lilly Daché. He is primarily remembered for pioneering cashmere, or Ultrasued, in the mid-1970s. Known for his party-loving personality, he popularized the halter dress for women. He was also known for his homosexual relationship with Victor Hugo.

 12 
Guccio Gucci
(Italian Businessman)
Guccio Gucci
11
Birthdate: March 26, 1881
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Florence
Died: January 2, 1953
Son of an Italian leather-goods maker, Guccio Gucci was initially reluctant to join his family business and worked in hotels instead. Changing his mind later, he opened the first Gucci shop in Florence in 1921. The year of his death, 1953, saw the opening of the first Gucci store abroad.
 13 
Tommy Hilfiger
(American Fashion Designer and Founder of ‘Tommy Hilfiger Corporation’)
Tommy Hilfiger
9
Birthdate: March 24, 1951
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Elmira, New York, United States

Thomas Jacob Hilfiger, better known as Tommy Hilfiger, is a legendary fashion designer who has gained worldwide fame with his eponymous fashion line. He had begun his career with the fashion chain People's Place. His brand is now owned by Phillips-Van Heusen, though he remains its chief designer.

 14 
Stella McCartney
(Fashion Designer)
Stella McCartney
7
Birthdate: September 13, 1971
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lambeth
Fashion designer Stella McCartney is the daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney. An avid animal rights activist, she uses cruelty-free fabrics in her designs. She was the creative director for Britain at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. She has also won honors such as the VH1/Vogue Designer of the Year.
 15 
Dame Vivienne Westwood
(British fashion designer)
Dame Vivienne Westwood
5
Birthdate: April 8, 1941
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Tintwistle

British fashion designer, Dame Vivienne Westwood, is credited for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. She attended a course on jewelry at the University of Westminster but left before graduating. She worked as a teacher for a while before turning to fashion designing. She eventually opened four boutiques in London.

 16 
Christian Dior
(Fashion Designers)
Christian Dior
3
Birthdate: January 21, 1905
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Granville
Died: October 23, 1957

Christian Dior was a French fashion designer. He is credited with founding Christian Dior, one of the world's top fashion houses, which is currently owned by Groupe Arnault. At the time of its founding, the clothes designed by Christian Dior revolutionized women's dress. The brand also re-established Paris as the fashion hub of the world after World War II.

 17 
Calvin Klein
(American Fashion Designer and Founder of 'Calvin Klein Inc')
Calvin Klein
7
Birthdate: November 19, 1942
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States

Known for designing tight-fitting signature jeans, the award-winning American designer is the co-founder of the New York-headquartered fashion brand 'Calvin Klein Inc'. Calvin Klein featured in The International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame. Father of noted television producer, Marci Klein, Calvin has funded Democratic Party candidates and made financial contributions to the Political Action Committee.

 18 
Michael Kors
(Fashion Designer)
Michael Kors
6
Birthdate: August 9, 1959
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Long Island, New York, United States
 19 
Vera Wang
(Fashion Designer Known for Balancing Modern Designs with Traditional Elegance)
Vera Wang
3
Birthdate: June 27, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Beginning her career as an editor for Vogue, American fashion designer Vera Wang began to work independently at the age of forty, designing wedding dresses, evening gowns and figure skating costumes for her celebrity patrons, eventually opening retail stores in several big cities across the world. Also a successful figure skater, she competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

 20 
Mary-Kate Olsen
(American Former Child Actress and Fashion Designer Known for Her Role in the Sitcom 'Full House')
Mary-Kate Olsen
12
Birthdate: June 13, 1986
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, United States

Mary-Kate Olsen began her career when she was 9 months old, starring in Full House with her twin, Ashley. Since then, the Olsen twins have starred in several Dualstar productions, launched a fashion brand, and written a book. Mary-Kate is also a competitive equestrian and has struggled with anorexia nervosa.

 21 
Diane von Fürstenberg
(Fashion designer)
Diane von Fürstenberg
5
Birthdate: December 31, 1946
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
 22 
Jessica Simpson
(American Singer-Songwriter, Actress, Fashion Designer)
Jessica Simpson
9
Birthdate: July 10, 1980
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas, United States

Jessica Simpson is an American singer, fashion designer, and actress. Her journey from being a teen idol to a sex symbol has been quite inspirational so far. Also a well-known philanthropist, Jessica Simpson has worked with several nonprofit organizations, such as Make-A-Wish Foundation. She has also performed at many benefit concerts.

 23 
Gloria Vanderbilt
(Artist and Fashion Designer Best Remembered for her Custody Battle)
Gloria Vanderbilt
8
Birthdate: February 20, 1924
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: June 17, 2019

Gloria Vanderbilt was an American fashion designer, actress, author, and socialite. As a child, she was subjected to a child custody trial, which the press named trial of the century due to its high-profile nature. As a designer, Vanderbilt is credited with developing and popularizing designer blue jeans. She also launched a line of household goods and perfumes.

 24 
Vanessa Williams
7
Birthdate: March 18, 1963
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 25 
Alexander McQueen
(British Fashion Designer and Couturier)
Alexander McQueen
10
Birthdate: March 17, 1969
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lewisham, London, United Kingdom
Died: February 11, 2010
Designer Alexander McQueen had won four British Designer of the Year awards and one CFDA International Designer of the Year award. He began his career designing for Givenchy and later formed his own label. The openly gay and HIV positive designer committed suicide in 2010, shortly after his mother’s death.
 26 
Pierre Cardin
(Italian-French Fashion Designer Known for His Avant-Garde Style and Space Age Designs)
Pierre Cardin
7
Birthdate: July 2, 1922
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: San Biagio di Callalta, Italy
Died: December 29, 2020

Italian-born French fashion designer Pierre Cardin revolutionized unisex fashion with his geometric designs. His wine merchant father wanted him to study architecture, but Cardin deviated to fashion instead, starting his career as a men’s tailor. He introduced the Space Age look and also licensed his name out to other products.

 27 
Mena Suvari
(Best Known for Starring in Films Like ‘American Beauty’ and ‘American Pie’)
Mena Suvari
6
Birthdate: February 13, 1979
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Newport, Rhode Island, United States
Mena Suvari soared to fame with her SAG Award-winning role of Angela Hayes in American Beauty. Fans also loved her in the American Pie movies and the horror anthology American Horror Story. She also appeared as Edie in Six Feet Under. Mena endorses Lancôme cosmetics and uses cruelty-free products only.
 28 
Jimmy Choo
(Malaysian Fashion Designer and Co-Founder of ‘Jimmy Choo Ltd’)
Jimmy Choo
7
Birthdate: 1961 AD
Birthplace: George Town, Penang, Malaya
While locked down in Malaysia during the COVID-19 crisis, luxury footwear designer Jimmy Choo came across the idea to open a fashion academy in London. Born to a modest shoemaker in Penang, Choo had mastered the art of shoe designing in London, where he later launched his eponymous shoe brand.
 29 
John Galliano
(British Fashion Designer and Creative Director of Fashion House ‘Maison Margiela’)
John Galliano
9
Birthdate: November 28, 1960
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Gibraltar
 30 
Christian Louboutin
(French Fashion Designer)
Christian Louboutin
14
Birthdate: January 7, 1963
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France

When French-Egyptian fashion designer Christian Louboutin entered the fashion scene in Paris, he designed women’s shoes but eventually also launched a men’s collection, too. He is known for his signature stilettoes with red soles. He later also ventured into leather goods and bags. He is openly homosexual.

 31 
Cristóbal Balenciaga
(Fashion Designer)
Cristóbal Balenciaga
5
Birthdate: January 21, 1895
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Getaria, Spain
Died: March 24, 1972

Remembered as The King of Fashion, Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga had begun sewing at 10, helping his mother earn a living after his father’s death. A visit to Paris at 15 turned his luck around. A closeted gay, Balenciaga later revolutionized fashion with his signature flowy gowns and dresses.

 32 
Chloë Sevigny
(Actress, Model & Filmmaker Known for Her Work in Independent Films)
Chloë Sevigny
9
Birthdate: November 18, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States

Chloë Sevigny is an American actress known for playing important roles in experimental or controversial independent films. Also a model and fashion designer, Chloë Sevigny is widely regarded as a style icon, thanks to her alternative fashion sense. She has also released many clothing lines designed by herself!

 33 
Thierry Mugler
(French Fashion Designer Known for Designing 'Demi Moore’s' Dress From ‘Indecent Proposal')
Thierry Mugler
5
Birthdate: December 21, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Strasbourg, France
Died: January 23, 2022

French designer Thierry Mugler was initially known for his skills in ballet and drawing. He began his fashion career working for a boutique in Paris and later launched his brand. He is known for his peculiar clothes, inspired by birds and insects, and made of metal and crystals.

 34 
Hubert de Givenchy
(French Fashion Designer and Founder of the Luxury Fashion and Perfume House of 'Givenchy' in 1952)
Hubert de Givenchy
5
Birthdate: February 20, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Beauvais, France
Died: March 10, 2018

Apart from launching his own fashion brand, Givenchy, French designer Hubert de Givenchy also gained fame as a personal designer for celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn. Though he initially studied law, Givenchy began his professional career working with Parisian fashion houses. He later introduced designs such as the Bettina blouse.

 35 
Giorgio Armani
(Italian Fashion Designer)
Giorgio Armani
8
Birthdate: July 11, 1934
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Piacenza, Italy
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani initially worked for Cerruti and others such as Allegri and Hilton. He founded his menswear fashion brand Armani in 1975 and later diversified into sport, hospitality, and music. He is known for designing red-carpet looks and won the CFDA International Award in 1983.
 36 
Mary Quant
(Fashion Designer)
Mary Quant
5
Birthdate: February 11, 1934
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Blackheath, London, England
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 37 
Oscar de la Renta
(Fashion Designer)
Oscar de la Renta
5
Birthdate: July 22, 1932
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Died: October 20, 2014
 38 
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
6
Birthdate: February 1, 1965
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Monaco

Princess Stéphanie of Monaco is the youngest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and his wife, Grace Kelly, an American actress. She is currently 14th in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne. As a schoolgirl, she learned classical dance and piano. In her career, she has been a singer, swimwear designer, and fashion model.

 39 
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe
(Actress)
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe
6
Birthdate: October 10, 1978
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 40 
Marc Jacobs
(Fashion designer)
Marc Jacobs
5
Birthdate: April 9, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 41 
Zac Posen
(Fashion designer)
Zac Posen
3
Birthdate: October 24, 1980
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 42 
Valentino
(Italian Fashion Designer Known for Garments in His Trademark 'Valentino Red')
Valentino
7
Birthdate: May 11, 1932
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Voghera, Italy

Valentino is an Italian fashion designer. He is credited with founding the popular luxury fashion house Valentino S.p.A. A prominent and influential fashion designer, Valentino has received several prestigious awards throughout his career. He is the recipient of the Couture Council Award and the Golden Plate Award. 

 43 
Antonio D’Amico
(Italian Model and Fashion Designer)
Antonio D’Amico
6
Birthdate: January 20, 1959
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mesagne, Italy

Antonio D'Amico is an Italian fashion designer and model. After working as a designer for the luxury fashion company Versace, D'Amico went on to found his own fashion design company. Also known for his long-term relationship with Gianni Versace, D'Amico is often depicted in films and TV series that talk about the founder of Versace

 44 
Steve Madden
(Fashion designer)
Steve Madden
4
Birthdate: 1958 AD
Birthplace: Far Rockaway, New York, United States
 45 
Betsey Johnson
(Costume designer)
Betsey Johnson
2
Birthdate: August 10, 1942
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wethersfield
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 46 
Elsa Schiaparelli
(Italian Fashion Designer Famous for Her Surrealist Fashions of the 1930s and for Her Witty Accessories)
Elsa Schiaparelli
6
Birthdate: September 10, 1890
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: November 13, 1973

Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian fashion designer who designed the wardrobes for many films like Topaze and Moulin Rouge. Widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the world of fashion, Schiaparelli was considered the greatest rival of Coco Chanel.

 47 
Donna Karan
(Fashion designer)
Donna Karan
6
Birthdate: October 2, 1948
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York City
 48 
Mossimo Giannulli
(American Fashion Designer and Founder of the Clothing Company ‘Mossimo’)
Mossimo Giannulli
3
Birthdate: June 4, 1963
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: California

Mossimo Giannulli is an American fashion designer. He is credited with founding a mid-range clothing company named Mossimo, which specializes in teenage and youth clothing. Mossimo Giannulli stirred controversy in 2019 when he was arrested in connection with the college bribery scandal. In 2020, he was asked to cough up $250,000 fine and sentenced to five months in prison.

 49 
Paco Rabanne
(Grand couturier, Fashion designer, Businessperson)
Paco Rabanne
2
Birthdate: February 18, 1934
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pasaia

Born to a seamstress in Basque Country, Francisco Rabaneda y Cuervo escaped to France to avoid the Spanish Civil War and took up the name Paco Rabanne. He later gained fame for his avant-garde accessories, his designer clothes made of material such as metal and plastic, and his signature chainmail dress.

 50 
Georgina Chapman
(Fashion Designer, Actress and Co-Founder of the Fashion Label ‘Marchesa’)
Georgina Chapman
16
Birthdate: April 14, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: London, England
Actor and designer Georgina Chapman co-founded the women’s fashion brand Marchesa, along with Keren Craig. Chapman was previously married to producer Harvey Weinstein but left him amidst multiple sexual abuse allegations against him in 2017. She has hosted shows such as Project Runway: All Stars and designed for red-carpet events.