Famous 21st Century Fashion Designers

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For anyone who has a penchant for music, Rihanna needs no introduction. Born as Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Rihanna is one of the most influential names in the music and fashion industry. Her effortless singing, catchy tunes and inimitable dance moves have won her eight Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards and two BRIT Awards.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.