Fashion Designers

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nigerian-British singer Helen Folasade Adu, or Sade Adu, often blends Afro-Cuban tunes with soul and smooth jazz in her music. The Grammy Award winner had initially studied fashion designing and been a model. The founder of the band Sade, she has released iconic tracks such as No Ordinary Love.

Olivia Culpo is an American social media personality and fashion influencer. She gained international recognition after winning the Miss Universe beauty pageant in 2012. As a fashion influencer, she has collaborated with many fashion and beauty brands, such as Kipling and L'Oréal. She also owns a restaurant in Rhode Island.

Hong Kong rapper, singer, and dancer Jackson Wang gained international popularity as a member of the South Korean boy group Got7. Born into a family with a rich legacy in sports, he played multiple sports as a teenager before he began his entertainment career. He is the recipient of many BreakTudo Awards.

After losing his parents at 10, Louis Vuitton ran away to Paris, where he gained repute as a box-maker/packer, and was even hired by Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie de Montijo. He then founded the iconic French fashion and luxury goods brand Louis Vuitton, which now operates in 50 countries.

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. 

Wendy Williams is an American media personality, businesswoman, television host, and author. She was the subject of a TV series titled The Wendy Williams Experience, which chronicles her work as a radio show host and her on-air spats with celebrities. As a businesswoman, Williams has created several product lines, including a jewelry collection, a fashion line, and a wig line.

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.

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.

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.

Best known for her appearance on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Brandi Glanville is a designer and model who has also hosted podcasts and released two bestselling books. Apart from working with brands such as Valentino and Gucci, she has also appeared in movies such as The Hungover Games.

American figure skating champion Johnny Weir is also a two-time Olympian and has several medals in his kitty, including a bronze in the 2008 World Championship. The son of a nuclear engineer father, he was a skilled equestrian before he began training in skating at 12.

Tina Knowles is an American fashion designer and businesswoman. In 2004, she launched House of Deréon, a now-defunct ready-to-wear fashion line. While her fashion brands, such as Miss Tina and House of Deréon, have been generally regarded as one of her most important contributions, her biggest contribution to the society is letting her daughters, Beyoncé and Solange ,follow their passion.