The world was never the same as it is now. Change is a must and fashion is the most quintessential tool for change. How we dress and what textiles we use greatly influence our surroundings and our lifestyle as a whole.
Our dressing sense today has been greatly influenced by a few fashion designers who are worth being grateful for. If they never pushed the boundaries we would have never understood what fashion and styling were all about. Here is a list of the top 10 most influential Fashion Designers in the world of all time.
Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel is the most remarkable fashion designer the world has ever known. She was French by descent and was the founder of the extravagant brand Chanel. Coco Chanel is remembered for her modern thought and her practical pursuit of simplicity which made her the most influential fashion designer of the 20th-century fashion industry. Her designs were known for their sportier comfort and were more relaxing than other fashions of her time as they made women free of the corset.
Coco introduced collarless cardigans and bell-bottom pants which swayed over the haute couture for as many as six decades. She was well known for creating the ‘little black dress and of course Chanel’s USP- the Chanel No. 5, the most famous fragrance of all time.
Salvatore Ferragamo
Salvatore Ferragamo is known for creating one of the world’s most high-end footwear brands. He is an Italian shoemaker and he first launched his company in Florence, Italy in 1927 designing and manufacturing women’s shoes. He produced around 350 pairs of handmade shoes each day with a crew of 700 shoemakers back in the 1950s.
His creative and very practical approach towards footwear led him to create innovations like wedge and cage heels. In 1960, Ferragamo asked his family to continue creating the “perfect” footwear and today his brand sells the most luxurious footwear and leather products.
Christian Dior
After World War II when the world needed a distraction from the grief, Christian Dior made glamour a way to celebrate the newfound peace. He brought the bright futuristic designs on the forefront. He is most known for creating fuller skirts, small shoulders and lower hemline.
Dior’s iconic “New Look” silhouette and the “A-line” dresses became a hit amongst women’s couture and evening wear in the 1950s. His dresses were a statement for women empowerment, feminism and arts.
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristobal Balenciaga is considered one of the most influential fashion designers in the world. He created the designs of the most wonderful evening wear with his marvelous tailoring. Today his brand sells the most popular and chic street fashion clothing that is comfortable and known for its high-end status.
Hubert de Givenchy
Audry Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy are the duo who gave each other the break that both of them needed in the fashion industry. Audrey Hepburn is known as the most influential muse of this French designer Givenchy.
His first fashion house attended to the needs of creating coats and ball gowns in 1952 which attracted much attention from the fashion industry. He is known for designing the famous dresses that Hepburn wore in the very glamor dedicated first-of-its-kind film, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” .
Pierre Balmain
A French couturier, Pierre Balmain is identified as one of the greatest fashion designers that France ever produced. His partnership with Christian Dior gave out and he never got the same fame as his contemporaries in his time.
He is the designer who is credited with launching the first-ever Revlon perfume and was also known for designing iconic dresses for Queen Sirikit of Thailand.
Edith Head
Eccentric glasses and a short haircut – you know who I am talking about. Edith Head is the most popular fashion designer known for her record for winning eight Academy Awards for the Best Costume Design throughout her career.
Edith Head was the director of costume design for Paramount Pictures and is an inspiration for the beguiling character of Edna Moda in the superhero animation film The Incredibles. She did design superhero costumes with a real glitzy choice of textiles.
Yves Saint Laurent
French fashion couturier Yves Saint Laurent is known for being Christian Dior’s prodigal student. After his breakthrough win in the chancery after a row with Dior, he started his label. Today Yves Saint Laurent offers the most comfortable and astute clothing brand in the world.
He is credited with the creation of smoking jackets for men and making them a fashion demand for women alike. He brought the famous beatnik look of turtlenecks and black leather jackets. Ready-to-wear fashion is his brainchild.
Valentino Garavani
Valentino Garavani is an Italian designer well known for creating the quintessential “Valentino Red”, his signature fabric. He was born in Italy but soon moved to Paris to train himself as a fashion designer at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts fashion school.
He was the personal favorite stylist of Jacqueline Kennedy and has worked with influential fashion giants like Dessus and Laroche.
Miuccia Prada
Aha! Last but not least, who doesn’t know about Miuccia Prada, our most favorite fashion designer on the list. Prada’s perfect, chic and high-end handbags and footwear company is today a multi-billion dollar company. She was also a member of the Italian Communist Party and a mime student.
Miuccia Prada is known for her innovative fabrics and technologically influenced patterns. She made her presence reminiscing with her 1985 collection of black nylon handbags.
They are in the heart of the fashion industry today. Every fashion designer, model, superstar, fashionista, revolutionary, and expressionist is grateful for these few champions of textile. They transformed the world with their minimalist styling and brought comfort to its prime.