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 Alberta Ferretti is an Italian designer known for her beautifuul, glamourous and feminine dresses. Ferretti owns are often seen on A list celebrities such as Scarlet Johansson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Uma Thurman. The key to Ferretti's popularity is the simplicity, elegance and delicateness of her designs. Alberta created her first collection in 1974, her first company Aefe was founded in 1980 followed by Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti in 1984. Since then she has gone on to distribute many other designer brands such as Moshino and also open boutiques in London and many other cities. Armani is an Italian fashion company, founded in Milan in 1975 by Georgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti. The company manufactures fashion, accessories, fragances, jewellry and home interiors under a number of labels including Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Junior, Armani Exchange. Armani has recently also moved into Haute Couture with its Armani Privé line. The fashion house of Balenciaga was founded by Cristobal Balenciaga, a spanish designer in 1937. He experienced almost immmediate sucess in Paris. After the war, his designs became linear and sleek, diverging from the 'new look' popularised by Christian Dior. His trademarks included heavy fabrics with intricate embrodiery, tunic dresses, baby doll dresses, empire line and high waisted dresses and coats. The House of Balenciaga was aquired by Gucci group in partnership with Nicholas Ghesquire as Creative Director. Today the house of Balenciaga creates womens and mens ready to wear shoes and accessories. The Parisian fashion house Chanel was founded by Gabrielle Chanel, also known as Coco Chanel, in 1909. She held the title of chief designer until her death in 1971. Coco Chanel's fashions became known throughout France for their fliud and comfortable lines. Many of her designs were inspired by male clothing. In 1926 she introduced the little black dress and tweed suits inspired by visits to Scotland and the Duke of Westminster. Karl Lagerfield has been the creative director of Chanel since 1983 and changed the predicable styles to some more eyecatching designs. In 2006 a new luxury line was released featuring a metal chain and leather bag. Thas has become one of the most desirable bags of the moment.
A French luxury design fashion house, founded in 1952 by Jacques Lenoir and Gaby Aghion. Chloe has empoloyed many influential designers including Karl Lagerfeld and Stella Mcartney. Most recently Phoebe Philo took over in 2001 and brought an an image that the company calls "luxurious, romantic and quinessentially French.". Philo also designed a number of bags that werw idely copied including the Padding bag in 2004. Paulo Melim Andersson joined in 2006 to find a new direction for Chloe. The See by Chloe diffusion range offers a much cheaper alternative to the main label.
Christian Dior established his main fashion house in 1949. He was a very influential French fashion designer responsible for the 'New Look' a term coined by Carmel Snow the Editor in chief of Harpers Bazaar. The New Look revolutionised womens fashion after WW2, when womens style wa very much influenced by the rationing of fabric. He expertly created voluptious shapesand silhouttes. His clothes were charaterised by boned bustier style bodices, wasp waisted corsets and petticoates, making the dresses flare from the waist. John Galliano is now the chief desiner for Dior. His aproach to fashion represents that of Dior when he started in 1947. Galliano creates a similar romantic feminine look emphasising luxury rather than comfort. Christian Lacroix's couture house opened in 1987 after experience of working at Hermes and with Jean-Jacques Picart. He then launched his ready to wear collection in 1988. His designs drew inspiration from many diverse cultures and his clothes are known for their theatrical colourfulness. He has since launched many diffussion lines including a jeans line, bazaar line, lingerie and menswear. Christopher Kane Christopher Kane, a Glasgow born, London based fashion designer graduated from Central St Martins College in 2006 and has since been a huge hit at London fashion week. His designs are stocked by Browns, Dover Street Market, Barneys, Corso Como, Villa Moda, Browns in London, Maria Luisa in Paris and Quatar. Kane has an impressive CV. Whilst at college, he worked for Russell Sage and Giles Deacon. He won the the Lancôme Colour Award in 2005 followed by the the Harrods Design Award for his MA Graduate collection. He was immediately hired by Versace to work on the Atelier collection and consult on shoes and accessories. He also has his own name label which he runs with his sister Tammy. Diane Von Furstenberg is an American designer known for her hallmark knitted wrap dress, launched in 1973. In 1997 after more than a decade she sucessfully relaunched her high end line. In 1999, responding to a growing demand from younger more sophisticated customers she focused her retail strategy on smaller more speciality stores and expanded her signature line to include separates and accessories. Dolce and Gabbana was founded by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The brand includes 2 main lines D & G which is the most casual line and Dolce & Gabbana which is more desigenr led and luxurious. Fendi was started in 1918 as a leather and fur shop by Adele Casagrande who later married Edoardo Fendi in 1925. The brand became popular when it was associated with german designer Karl Lagerfeld and was then introduced to the US by Bloomingdales. Fendi launched its first ready to wear collection in 1969 as a range of clothes to be worn under its furs. The companies acccesories and handbags are highly sort after luxury fashion goods. Giles Deacon Giles is a graduate of Central St Martins College and has his designs have soared in popularity. His beautifully crafted and innovatively designed evening gowns and cocktail dresses are worn by stars such as Thandie Newton. Giles has his own signature label and also designs for luxury brand Daks aswell as various other collaborations such as New Look. Givenchy was founded by Hubert de Givenchy in 1952. Since his retirement in 1995 he has been suceeded by John Galliano, then Alexander McQueen. Most recently Julien McDonald has been appointed as artistic director for womens clothes in 2001 and Ozwald Boteng as designer for the mens range in 2003. Givenchy is now owned by LVMH, a European luxury goods company, that also owns Dior. They sell ready to wear mens and womens ranges aswell as Haute Couture. The Italian fashion and leather goods brand, house of Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci, in Florence in 1906. It is arguably one of the most prestigious fashion brands in the world. Designers that have worked for Gucci include Tom Ford and Calvin Klein. Louis Vuitton is a leather goods and fashion company and is a division of the holding company LVMH Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy S.A based in Paris. It was founded in 1892 by Louis Vuitton and the luggage created by the company became a symbol of luxury. The monogram was created by Louis's son George in 1896 to prevent counterfeiting. Ironically the brand and mongram is now widely counterfeited.
A luxury Italian fashion house founded in 1951 by Achille Maramotti. Max Mara was originally for mens formal wear but has since changed to womens wear. Many influential designer have worked for Max Mara including Karl Lagerfeld and Dolce and Gabbanna. Max Mara brand includes nearly 20 labels including Sports Max and Marina Rinaldi. The brand is now run by Achille’s two sons.
Prada was originally founded in Milan in 1913 by Mario Prada as Prada Brothers a leather goods buisness. It was later inherited by his grandaughter Miuccia who moved into couture and changed the company into what is now arguably the most influential of all clothing designers. Prada also has a diffussion line Miu Mui which is also considered very influential in its own right.
Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney daughter of ex Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney graduated from London’s Central St Martins College of Art & Design in 1995. She became recognised in the fashion world when her graduation show featured friends Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. She has since proved herself to be a skilled designer and was appointed chief designer at Chloe in 1995 succeeding Karl Lagerfeld. Stella is a strict vegetarian and does not use fur, silk, lambs wool or leather in her designs.
Versace was founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. In 1997 Gianna Versace was murdered. His sister Donnatella Versace became the creative director. Today Versace has 81 boutiques around the world and have a number of brands within the group including Gianni Versace Couture, Versace Jeans Couture, Versace Home Collection and Versace Collection. Vivienne Westwood is known for her revolutionising British fashion with her punk and new wave designs sold from her shop in Kings road from the seventies. Her designs were outrageous and also incorporated more traditional elements of British style such as tartan. Her punk style became popular after the sex pistols wore clothes from her shop for their first gig. She now sells her label Anglomania from her Kings Road Shop which is now called Worlds End. Zac Posen, a graduate of Central St Martins became well known when a dress he had made for Naomi Campbell was passed among several fashion insiders. In October 2001 he was chosen to present a capsule collection as part of GenArt's Fresh Faces in Fashion New York 2001. Following the success of his first catwalk show in 2001, he set up his design studio in Tribeca. Zac Posen continues to win awards including the Council of Fashion Designers of America's 2004 Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear. 
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