Fashion Designers by Sara McDowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0 Who's Your *Favorite*? Consider the clothing line, how the fashion show is staged, etc. en-us 2019-06-21 17:59:52 UTC 2025-10-19 05:50:26 UTC hello@padlet.com Calvin Klein (b. 1942) Birthplace: New York City, New York. The American designer was known as much for his brand’s controversial ads as for the apparel line. Klein’s clothes were simple, comfortable, and relatively expensive, and American consumers responded favorably to his collections. Ads featuring a teenaged Brooke Shields wearing Calvin Klein jeans (“Nothing comes between me and my Calvins”) was pilloried in some circles as objectifying young girls. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368674524 2019-06-21 18:03:20 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368674524 Donatella Versace (b. 1955) (Gianni Versace) (b.1946-1997) Birthplace: Reggio Calabria, Italy. Renowned Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered 20 years ago in his mansion in Miami Beach, Florida. His sister, Donatella, also a well-regarded fashion designer, took over the creative side of production after his passing. Gianni goes down in history for introducing the fashion industry to modern street culture. He was the designer to iconic public figures, celebrities, and even royalty, most notably Princess Diana. Donatella began working for her brother in the 1970s and now runs the show. Currently, as chief designer and vice president of the Versace Group, Donatella is worth $200 million. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368674927 2019-06-21 18:08:45 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368674927 Valentino (b. 1932) Birthplace: Voghera, Italy Valentino is one of the most well-regarded fashion designers in the world. He left home in 1949 to receive formal training in Paris, where he studied fashion at École des Beaux-Arts. The year 1960 would be the most pivotal point in his career because this is when he met his partner in business Giancarlo Giammetti. Giammetti was an architect, and together they created the brand we gawk over today, Valentino SpA. Jacqueline Kennedy was one of Valentino’s eminent clients. Valentino is perhaps best known for his clothes sporting his signature fabric shade, “Valentino red.” slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675125 2019-06-21 18:11:30 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675125 Giorgio Armani (b. 1934) Birthplace: Piacenza, Italy Armani is famous for his androgynous approach to fashion. He softened the image of men by dressing them in fabrics worn by women, and he gave women the power suit using elements found in men’s suits. Armani’s fame was bolstered when Richard Gere’s character in the movie “American Gigolo” wore the designer’s tailored suits. Armani eventually added perfume, a jeans line, sportswear, and couture dresses. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675325 2019-06-21 18:13:33 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675325 Coco Chanel (1883-1971) Saumur, France Coco Chanel held sway over haute couture for six decades. Chanel’s collections were casual clothes that were elegantly styled. In 1954 she introduced the collarless cardigan jacket and bell-bottom pants. Chanel was famous for her quilted purses, the “little black dress,” and her perfume -- Chanel No. 5 -- possibly the most famous fragrance of all time. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675500 2019-06-21 18:15:32 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675500 Ralph Lauren (b. 1939) Birthplace: New York City, New York Born as Ralph Lipschitz, Ralph and his brother changed their last name to Lauren in high school after years of bullying. Unlike a majority of the acclaimed fashion designers on this list, Lauren was born into a relatively poor family. After high school, he took up a day job as a salesman and took business classes at night. To say his hard work and perseverance paid off is an understatement. Today, Ralph Lauren has a net worth of $7.3 billion. Lauren designed clothing for actors in the 1974 film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” and for the movie “Annie Hall” in 1977. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675706 2019-06-21 18:17:45 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368675706 Christian Dior (1905-1957) Birthplace: Granville, France Few designers dominated the fashion industry as Christian Dior did after World War II. Dior’s creations featured a lower hemline on dresses, small shoulders, and fuller skirts, a contrast to the padded shoulders and shorter skirts look from years past. Dior is credited with restoring French clothiers to the exalted status they enjoyed before the war. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368677509 2019-06-21 18:34:51 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368677509 Domenico Dolce (b. 1958) and Stefano Gabbana (b. 1962) Birthplace: Dolce (Palermo, Italy), Gabbana (Milan, Italy) The Italian pair announced themselves a force to be reckoned with at the Milan fashion week in 1985 with their “Sicilian widow” look that featured black lace. From there they expanded into knitwear and accessories. They also gained notice when Madonna wore their bejeweled corset to the Cannes Film Festival. Later, Dolce and Gabbana would be known for their reimagining of intimate apparel for outerwear and their use of animal prints and colorful apparel. slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368681828 2019-06-21 19:29:26 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368681828 Top Ten Fashion Centers in the World: slmcdowell https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368974701 1. Paris
2. New York, New York
3. London
4. Los Angeles
5. Rome
6. Milan
7. Barcelona
8. Berlin
9. Madrid
10. Tokyo]]> 2019-06-24 17:05:20 UTC https://padlet.com/slmcdowell/cprgwiit5a0/wish/368974701