The fashion industry is an artistic amalgam of the production, design, marketing, and selling of accessories and clothes. However, in the 21st century, this industry has been highly globalized – with many countries engaging in different specific tasks. The most important part of this industry is undoubtedly, a fashion designer. From designing trendy clothes with high-quality fabrics, to deciding on the best color for the seasoned shoes and accessories, they make and sell their art to several retail companies and consumers.
Best Fashion Designers of the 21st Century
Contrary to popular opinion, being an ardent lover of fashion is not only for the young. There are many fashion designers who’ve spent their entire lives learning the skill of fashion designing and are sharing their art with the world till now. There are many fashion designers of the 21st century, who emerged to the stardom as the best artists in their region and even gained international fame. In this article, we’re going to take a look at their lives and learn a little bit about their art.
1. Giorgio Armani
Starting his fashion career in native Italy, Armani freelanced for many design houses of menswear. In 1975, his first ready-to-wear collection of men and women was launched under his name. He also designed Lady Gaga’s stage costumes, Olympians, and interiors of his resorts and hotels. Perusing his love for fashion, Armani developed a retail network of 60 Giorgio boutiques, 122 Emporio Armani, 11 Collezioni, 1 Giorgio Armani Accessori, 13 Armani Junior, and 94 A/X Armani exchange in 37 different countries.
2. Coco Chanel
Being the only fashion designer making her way into the Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, Coco is rightfully called a legend in the world of fashion designing. She was a splendid French fashion designer and also a founder of the famous CHANEL brand. Her versatile designs, ultra-modern thinking, and pursuit of simplicity made her one of the most influential figures in 20th-century fashion. In the post-World War I era, she was also credited with popularizing the sporty and casual chic as the feminine standard of style.
3. Carolina Herrera
Carolina began her career in New York City and has been designing clothes for celebrities since then. The first ladies, from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama, every one of them wore her feminine and classic designs. She is a great celebrator and an admirer of the female figure and expresses those emotions by adding unique trim details, luscious fabrics, and fluid hemlines to her designs. A crisp white blouse is a must in her line every new season.
4. Victoria Beckham
Born in England, Victoria Beckham is recognized as one of the best female fashion designers across the globe. Her fashion career mainly revolved around designing a jeans collection for Rock & Republic (American Jeans Brand). Later, she also designed her own denim brand, called dVb Style. Beckham also successfully launched a range of sunglasses and perfumes in the United Kingdom and the United States. Additionally, being a passionate lover of fashion and design, she collaborated with Samantha Thavasa & Shiatzy Chen and produced an array of handbags and jewelry.
5. Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein is one of the top fashion designers in America, who released his first line of fitting jeans in 1974, which successfully launched him into the mainstream. Over time, his splendid clothing line has expanded to men’s and women’s wear, cosmetics, fragrances, and home collections. Because of his formal and classic dresses that sit at the lower end of the fashion spectrum, many businesswomen around the world still prefer clothes designed by Klein.
6. Virgil Abloh
Abloh was an architect and a famous American fashion designer. In 2018, he worked as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection. In early 2021, he was also given extremely creative responsibilities across the LVMH brand. Abloh was the first Black designer to lead a famous fashion brand. Additionally, he also launched the line of luxury streetwear, called Off-White, which consisted of the latest collections of shoes, clothes, and accessories.
7. Deepak Perwani
Deepak Perwani is a Pakistani fashion designer. From the house of Deepak Perwani, The Deepak Perwani label is an Haute couture and luxury prêt brand that offers minimalistic and modern contemporary designs. In 1994, Deepak started his brand with a menswear line. Since then, the brand has successfully been dominating the market for bridal, men’s formal, and casual ready-to-wear clothing. He won many awards, including the best International designer at Miami fashion week and the 6th innovative design house in the world at the world Bulgarian Fashion Awards.
8. Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren is an American fashion designer who’s celebrated for his magnificent fashion sense that embodies classic innovation, chic sophistication, and unique style. In 1970, Ralph showcased the first Polo logo in his splendid line of women’s suits that were elegantly designed in the classic men’s style. Two years later, the well-known short sleeve shirt with the famous Polo emblem appeared again and became a classic. The shirts prevailed since then, and are being appreciated by fashion enthusiasts throughout the world.
9. Tom Ford
Tom Ford is known as one of the most contemporary fashion designers, for creating high-end accessories and clothes with distinctive and quirky designs that we can’t get enough of. Before creating his own label, Ford served as creative director for Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. This Texas-born style icon wanted to be an actor, but fate wanted to design him another way. In 2000, Ford’s popularity reached its peak when he won the award for Best International Designer.
10. Iris Van Harpen
Being a significant part of the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week since 2007, Iris Van Harpen made her way into the fashion industry in no time. She’s a Dutch fashion designer and currently residing in Amsterdam. Iris makes use of 3D printing to create versatile garments and collaborates with different architects and scientists. Her designs are mostly described as living organisms. The indescribable fluidity and complexity of these designs make them unfamiliar and new to the masses.
Designer Clothes & Accessories – A Modern Day Necessity
The fashion industry came a long way from the mere designing of clothing. Now the term ‘fashion designing’ also covers the designing process of several fashion accessories, such as bags, jewelry, and footwear. With the evolution of this industry, people also evolved with time and now prefer to wear designer clothes and accessories and remain trendy in their gatherings. With more number of creative and breathtaking apparel and accessories hitting the market every single minute, more people are spellbound by their splendid designs and have no choice but to make them one of their everyday necessities. That’s why, a fashion scholar, S. Kaiser rightfully says,
“Fashion is a way of self-expression and autonomy in a particular period and in a certain context through clothing, accessories, lifestyle, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture”.
