Top Designers To Watch: Part 1By Reine Gammo [Ladies Fashion]
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 One of the most iconic designers and brands in fashion history, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) was founded in 1962 by couturier Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé. YSL’s history in fashion is marked with many firsts, including designing the most famous tuxedo for women in 1966, being the first to popularize ready-to-wear and being the first to use black models in runway shows. In 1993, YSL was bought by pharmaceutical brand Sanofi for $600 million and later sold in 1999 to the Gucci Group. Between 1998 and 1999, Alber Elbaz, now chief designer of Lanvin, designed for the fashion house, until Tom Ford took over design for ready-to-wear and Saint Laurent took over design for the haute couture collections. Sadly, in 2002 the couture house was closed down, yet the prêt-à-porter line survives under the direction of Stefano Pilati after Ford left in 2004. The brand’s look is more French, with Pilati decidedly steering away from being contemporary and conventional. YSL’s clothes speak for themselves; they are classic, refined and always elegant. YSL is to thank for taking items from menswear into womenswear, like the blazer, leather jackets and the pantsuit. Balmain Pierre Balmain founded this label in 1945 with an objective of dressing women in the right way for the right time. Balmain died in 1982 and the fashion house was taken over by Erik Mortensen who was succeeded by Oscar de la Renta in 1993 until 2001. The brand was known for its luxurious and classical designs until Christophe Decarnin took over in 2006 with the Fall collection of that year. Decarnin’s vision is edgier and more contemporary than the previous direction for the house and in 2008 and 2009, the brand experienced a shining spotlight on the house’s designs that took fashion magazines and runways by storm and was seen on celebrities and stylists alike. Decarnin was responsible for the reinvented popularity and design of the military jacket and studs in the past two years and for the house’s enduring popularity in the fashion scene today. His designs are reflective of the Parisian lifestyle that he admires so much and are suitable for anything from hanging out with friends for drinks to clubbing all night long. Coming Up In Part 2, we’ll take a look at such great designers as Lanvin, Proenza Schouler and Alexander McQueen. Top Designers To Watch: Part 2 |
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