Christian Lacroix
top french fashion designer
About: Born on 16 May 1956, Lacroix moved to Paris in 1971, where he studied at the Sorbonne and the Ecole du Louvre, where he planned a career as a museum curator. Instead, he began designing-, first for Hermes (1978), then Guy Paulin (1980) and Patou (1981) before being offered the keys to his own couture house by Bernard Arnault of LVMH in 1987.
Jean Paul Gaultier
famous french designer
About: Born in 1952, he was beguiled by fashion from a young age and would sketch showgirls from the Folies Bergere to impress his classmates. In the early ’70s he trained under Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou, eventually launching his own ready-to-wear collection in 1976.
Sonia Rykiel
famous french fashion designer
About: Born in 1952, he was beguiled by fashion from a young age and would sketch showgirls from the Folies Bergere to impress his classmates. In the early ’70s he trained under Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou, eventually launching his own ready-to-wear collection in 1976.
Christophe Lemaire
Lacoste fashion designer
About: Born in Besangon, France, in April 1965, Lemaire initially assisted at the Yves Saint Laurent design studio before going on to work for Thierry Mugler and Jean Patou. Through the Jean Patou house he met Christian Lacroix who was so impressed with the young designer that he appointed him head of his own woman’s ready-to-wear line in 1987.
Frenchman Nicolas Ghesquiere
Balenciaga fashion designer
About: When the great Cristobal Balenciaga closed the doors of his couture house in 1968 he lamented, “There is no one left worth dressing.” For decades the house lay dormant until 26-year-old Frenchman Nicolas Ghesquiere was appointed creative director of Balenciaga in 1997 after the departure of Josephus Thimister.