Please help us name the top 10 fashion designers!

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oh i just saw that, my apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I´d appreciate if some people would read the headline a bit more carefully... the question was not "who are your ten favourite designers", but who are the most influential ones. Thank you.

Well, I just reread, and it didn't actually say influential, it said "top 10." I understand that doesn't mean "who are your 10 favorites," but I thought it allowed for interpretation. Some of mine were on my list due to merit rather than influence (and I felt free to leave off those I don't like in order to make room for those I do B)).

As long as we are making observations ... It seems to me that a number of the designers mentioned here are really just resting on their laurels these days ... Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, and company. Sure, these designers all do an enviable amount of boldface and red carpet business, but what have they done for fashion lately?

 

[zamb]

it would be nice if the person who stated this thread clarify what is mean by "top Ten"
and if there is a criteria/ criterion to determine this.

I am taking the liberty of interpreting "top ten" to mean those who have influenced or made significant contributions to fashion in the last ten years.

my ten are:
hussien chalayan- the collection that emptied the living room

alexander mcqueen- fashion theater and entertainment

jean paul gaultier- infinite creativity & the only modern haute couture house

olivier theyskens- gothic dreams aesthetic, and elegance for the young

john galliano- bias cuts, theatre and commercial success

rei kawakubo- gave us an unconventional view of fashion

yoji yamamoto- fashions great poet (also an unconventional view of fashion)

martin margiela- he and Rei made deconstruction mainstream

nicolas ghesqueire- ?..I can realy say what he did but i like his work

Muiccia Prada- I put her on reluctantly as she is better with shoes ( i own four pairs) than clothes ( i dont like her clothes niether Femme nor Homme)

there are others than i could have listed but chose not to but i will just name a few that we could make a strong case for

Karl lagerfeld (its amazing what he does at his age, especially with his long standing rival YSL being long retired

ralph lauren
marc jacobs
alber elbaz
(i chose not to list him because he doesnt design under his own name and while i repect him as a good designer he has only made significant strides lately.
(kind of hypocritical as ghesqueire doesnt design under his own name either).

richard tyler
azzedine alaia (you won't understand now but will a few years from now his importance, he is one of only three living designers who can rival Cristobal Balenciaga in technique, the other two being, Richard tyler and Emmanuel Ungaro.

 

[peacelover142002]

no order:

1. Karl Lagerfeld
2. John Galliano
3. Nicolas Ghesquire
4. Alber Elbaz
5. Marc Jacobs
6. Miuccia Prada
7. Phoebe Philo
8. p
9. l
10. l

 

[dizzytacks]

Ghesquière, kakolosaki,lagerfeld,galliano,jacobs,prada,ford,Mcqueen,elbaz,yamamoto

 

[peacelover142002]

sorry, computer's acting up...

thosel last three are olivier theyskens, alexander mcqueen, and tom ford.

 

[bp22]

all - great lists!!

 

[mkd1187]

designers

In no order

1. Hedi Slimane
2. Raf Simons
3. Helmut Lang
4. John Galliano
5. Ann Demeulemeesterf60/ann-demeulemeester-7907.html
6. Marc Jacobs
7. Nicolas Ghesquiere
8. Karl Lagerfeld
9. Dries Van Noten
10. Alexander McQueen

 

[Mathewthew]

Alexander McQueen
John Galliano
Nicolas Guesquière
Marc Jacobs
Stefano Pilati
Vivienne Westwood
Tom Ford
Rei Kawakubo
Martin Margiela
Zac Pozen

 

[Tushka_BeLLa]

Tom Ford
John Galliano
Miuccia Prada
Karl Lagerfeld
Alexander McQueen
Nicolas Guesquière
Alber Elbaz
Marc Jacobs
Stefano Pilati

I think you're spot on here

 

[dirty funk]

1 Rei Kawakubo
2 Yohji Yamamoto
3 Vivienne Westwood
4 Hedi Slimane
5 Junia Watanabe
6 John Galliano
7 A. McQueen
8 M.Prada
9 Marc Jacobs
10 Paul Smith

 

[AudiEC]

These are all interesting lists, but the person interested in knowing this info might want reasons. I'm interested to know the criteria and reasons myself. For instance, why is Hedi Slimane and Nicolas Ghesquiere so often on these lists, while Tom Ford and Karl are not so revered. When I think of influence I often think of global identity and image.

For example, Tom Ford's Gucci produced spectacular gowns and revived the brand. Who doesn't know Karl's work, (He designs for 3 houses I believe) and Chanel is still the epitome of luxury.

 

[fashionista-ta]

These are all interesting lists, but the person interested in knowing this info might want reasons. I'm interested to know the criteria and reasons myself. For instance, why is Hedi Slimane and Nicolas Ghesquiere so often on these lists, while Tom Ford and Karl are not so revered. When I think of influence I often think of global identity and image.

For example, Tom Ford's Gucci produced spectacular gowns and revived the brand. Who doesn't know Karl's work, (He designs for 3 houses I believe) and Chanel is still the epitome of luxury.

Well, the original post asked for the top 10 designers "of today." Tom Ford and Gucci were yesterday.

As for Karl, he's surrounded by hype, and by his own admission, he's been phoning it in at Fendi for awhile (until this season). Yes, Karl designed the B. Fendi buckle that's making a splash in accessories for spring, but his James Dean show for Chanel was a mess ... Karl is almost more of a promoter than a designer these days. I think Coco might find today's Chanel rather vulgar, and not in a good way. Not to mention the fact that skinny Karl is just plain mean ...

As for Hedi and Nicolas, Hedi is widely believed to be the top menswear designer (though some say he's been slipping of late) and has a cult following among women as well, and Nicolas just had what was widely thought to be the best spring fashion show, almost single-handedly charting a new (baroque) direction for fashion. The same show also had a strong and directional rock n roll theme. He's also a fairly consistent performer.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Does Karl Lagerfeld really influence anyone?

 

[Pastry]

i don't want to post my list, but i will post this. a question that's asked in this thread is a bit of a disaster. i've seen threads similar to this one turn into a giant "playing favourites" game too many times.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Well, the original post asked for the top 10 designers "of today." Tom Ford and Gucci were yesterday.

As for Karl, he's surrounded by hype, and by his own admission, he's been phoning it in at Fendi for awhile (until this season). Yes, Karl designed the B. Fendi buckle that's making a splash in accessories for spring, but his James Dean show for Chanel was a mess ... Karl is almost more of a promoter than a designer these days. I think Coco might find today's Chanel rather vulgar, and not in a good way. Not to mention the fact that skinny Karl is just plain mean ...

As for Hedi and Nicolas, Hedi is widely believed to be the top menswear designer (though some say he's been slipping of late) and has a cult following among women as well, and Nicolas just had what was widely thought to be the best spring fashion show, almost single-handedly charting a new (baroque) direction for fashion. The same show also had a strong and directional rock n roll theme. He's also a fairly consistent performer.

If you have a look on recent H&M offerings you will see that A LOT of their menswear offerings are labeled as "slim fit" these days, especially the skinny jean obsession, the shirts with skinny ties, retro-striped t-shirts, and all these things would have never been as popular as that if Hedi Slimane didn´t design the Dior Homme collection. Karl Lagerfeld´s own signature collection, Lagerfeld Gallery, is as well very much influenced by Dior Homme, all these sharp suits with white shirts and skinny ties, that´s practically all Dior Homme, but through the eyes of Karl Lagerfeld (who is himself wearing almost exclusively Dior Homme).

Dito for Nicolas Guesquière, all those navy/sailor inspired pieces (especially those little jackets and full leg pants with gold accents) from S/S 2005 were copied everywhere, the same goes for bubble skirts (a/w 2004), cropped perfectos (a/w 2004), cargo pants (s/s 2002) and skinny trousers, all of these are Balenciaga essentials that have found their way into the mainstream. Influential opinion leaders such as Kate Moss, Sienna Miller or Chloe Sevigny helped promote the look... and last but not least... how about those infamous motorcycle bags, which had been copied everywhere??

 

[world]

my fav has dot to be J.G for dior as he is leading the fashion world in a new direction

 

[jazspin]

My list, in no particular order

1. Karl Lagerfield
2. Stefano Pilati
3. Miuccia Prada
4. Stella McCartney
5. Marc Jacobs
6. Alber Elbaz
7. Tom Ford
8. Alexander McQueen
9. Nicholas Ghesquiere
10. Olivier Theyskens

 

[AudiEC]

tricotineacetat you make very good points. I did think about H&M and you are right, one could see the influence of Slimane and Ghesquiere. I liked the SS06 Balenciaga show, however one does not often hear these names in the popular media even though their influence is felt in mainstream brands like H&M. Saint Laurent and Lagerfeld respect Slimane tremendously and this must be a great honor for these young designers.

 

[subliminal]

in my own opinion, the influential designers of today are as follows:


miuccia prada
narciso rodriguez
alber elbaz
nicholas ghesquiere
marc jacobs
olivier theyskens
alexander mcqueen
rei kawakubo
stella mccartney
stefano pilati

i would have listed tom ford but he's gone for awhile.