ashion is a man's work and woman's play, or so it often seems in the fashion world today. Ironically enough, the people behind some of our favourite design houses are men. Don't get us wrong, we adore female designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Stella McCartney and the women behind a number of other to-die-for labels. Men, however, have always seemed to have a way with knowing what looks truly sensual on a woman, and designers today are no different. Here's a look at the men behind some of our favorite labels.
Tom Ford
The oldest of the bunch and the cream of the crop Tom Ford, for now, heads up Gucci Group. As creative director for the company, Ford brought glamour and style back to a sagging industry. He was cited, along with Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent as one of the greats of fashion by the New York Times.
Ford was born in Austin Texas in 1962 and went on to attend New York University, party all night at Studio 54, and briefly pursue acting before turning his focus to fashion. He worked for designers Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis and then signed with Gucci in 1990 to design the women's ready-to-wear collection. In 1994 he became the creative director at Gucci. Under Ford's direction, Gucci ventured into men's and women's sportswear and evening clothes, and even home furnishings; a turn around for a company known for its leather goods and accessories.
Under Ford's leadership and his business partner Domenico De Sole revitalized the House of Gucci. The house went from $200 million in revenue to $3 billion. The dynamic duo created a conglomerate with subsidiaries that include the brands of Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen.
With the Gucci Group, Ford designs eight collections a year, including Gucci in London and YSL Rive Gauche in Paris. He has an eye for what the public wants. He not only designs the men's and women's lines, but shoes, accessories, luggage and oversees the company's advertising campaigns and fragrances. He is heavily involved in the business side of the Group.
In late 2003, Ford and De Sole announced that they would be leaving Gucci Group in
2004. Control was at the heart of the decision. Ford won't say what's next for him. He's always had an interest in film and may make the switch from fashion to movies. His fashion legacy hopefully will carry onto the four in-house designers who are replacing him.
Christopher Bailey
If you've never heard of Christopher Bailey, do not fear, you are not out of the loop. Bailey is the creative force behind Burberry. He took a classic British house and revitalized the style. Bailey is in charge of Burberry's Prorsum label, where his creativity in blending classic Burberry style with London street style has infused the posh house with a new breath of life. The New York Times said of Bailey's 2002 collections, "Just as Dior under John Galliano now stands for a chaotic blend of the old and the impudently new, so should Burberry under Mr. Bailey."
Bailey has a Masters of Arts from the Royal College of Art in London. He worked with Donna Karan before moving to Gucci in 1996 as a senior designer. In May 2001, Bailey was named design director of Burberry. Burberry London, the brand's core range collection is still designed by an in-house team.
Under his direction Burberry has once again come to the forefront in fashion. And, really, he's just managed to make the label exude cool.
Nicolas Ghesquière
The House of Balenciaga is rich in history. Founder Cristóbal Balenciaga was once described by Christian Dior as "the master of us all." Balenciaga is clothes for real women in the real world.
Styles are severely tailored and flattering to the wearer. Nicolas Ghesquière love affair with the house began in the early nineties but his love for design began much younger.
Ghesquière grew up in Loudun, a small town in France. At the age of 14 he got an internship with designer Agnès B. and by the age of 18 he was working with Jean Paul Gaultier. For two years, staring at 21, he designed an anonymous line of knit wear and he freelanced. Balenciaga came next in 1995, where Ghesquière started out designing women's clothes for the Asian market. At the time the head designer was Josephus Thimister. Thimister was fired in 1997 after an audience walked out on a show that featured ear splitting music. Ghesquière asked for the job of head designer and was given it; he was just 26.
Like Bailey with Burberry, Ghesquière has breathed new life into a dying house. His leadership has brought Balenciaga back into the spotlight. Due to his success with the house, Tom Ford and his partners with the Gucci Group purchased Balenciaga. Their plan was not to impose on Ghesquière; in fact, he was the reason for the purchase. They wanted to keep him in the fold.
Ghesquière is a rare gem in the fashion world: people in the industry look to him to see where fashion is headed. He was behind the return of the 80's look of big shoulders, skinny pants, et al. In October 2001 he was named the avant-garde designer of the year at the VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards. His work is original and innovative. Ghesquière has no plans in the immediate future to start his own label, but he's sure to have success follow him if he does.
Zac Posen
Zac Posen is the youngest of this group, but every bit as talented. Before even presenting his first full collection he was being cited as a talent to watch. His dresses have graced some of the who's who of Hollywood and he counts among his friends and supporters Claire Danes and Naomi Campbell. His pretty, feminine clothes don't hurt his cause, either.
When he was 16, Posen spent his summer vacation at New York City's Parsons School of Design. Posen was trained at Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design in London. While doing his training Posen regularly dressed his society pals in his creations. One of his dresses is on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The dress is made from six-foot strips of leather held together at the seams with hundreds of hooks and eyes.
Posen grew up in New York and is the son of an artist father and a lawyer mother. For Posen, the business of fashion is a family affair. His mother, now the CEO of his company, Outspoke, taught him to sew.
His sister, Alexandra, is cited as the inspiration for his designs; she now serves as the creative director of Outspoke.
One of Posen's goals in fashion is to accomplish his mission of inclusivity of fashion. "The biggest thing politically within fashion is that the clothing should be displayed on different body shapes." In his 2002 show he included 'real' women along side of the models. "I don't believe in one ideal beauty," he says. "You have to reinterpret what you do based on whether the body belongs to a real woman who is 5-foot-2 or a model who is 6-foot-1. In its present state," he continues, "fashion is killing women's body image of themselves." Now, if only more designers thought that way...
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