Elsy Jane

Today's post is a look into some of the Fashion Industries most influential designers, who shaped today's fashion world, of course there are quite a few worthy of a place, and so this is Part 1 of a few more to come.

Azzedine Alaia - A major success in the 1980's in particular, Alaia focuses on the silhouette of a women- showcasing a defined waist in all his designs (He is after all the 'King of Cling') He doesn't advertise in magazines or partake in social media campaigns and once told Anna Wintour that she had no taste of lasting influence. However, giving his opinion on the revered Vogue editor isn't why he made it on today's blog post. It's because of his continuous priority to stay true to himself (Cliche, I know) and to not loose his values with aesthetic over profit. 'Clueless' fans: in the film from 1995, when Cher is held at gunpoint, she refuses to get down because she's wearing a "totally important designer" and it was in fact Alaïa.

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Gabrielle Chanel - Also know as Coco, Chanel is a designer on everyone's radar, whether it's for her famous little black dress, tweed suites, elegant pearls or array of life lessons scattered over pinterest boards and instagram bio's. She revolutionized women's clothing breaking away from the corsets of the time giving women a looser and freeing option. She became the first designer to design with jersey- a cheap material used for men's underwear at the time. In 1923 she released Chanel No.5, becoming the first designer to release a fragrance. Chanel, of course continues to be a successful brand, under the wing of Karl Lagerfield.

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Crisobal Balenciaga - The son of a seamstress, Balenciaga began working for a tailor at the age of 12 and with his talent noticed by a nobleman he was sent to Madrid to learn to produce patterns- skills that he would wow designers and customers alike in the years to come. The shapely simplicity of the dress and cape above created his reputation as an excellent courtier. He reinvented the silhouette of the 50's with broad shoulders and a less defined waist with tunic and chemise dresses. His modern vision was influential for the time and his visions remain so now.

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Christian Dior - When he launched his brand in 1947, he was showered with attention in the first year, his first collection 'the New Look' declined the regimented looks of the World brought back the nostalgic femininity of times before, with corsets and flowing skirts. This first collection was one of his happiest moments "I created flower women with gentle shoulders and generous bosoms, with tiny waists like stems and skirts belling out like petals."

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Pierre Balmain - Balmain originally trained as an architect, he believed that both architecture and fashion could go hand in hand to 'beautify the world' declaring couture as "the architecture of movement". Known best for his beautiful skirts often embellished with embroidered motifs such as leaves and cherries. His full skirt silhouette was know to be part of the 'post war luxuries' . Today the brand is taken over by Oliver Rousteing, a favourite of the Kardashians and other celebrities alike.

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