Haute couture as we have seen in the media is the shown as the most glamorous and unattainable clothing shown in the elite designer’s fashion shows. More research reveals that it originates from “high sewing” or “high dressmaking.” This meaning that haute couture is and was more of  a custom-made dressmaking and still very elitist. [...]

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Sears Catalogue and American Consumerism   In 1886, a Minnesota railroad station worker named Richard W. Sears started a mail order business with a shipment of watches. This business has evolved overtime to the Sears department store corporation we know today. One year after starting his business, Sears moved to Chicago and partnered with J.C. [...]

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Victoria Waterhouse The Belgium born Olivier Theyskens has always had a flair for the unusual. It would not be a far reach to consider him a fashion prodigy of our generation; by the age of 7, Theyskens had already aspired to “do haute couture.” His adoration of fashion eventually led him to the prominent arts [...]

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John Varvatos lives for rock and roll. His obsession reveals itself through his signature line that ranges from edgy clothing to fragrances and accessories. Just 13 years after his start, John Varvatos is successful in his attempt to revolutionize American-made fashion. June 2000, four short months post-launch, John Varvatos won the Council of Fashion Designers [...]

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At 78 years old, Italian Giorgio Armani is already one of the wealthiest and most successful fashion designers in history. He is the chief executive, president and sole shareholder of his empire, and according to Forbes, worth about $7.2 billion. Armani got his start in fashion in the 1960s as a window decorator and buyer [...]

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Lauren Henson Isaac Mizrahi is considered a jack-of-all-trades in the fashion industry. He’s done it all – from ready to wear to couture to costume design to comic books. Mizrahi had always considered himself to be on the outside looking in when it came to the fashion industry, but he took a keen interest in [...]

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Some believe “The Bible of Fashion” is a label that Women’s Wear Daily does not quite deserve. Anyone familiar with the journal would disagree entirely. If one could begin to imagine what a Fashion Bible would consist of, they would expect a beautifully bound, 5,000-page book that oozed with history, knowledge, and inspiration on anything [...]

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Known to many in the fashion world as the “Merchant Prince”, Millard “Mickey” Drexler is a genius when it comes to remodeling companies. Currently serving as chairman and CEO of J.Crew, Drexler has transformed a company that was once seen as conventional, to a company that is now seen as iconic. The business tycoon, 68, [...]

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Colette Paris opened its doors to the local and international fashionistas of the world in 1997. To say Colette targets only “fashionistas” would be an understatement. Being Paris’ first “concept store,” Colette targets any inspired, artistic individual (or any individual looking to be so). When founder, owner, and creative director Sarah Andelman walked into the [...]

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  Dubbed “the prince of haute couture,” John Galliano lives a drama-filled life in the fashion world.  At times worthy of tabloid criticism while at others, unanimous praise, Galliano is in constant struggle between his two identities: the glorified innovator and the inappropriate, pretentious brute.  Fifteen years after moving from his birthplace, Spain, to London [...]

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Louis Vuitton was born in eastern France on August 4, 1821. After his mother’s death, Vuitton left home by foot at 14 to escape his overbearing stepmother and to start a new life. When he arrived in Paris two years later, Monsieur Marechal, a successful luggage-maker, trained Vuitton and gave him insights about the luggage [...]

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Lingerie brands walk a fine line between having their merchandise regarded as fashion or as just another bra and panties from a sex store. Agent Provocateur is a popular British lingerie retailer that seeks to push the boundaries in the lingerie industry. Founded by Joseph Corré and his now ex-wife Serena Rees in 1994, the [...]

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Gilt Groupe provides customers luxury goods through a “flash sale e-commerce website” that offers daily deals on designer merchandise. Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson cofounded Gilt Groupe in 2009 during the heart of the recession. Maybank and Wilkis Wilson knew that there was a risk in starting Gilt, but they saw a huge opportunity [...]

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These days you can probably find this thin-framed fashionista under the tents of New York’s fashion week. Rachel Zoe, born Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig on September 1, 1971, is the stylist to many A-list celebrities including Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, and Anne Hathaway. Zoe climbed her way to the top of the fashion world with no [...]

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Jeffrey Kalisnsky The famous fashion arbiter Jeffrey Kalinsky, has a keen eye for picking out the latest fashion trends. As a veteran in the fashion world, Jeffrey’s name is most closely associated with his two boutique stores and his role as Executive Vice President of Designer Merchandising at Nordstrom. At the age of 25, shortly [...]

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Margaret Brown Legendary New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham was a mystery to most in the industry. Spotted riding his bike on streets of New York City in his signature blue jacket with a camera hung around his neck, Cunningham remained elusive. His weekly column in The New York Times “On the Street” garnered [...]

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  By Katherine Zopatti The concept of the Gibson Girl has its origins in the pen and ink drawings of Charles Dana Gibson in 1890s. First published on April 2, 1890 in Life Magazine, the Gibson Girl walked a careful line between excessively feminine and strongly independent. Largely characterized by her height, the “S-curve” torso [...]

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On April 9, 1963, New York City gave the entire world the gift of Marc Jacobs. Eventually moving in with his grandmother due to a broken home, Jacobs found encouragement through her love of beautiful things and her appreciation for his creative designs. Blessed with a nonjudgmental upbringing, Jacobs was able to live a childhood [...]

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Until Englishman Thomas Taylor’s point net machine came along in the late 18th century, complicated lace work on clothing was mostly for the wealthy and members of the aristocracy. Lace work was done painstakingly by hand, sometimes using silk or even gold thread. While beautiful, working class and poor folks wouldn’t have had the time [...]

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Charles Frederick Worth, also known as the “father of haute couture,” drastically changed fashion in the mid-19th century.  Born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England, in 1825, Worth spent his youth apprenticing for various textile merchants and gaining an appreciation for the history of fashion through the study of historic portraits.  After a difficult transition to Paris [...]

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In all of history, no invention, idea, or trend has had a greater impact on the fashion industry than the sewing machine. Not only did it drastically reduce the time and labor of sewing, but it made possible the idea of mass production and, consequently, mass consumption. The bourgeois of the 1800’s were becoming increasingly [...]

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One thing everyone likes about Macy’s is that it’s a store with quality goods and they provide things for a much cheap and reasonable price than other competing department stores. We get what our money is worth, and some more. It has a wide variety of goods from Cloth, furniture to household utensils at a [...]

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On Nov. 2 1867, the United Sates met its first fashion magazine, Harper’s Bazaar. From its conception, Bazaar was a hot source for current fashion trends, gardening, etiquette, and art. The first cover was an illustration advertising new fall bonnets and bridal wear. Mary Louise Booth, Bazaar’s first editor, wanted an illustrated weekly journal for [...]

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For Americans—both male and female of all ages—blue jeans are a staple item that is worn for a variety of occasions.  And one of the most popular brands today is named after the creator of blue jeans: Levi Strauss. In 1847, Strauss emigrated from Germany to New York City with his family to start a [...]

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  For over 120 years Vogue magazine has served as a staple of fashion and elitist culture. Vogue magazine was created in 1892 by Arthur Baldwin Turnure. It was a weekly publication that reflected the ideals, culture and fashion of the elitist. Vogue took a major turn in 1909 when it was acquired by Conde [...]

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Fashion designer Coco Chanel transformed the fashion industry in the 20th century. Her signature designs are still used today as a fashion standard around the world. She put it best herself when she said, “ I don’t do fashion, I am fashion.” Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel was born on August 19,1883 in Saumur, France. Her childhood [...]

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Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was a pioneer of fashion in the 20th century. Although sometimes overlooked due to the reign of Coco Chanel during the same time period, Schiaparelli was a true iconic designer who paved the way for many others, such as Marc Jacobs, in the fashion industry. She was best known for her creative [...]

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Cristóbal Balenciaga was born in 1895 in Getaria, Spain. Born to a seamstress mother, Balenciaga often helped his mother. His father passed away when he was 10, so Balenciaga was able to sew alongside his mother to help her support their family. He became very popular in Spain, and the most importantnoblewoman on his town [...]

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If you spot a black and white photograph of a model clad in runway couture with striking features and extravagant makeup – all against a solid background – there’s a good chance you’re looking at one of Irving Penn’s finest works. Born in New Jersey in 1917, Irving Penn was an American photographer recognized as [...]

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By Haley Ivy Pierre Cardin was born on July 6, 1922 right outside of Venice, Italy. He knew at a young age that he wanted to work in fashion, so when he turned 17, he started working for a local tailor in Vichy, France. Cardin then moved to Paris where he worked for Christian Dior [...]

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In the 1920s, flappers were the female rebels of both fashion and behavior during a time of prohibition and changing values.  They were young, single women who smoked too much, wore too much makeup, and acted too scandalously.  The flapper had very short hair, wore a shorter-than-acceptable, square shaped, fringed dress, showed more skin than [...]

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Coming from an aristocratic descent, Givenchy was born with elegance and class in his blood. His mother influenced his love of fashion and textiles leading him to pursue extravagant opportunities at the highly acclaimed art school École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He studied under the most prestigious designers of that time, eventually opening his own [...]

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Gentleman’s Quarterly, formerly named Apparel Arts, is a monthly magazine for men that focuses on fashion and culture.  Originally, it had a different purpose.  It was a fashion magazine aimed at retail buyers and sellers.  In1957, Apparel Arts became a quarterly magazine and then soon after, in 1958, it became Gentleman’s Quarterly.  This change put [...]

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Yves Saint Laurent is regarded as the single most prominent fashion designer of the mid-20th Century. His work was truly “street style,” as his clothing reflected the strive for liberation that flooded French streets during that time. He is remembered for capturing the spirit of the times with each new trend he set. Saint Laurent [...]

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Susanna Rudner http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Karl_Lagerfeld   Karl Lagerfeld was born in Germany to a wealthy Swedish father and German mother. Lagerfeld moved to Paris in 1952 and immediately impressed the fashion world with his sketches. In 1955 he became an assistant to Pierre Balmain, but left saying, “I was not born to be an assistant.” For the [...]

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Every month 1,411,061 women sit down to read the latest issue of Glamour magazine. They seek advice on fashion, beauty, health, love, and sex. Glamour was specifically created for women who love to look good, are passionate about their professions, and strive to reach their full potential. In April of 1939, Condé Nast Publications published [...]

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  Vivienne Westwood’s name first echoed the streets of London in the 1970’s at the start of the punk movement. Teaming up with Malcolm McLaren, Westwood gained a following through her revolutionary designs for his Chelsea boutique, “SEX”. Drawing her inspiration from BDSM fashion (bondage and discipline, domination and submission, and sadism and masochism) and [...]

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Emily Faerber Fashion Media 2/14/13 A Brief History of Seventeen Magazine                 Seventeen magazine, founded in 1944 by Helen Valentine, became the first contemporary teen magazine for high school girls across America. Helen Valentine had originally started her career at Vogue and then collaborated with publisher Walter Annenberg to create the first issue of [...]

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In the world of fashion remains a continued, pervasive, and realized tension between reality and fantasy. While fashion continues to answer its own quest of recognition as legitimate art there is no denial the fashion industry is a significant economic engine. More than this, however, this tension creates a social vacuum that most disproportionately affects [...]

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H&M, or Hennes & Mauritz, was founded in Västerås, Sweden in 1947 as a women’s clothing store. A “fast fashion” powerhouse, it had humble beginnings as a single, family-owned store. Originally just Hennes, Swedish for “hers”, owner Erling Persson bought the hunting and fishing store, Mauritz and Widfross in 1968 and thus created men’s and [...]

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Thierry Mugler             Born in 1948 in Strasbourg, France, Thierry Mugler was destined to do great things in fashion.  At only 14, he joined the ballet corps for the Rhin Opera.  At the same time he began to take interior design classes.  Ten years later, he left his home to pursue a career in fashion.  [...]

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Source Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, is a fashion powerhouse, with the authority to spotlight new designers and set fashion trends. Anna was exposed to the journalism world at a young age. Her father, Charles “Chilly” Wintour was the editor of London’s Evening Standard, and often sought Anna’s advice when targeting a younger audience. Her career [...]

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Lesley Lawson, born on Sept. 19, 1949, was one of the world’s first supermodels. In need of a haircut and color, Lesley went to The House of Leonard in 1966, where the hairstylist wanted to try out a new haircut and needed models for a few head shots. Agreeing to this, Lesley’s hair was chopped [...]

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     Miuccia Prada   The Prada brand was originally began under the name “Fratelli Prada”- meaning “Prada brothers” by Mario Prada and his brother, Martino.  Although both of them are deemed as “creators of the company”, Mario’s youngest granddaughter Miuccia is the one who is credited with revolutionizing the brand and turning it into [...]

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French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier was born on April 24, 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France. He never had formal training but practiced sketching in his free time. He sent these sketches to designers. The sketches caught the eye of Pierre Cardin, who hired him as an assistant in 1970 at the age of 18. [...]

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In 1953, Ottavio “Tai” and Rosita Missoni began their marriage and their journey with the Missoni Italian fashion line. The first presentation of their line was in 1958 in Milan. Their line grew with support from a well-known editor, Anna Piaggi. Missoni amped up designs and grabbed fame at the Pitti Palace in Florence. Due [...]

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Peruvian native Mario Testino is considered one of the most acclaimed fashion photographers in the world, regularly shooting editorials for Vogue and Vanity Fair. Testino’s subjects are often celebrities and royals. Testino was the one to photograph Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement in 2010. However, his breakthrough was in 1997 when Princess Diana chose [...]

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Tom Ford is an American fashion designer and film director.  Ford grew up in Sante Fe, New Mexico, but once he became a teenager, he quickly moved to New York.  Ford studied at New York University, then Parsons The New School For Design in both New York and Paris to study architecture. Soon after college, [...]

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Junya Watanabe is a Japanese born designer, who got his start working under Rei Kawakubo as a patternmaker for her label Comme des Garçons. Born in 1961 in Fukushima, Japan, Watanabe attended Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo; other notable alumni include Kenzo Takada and Yohji Yamamoto. In 1984, he began his work for Comme des [...]

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Target Corporation is known for the red bulls-eye logo, white Bull Terrier mascot, and for being the second largest discount store after Wal-mart.  However, over the past decade, Target has been making a name for itself in terms of cheap, but chic, fashion.  It accomplishes this feat through the use of designer collaborations.  Target’s first [...]

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The miniskirt has become an icon of the 1960s, a flashback to Twiggy’s reign as top model, and the simple article of clothing that changed the fashion world.  It, however, was not invented during the 60s.  Instead, it had appeared in many other eras and around the world.  For example, ancient Egyptian wall drawings depict [...]

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As a stylist who merges the classic, restrained look with the wild and unpredictable, Nick Wooster is simultaneously an innovator and a tasteful conservative. He is probably best described as a pioneer in street-style for men. His fashion sense is at once carefully coordinated toward symmetry and chaos. It seems that Wooster is always pushing [...]

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