Let’s face it, for all those who love fashion, we know the logos, we aspire to wear the brands, and feel a little pride when we know that hidden designer tag is found sewn inside. But when it comes to the faces behind those fabulous names—let’s be honest, do you know who they are? Don’t worry, only a little bit of fashion judgment here. The fashion industry has its fair share of legendary figures, but many of us (even the trendiest ones) might have a blind spot when it comes to the masterminds behind the magic.
So here’s a chic and oh-so-cultured update on some of fashion’s “must know” icons—both the ones you should definitely know, and a few surprises. Let’s get acquainted with the fabulous faces and fashion icons behind the brand houses you already adore.
ANNA WINTOUR
Who She Is: The QUEEN of fashion and fashion media. As the editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988, she’s the BOSS whose stare can make or break fashion careers.
What She Does: Not just a magazine mogul, she’s also the artistic director for Condé Nast and is widely known for shaping trends before they even hit the runway.
Fun Fact: Her iconic bob and sunglasses? A power move. Wintour once said the shades help her keep a “poker face” in fashion meetings. Unstoppable and unreadable! We also believe she has said to have a specific dislike for the word “Trend”.
IRIS VAN HERPEN
Who She Is: Fashion’s futuristic Sci-Fi Visionnaire. The Dutch designer pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with tech and couture.
What She Does: Known for blending fashion with 3D printing and laser cutting, her designs look like they’re from a sci-fi runway just other worldly.
Fun Fact: She interned at Alexander McQueen. So, yeah, she’s been cooking up avant-garde magic for a while now!
JOHN GALLLIANO
Who He Is: The wild child of British fashion, now creative director at Maison Margiela.
What He Does: Galliano’s known for his theatrical, cultural rich and romantic designs, which shook up Dior when he was at the helm.
Fun Fact: He used to dress up as a pirate while designing collections for Dior. Talk about commitment to the drama!
MIUCCIA PRADA
Who She Is: The high priestess of minimalism with a rebellious twist.
What She Does: As the head of Prada and founder of its playful sister brand Miu Miu, she made nylon chic with the iconic “Nylon Tissuto” Bag.
Fun Fact: Before fashion, Miuccia was an actual mime artist. Yes, Prada’s head was once performing silently on the streets of Milan.
GIORGIO ARMANI
Who He Is: The man, the legend, the menswear leader, the original father of Corp-core with his iconic “power suit” designs.
What He Does: Armani redefined business casual, making structured tailoring accessible and timeless for both men and women.
Fun Fact: He designed Lady Gaga’s outfits for her “Born This Way” tour, proving he’s just as relevant in pop culture as in boardrooms.
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
Who She Is: The ultimate rebel of British fashion and Godmother of Punk rock style.
What She Does: Westwood pioneered punk fashion in the ’70s, and today, her influence is still all over runways.
Fun Fact: She once infamously wore no underwear to Buckingham Palace when meeting the Queen. Talk about defying the establishment—literally.
LOUIS VUITTON
Who He Is: The man behind the world’s most coveted monogram.
What He Did: He founded Louis Vuitton in 1854, originally designing trunks for France’s elite.
Fun Fact: That famous LV monogram? It was created to prevent counterfeiting, and was created by Mr. Louis Vuitton’ son, Georges Vuitton, after his father’s death, so Louis Vuitton himself, never saw the infamous monogram logo—ironic, right?
SIMON PORTE JACQUEMUS
Who He Is: The French fashion wunderkind making oversized straw hats and tiny bags a global obsession.
What He Does: As the founder of Jacquemus, he’s all about playful proportions and sunny, carefree “South of France” French style.
Fun Fact: Jacquemus’ first show was organized in a swimming pool—talk about making a splash in the fashion scene!
VIRGIL ABLOH
Who He Is: The visionary streetwear conaisseur, who blurred the lines between luxury and street style culture.
What He Did: Founder of Off-White and the first black artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton, Abloh broke boundaries at every step.
Fun Fact: He had a degree in civil engineering before pivoting to fashion. So when people said fashion wasn’t a “real” career, he literally built his own path. daydreaming and optimistic nature, Louis Vuitton Creative directors from Pharrell, to Nicholas Ghesquière to Virgil Abloh have always embedded this fashion-forward freedom feeling in their collections.
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Who He Is: The dark, dramatic genius who shook up the fashion with his unprecedented mysterious and mesmerizing flair.
What He Did: McQueen became famous for his provocative runway shows and wild designs. He was known as fashion’s “enfant terrible” with good reason!
Fun Fact: He robotically spray-painted a model’s dress live on the runway in 1999. Yes, that’s the level of innovative fashion drama we’re talking about.
CRISTOBAL BALENCIAGA
Who He Is: The master of haute couture and the king of structured elegance.
What He Did: Although Balenciaga brand is far from the original founder designs, Cristobal has revolutionized fashion with innovative shapes and silhouettes that still influence designers today.
Fun Fact: He was so revered that Christian Dior once called him “the master of us all.” When Dior calls you that, you know you’ve made it.
TOM FORD
Who He Is: The smooth operator who made sexiness synonymous with Gucci and Tom Ford.
What He Does: He revitalized Gucci in the ’90s, and today, his own label is the epitome of sleek, sensual glamour.
Fun Fact: Tom Ford directed the Oscar-nominated film A Single Man. Because, of course, one creative medium wasn’t enough for him.
Author Tanny Onsalo
As Creative director, fashion forecaster and style consultant, Tanny has worked for the magazine Vogue as Global Editorial Expert and led multiple global tentpole editorials. She directed the fashion forecasting of trends for Vestiaire Collective, spearheading the Fashion Journal, Newsroom and annual fashion data reports. Fluent in the language of ideas, the fundamentals of her narrative are creativity, storytelling and global cool hunting.