Intruduction

 

When you say the word fashion, everybody smiles or moan. Because a lot of people I know love fashion, though you are not working as a designer or you work in a store. Fashion is just one of the world’s famous names. You can use fashion in everything, like clothes, shoes, blanket and just name it. Gucci, Chanel and Calvin Klein are the most popular fashion designers in the world . There are also much more designers in the world. I am then going to find out about these designer and there journey through life.

What made them so famous?

 

Gucci – The History

 

Gucci was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci. Gucci expanded and a boutique was open in Rome in 1983. Guccio did mostly all of the designing. Gucci introduced the bamboo handle handbag in 1947, which is still a company mainstay. During the 1950’, Gucci also developed th e trademark striped webbing, witch was derived from the saddle girth, and the suede moccasin with a metal bit.

         Aida Calvelli, his wife had a large family, six children in all, though only his sons, Vasco, Aldo and Rodolfo, they would play a role in leading the company. When Guccio died in 1953, Aldo helped lead the company to a position og international prominence, he open the company’s first boutiques in London, Paris and New York. Gucci became expanded overseas, board meetings about the company’s future often ended with tempers flaring and luggage and purses flying. They target the Far East for further expansion in the late 60’, the open a stores in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Korea. By this time, the company developed the famous logo, GG, the Flora silk scarf, and also the Jackie O shoulder bag, made by Jackie Kennedy. The remained one of the premier luxury establishment in the world in the 1970.  But the went bankruptcy because a series of disastrous business decisions and family quarrels. The brothers, Aldo and Rodolfo had a equal 50% shares of the company. In 1979, Aldo developed that the Gucci Accessories Collection, was about to bolster the sales for the Gucci Parfums sector, that his sons controlled. Gucci Accessories Collection was by a small accessories, such as cosmetic bags, lighters and pens. Aldo relegated control of Parfums to his son, Roberto.

            Aldo went into the new markets including an agreement with American Motors Corporation. In 1972, American Motors Corporation became one of the first American cars to offer a special luxury, trim package crated by a famous designer. The Gucci car was striped green, red, and buff upholstery and the door panels.

            The Gucci Accessories Collection was well received, it proved to be the force that would brought the Gucci dynasty crashing down. Few years went by and the Perfumes division outselling the Accessories division. They founded a business that had brought the one-exclusive brand to over a thousand stores in the United States, with the Gucci Accessories Collection. ‘’In the 1960 and 1970s,’’ writes Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, ‘’ Gucci had been at the pinnacle of chic, thanks to icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Jacqueline Onassis. But by the 1980s, Gucci had lost its appeal, become a tacky airport brand.’’           Rodolfo died in 1983 and left his 50% stake in Gucci to his son, Maurizio Gucci, and that caused a major shakeup in the company. Maurizio went into a team with Aldo’s son, Paolo to gain a control of the Board of Directors and established the Gucci Licensing division in the Netherlands. By this decision, everybody in the family left the company, for the first time in years.

Corporate Gucci

In the 1980s a big turnaround of the company that made them one of the world’s influential fashion houses and a highly profitable business operation. The went public in October 1995, and the had the first initial public offering. In November 1997 the also proved to be a successful year  as Gucci got there watch licensee, Severin-Montres, and the named the Gucci Timepieces. The brand at Gucci is considered one of the most frequently mentioned barns in the music. In Florence, Paris, London and New York are the Gucci world offices and the headquarters. In Paris are the PPR headquarters.  Gucci sells handbags, sunglasses, bangs, mane, watches, shoes, purses and wallet.

Chanel – History

 

Gabrielle Coco Chanel opened a small shop on the ground floor of the Balsan’s apartment in Paris in 1909. This was just a simple beginning of what would later become one of the greatest fashion empires in the world. While Coco Chanel was in the Balsan’s apartment, she went into a relationship with Arthur Capel he was a member of a Balsan men group. He helped her, because he saw a great potential in her. She opened her legendary store at Rue de Cambon in Paris by 1910. She introduced women’s sportswear in 1913 at her new boutique in Deauville and Biarritz, France.

            Coco Chanel established herself a great reputation as a meticulous fashion couturier. In 1920, Chanel following the fashion trends by produced beaded dresses, but only with her unique image. In 1921she introduction of her fist perfume, Chanel No.5, she named it after her lucky number 5. The name has not change at all. Coco Chanel and Pierre Wertheimer went together in business with perfumes. The gained a bi success, but the business relationship was sour. In 1924 Chanel introduced her first costume jewelry which were a pair of pearl earrings , one black and one white.  In 1926 she introduced a little black dress, greeted by Vogue as the ‘’new uniform of the modern women’’

            In 1930, Chanel gained a competition from Elsa Schiaparelli, but her popularity was only limited in the 1930s. Pierre Wertheimer escaped to the United States when Hitler came to France. Chanel was arrested because she came so friendly to the Germans. She was released and so she fled to Switzerland.  She returned to Paris in 1953. her popularity had been forgotten in the wake of fashion designer Christian Dior. Then she decided to maker her comeback with the perfect timing. She re-approached Pierre for business advise and financial back-up. Thanks to him she became the top label in fashion again. By this time she launched her first eau de toilette for men. Chanel received the Fashion Oscar in 1957 at the Fashion Awards in Dallas. The fashion world applauded her as the ‘most influential designer of the twentieth century’. Pierre retired in 1965 and he died in 1967. His son Jacques Wertheimer took over the place in 1965. Leadership of the company was handed down to Yvonne Dudel, Jean Cazaubon and Philippe Guibourge.

            Jacques son, Alain Wertheimer took over in 1974. In the United States Chanel No.5 was now seen as a second rate fragrance for out of date women. Alain attempted to revamp Chanel’s reputation in fashion, so he looked fore a designer to bring the label to new heights, he persuaded Karl Lagerfeld to end his contract with fashion house Chloe. Then in 1981, Lagerfeld took over as a chief designer for Chanel. He revamped Chanel’s fashion lines and bought it back on the top of the fashion world, he changed it from the predictable same styles that greeted the world year after year to shorter cuts and eye capturing designs. This decision shocked the fashion world. By 1980 there was more than 40 Chanel’s boutiques opened up worldwide. Lagerfeld took the decision as a chief designer, that they would keep the Chanel No.5 bottle as the same because designer considered it classic and artistic.  The launch a new fragrance in honor of the late Coco Chanel, Coco. Chanel struck a deal with watchmakers in 1986, and in 1987 the first Chanel watch made its debut.

            Coco Chanel made her clothing relaxed and changed that way women dressed for outdoors leisure. Chanel touched many American and European fashion designers for her pioneering search for originality and simple perfection. The Chanel logo is an interlocking double-C, one facing forwards the other facing backwards. Coco Chanel did not came up with that logo, the logo derives from the name ‘’Coco’’, the two C’s. The logotype was not trademarked until the opening of the first Chanel sores.

The have over 200 Chanel boutiques worldwide. Chanel has a handbags, sunglasses, purses, bags, earrings, make-up, perfumes , watches and of cores clothes.   

 Calvin Klein – History

In 1968, Klein who was to mange the business founded Calvin Klein, a coat shop in the York Hotel in New York City. 1969 Mr. Klein who was later decried as ‘’the supreme master of minimalism’’ , appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine. In 1971, sportswear, classic blazers as well as lingerie were added to his women’s collection portfolio. He was awarded the Coty Awards for the first time in 1973. In 1977 he got the license for scarves, shoes, belts, furs, sunglasses and sheets. Klein was making 4$ million dollars. He claimed sales of 200 pairs of his famous jeans the first week they were on market. He then put’s his name on the back pocket of his famous jeans.

The company also made attempt to set up its own fragrance and cosmetics business in the late 1970s. Calvin Klein introduced a highly successful line of boxer shorts for women and a men’s underwear collection which would later gross $70 million in a single year. The company almost faced bankruptcy in 1992, but Calvin Klein managed to regain and increase the profitability of his empire throughout the later 90s, mainly through the success of its highly popular underwear and fragrance lines, as well as the Calvin Klein sportswear line. He was named the ‘’America’s Best Designer’’. in 199 it came as surprise when it eas announced that Calvin Klein was up for sale again. June 2008, Calvin Klein started to sponsor America’s Next Top Model, and the winner would get a 100,000 dollar contract as well a runway show, as a bonus to launch their career.

            Calvin Klein created an upscale Home Collection in the early 1990s. In this collection was bedding, bath towels, terry bathrobes and bath accessories. In the 1990s the company opened elegant Calvin Klein Collection stores in Paris, Seoul and Taipei, and ultra fancy stores in Hong Kong, Milan and Kuwait City. Today there is only one Calvin Klein Collection store open, and it is located in New York City.

Calvin Klein retail stores, was designed by New York architecture firm Lynch/Eisinger/Design. They have open at Lenox Square in Atlanta, Beverly Center in Los Angles, Cherry Creek Mail in Denver, Natick Collection in Natick, The Mall at Partridge Creek in Michigan and Aventura Mall, Florida. There are eight stores designed by Lynch/Eiginger/Design who will open in 2008.

The Calvin Klein Jeans has exist around the globe, among like, the UK, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Egypt, India, Australia and New Zealand.

            The major department stores in the US, including Macy’s, Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom. Bergdorf Goodman,  Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus also carry the Calvin Klein Collection. The went online selling Calvin Klein underwear and fragrance. In Europe, Calvin Klein is basically known for the underwear, accessories and perhaps the Collection business.  Calvin Klein is mostly famous fore his perfumes and colognes. Calvin Klein has jeans, swimwear, bedding, perfume, colognes, shoes, watches, boxers, underwear and dresses.

Conclusion

 

Now that I have read this and also write it down, I find that fashion is amazing, and fashion has been with us for many, many years. Maybe know after I have got to know the fashion world, there will maybe be a possibility that I will work with fashion in the future. Now we know the world greatest designer in the world. These design form those designer are sold her in Iceland, but if you are going to shop something from them here in Iceland, that will then cost you a lot! I have answered the question that I put on the top of the pages, so the top world fashion designers in the world are Gucci, Chanel and Calvin Klein. 

The Interview

I took the interview with my cousin Sandra Ýr. She is learning how to be a designer. She is in a school in Florence Italy, Florence Design Academy, witch is one of the best design school in Europe. She has been there for 2 and a half years. Hopefully soon she will be working for a famous designer.

I just asked her a few question, I didn't want to interrupted her because she is very busy at the moment.

I asked her if she knew that this was she wanted to do in her life?

Sandra: No, not quite. First I always wanted to be a stewardess, but there was something that changed my mind into go to fashion.

Me and Sandra are just talking on MSN, because she's in Italy and I'm in Iceland. The next question that I asked her was, if the school was hard?

Sandra: Yes, I find it to be hard, but if you enjoy want you are doing, then it will be fun. When I begun in the school it was so hard, I just didn't know my name. I was so out of the world in the beginning.

What was the first thing that you did when you began?

Sandra: Well first I founded myself a apartment, with a good price, then I took look around the school, shop for the school stuff, pencils and all that kind of stuff. And of course I went shopping for the school clothes;)

Last but not at least I asked her, who she wanted to work for in the future?

Sandra: Chanel:)

Vocabulary

 

Mainstay – A person that acts as a chief.

Flaring – When the company is doing well.

Establishment – A company.

Disastrous - Accompained by causing distress or disaster.

Bolster – for example, make more money

Relegated When you will get lower salary.

Dynasty – A very big family

Pinnacle – You have a large gole

Profitable – yielding pofit

Meticulous – Like you are very clear with everything

Re-approached – You search someone for help

Revamp –Like you decided to cheer someone up or something.

Persuaded You are trying to win someone over

Predictable – You know the person before you get to know him/her.

Leisure – You get you're time

Derives – To obtain from score.

Regain – You are for example getting you're money back

Profitability – beneficial or useful

Retail – Like you are selling something in a tiny store or store that is not knowed

Claimed – You are demanding something

I got all of my resources from:

Wikipedia.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gucci

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Klein