It’s more important to know who you’re wearing than what you’re wearing. This section gets you up close and personal to the designers behind the brand.

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Sarah Burton. She’s the new Queen of McQueen. English designer Sarah Burton has worked as Alexander McQueen’s right hand girland recently took over as the label’s chief designer after McQueen’s unfortunate demise in February of 2010. She became a household name after designing Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, when she said I Do to Prince William. Know more about Sarah Burton through the links below.

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Azzedine AlaÏa.Great things really do come in small packages and this is especially true with Tunisian designer Azzedine AlaÏa. Having worked with the greats such as Christian Dior, Guy Laroche and Thierry Mugler, AlaÏa quickly became a favorite of top celebrities. Among his most notable clientèles are Grace Jones, Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Victoria Beckham (saying he’s her favorite designer) and Greta Garbo. Just recently Jinky Pacquiao was spotted wearing a dress by AlaÏa in her husband’s – 8-World Division title holder Manny Pacquiao – fight against Sugar Shane Mosley in Las Vegas. Know more about Azzedine AlaÏa by clicking the links below.

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Brian Atwood.Before becoming one of the most sought after shoe designers in the world, Brian Atwood was first a college graduate majoring in art and architecture, a runway model and accessories designer. All of these could have influenced his shoe designs that were often likened to works of art because of their structural design without losing any of its drop-dead glamour aesthetics. His talent didn’t go unnoticed as he was awarded the prestigious CFDA Swarovsky Perry Ellis Award for best Accessory Design in 2003 just two years after he launched his own label.

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Monique Lhuillier.True to her craft of creating wedding dresses, designer Monique Lhuillier is also a kind of marriage – a marriage of different cultures. Born to a father of French Descent and to a mother of Spanish descent in Cebu City, Philippines, Monique then studied in Lausanne, Switzerland before moving to Los Angeles, California to become a student in the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) and fulfill her dreams of being a designer. She first became well-known for her elegant wedding gowns worn by Hollywood celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood and Pink. Now, she’s also the favorite of celebrities for their red carpet gowns with Gwyneth Paltrow, Taylor Swift, Eva Longoria, Drew Barrymore and Hilary Swank wearing her creations.

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Rebecca Minkoff.When you think of Rebecca Minkoff, you immediately think casual luxury bags. But it was a t-shirt that got her America’s and the fashion world’s attention. An “I Love New York” t-shirt made a TV debut in Jay Leno followed by a feature in US Weekly in 2011 and boom, Rebecca Minkoff found herself sewing “I Love New York” tees in her apartment’s basement just to keep up with the demand. Four years later, she designed her trademark bags and accessories that can be spotted on supermodels like Agyness Deyn and Alexa Chung as well as Hollywood celebs like Anna Paquin, Amanda Bynes, Hayden Panettiere and Beau Garrett. Today, Rebecca Minkoff’s brand is the #1 independent accessories designer in the United States.

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Isaac Mizrahi. If you want drama, Isaac Mizrahi can sure give it to you. He studied acting in High School for the Performing Arts (which was also attended by other famous and talented performers such as Robert De Niro, Al Paccino, and Liza Minelli) before moving on to Parsons to take up fashion design. Maybe that’s why he’s so comfortable in front of the camera guesting in shows like Sex in the City, Ugly Betty and Celebrity Jeopardy, as well as hosting his own show The Fashion Show on BravoTV. His passion for the arts extends not only in his put-the-spotlight-on-me clothes, but to other aspects of it as well, among them a comic book, a documentary and of course, acting.

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Noritaka Tatehana. Best known for creating Lady Gaga‘s signature foot-tall, hell-less, gravity-defying platforms called Night Makers, Noritaka Tatehana’s already got one glamorous foot in the door. Looking at his crazy creations, it’s hard to believe that the 25 year old Tokyo National University of Fine Arts graduate’s inspiration for his most famous design are tin cans used by Japanese children as stilts called Kan Pokkuri. Currently, he’s shoes are priced at around $2, 500 – $10, 000 a pair, by commission only and the line is long.

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Anya Hindmarch. Who can forget the I’m Not a Plastic Bag handbag that took Hollywood by storm? Well, no one. Not with superstars like Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Biel and Claudia Schiffer toting the environmentally friendly bags everywhere they go. Created by Hindmarch together with We Are What We Do, her I Am not a Plastic Bag tote aims to help raise awareness on excessive use of plastic bags that’s causing great harm to the environment. Currently, Hindmarch has decided to focus on the creative side of her brand while appointing James MacArthur (formerly of Gucci and Harrods) to run the business side of things as the new CEO.

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Giuseppe Zanotti is a man who knows beautiful things, and nothing is more beautiful to him than a woman’s feet. His signature jewels, cut outs and sandals are all designed to show off the feet. Coming from a small town in Italy called San Mauro Pascoli with a long tradition of shoe-making, Zanotti both has history and talent guiding his designs. Add to that his work as a DJ, which allowed him to be in the best parties and fashion shows to meet the most stylish of people, where he probably acquired a rock and roll sensibility that’s very evident in his designs. His Milan boutique opened in 2000 followed by New York, Paris, London, Moscow and Dubai, now he has more than 50 stores all over the world. Among the celebrities that wear his creations include Uma Thurman, Kylie Minogue, Beyonce, Eva Herzigova and Demi Moore.

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Victoria Beckham.There was no doubt that Victoria Beckham was a fashion darling with her penchant for high heels, love for designer wear, perfect cheek bones and svelte figure, she immediately became synonymous with anything fashion. But when the former Spice Girls announced that she herself would start her own clothing and accessories line, she was instantly met with a lot of skepticism. However, these days Mrs. Beckham is proving each one of her skeptics wrong. She was recently named Glamour Magazine’s Accessories Designer of the Year, collaborated with Christian Louboutin on her first shoe design and debuted her 100th dress at the recent New York fashion week, all while being a mum to her kids with another on the way. And did I mention she’s doing it all in her six inch stilettos?

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Marc Jacobs is best known to be the young American designer who turned French brand Louis Vuitton into a worldwide fashion phenomenon. Though very strange bedfellows, Marc Jacobs and Vuitton have over the years proven that they’re a match made in fashion heaven. Marc Jacobs also wows American audiences with creations from his eponymous brand which he launched in 1986 and won him the most prestigious award for a fashion newcomer the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent. Among his muses include Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Victoria Beckham.

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Derek Lam has the CFDA’s Swarovski Perry Ellis Award for emerging talent and the CFDA’s Accessory Designer of the Year in 2007. But that’s to be expected from someone who has received his training under American Icon Michael Kors for 12 years. And although the influences of Kors is evident in Lam’s American-chic designs, he has created his own aesthetics which is “luxury without formality.” Currently, he’s the creative director of Italian brand Tod’s.

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Prabal Gurung. His fashion background is as exotic as his name. Prabal Gurung was born in Singapore, grew up in Nepal, started his design career in India, before moving to the United States to work for top fashion houses, first as an intern for Donna Karan, followed by two years under Cynthia Rowley and then as design director for Bill Blass. Now, he’s got his own label, and superstars like Demi Moore, Oprah Winfrey, Leighton Meester and even First Lady Michelle Obama wears his designs. In an interview he described his first collection as “clothes for the thinking man’s sex symbol” saying that he wants to change the trend of “tight skirts and vulgar dresses.”

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Jason Wu is somewhat of fashion whiz kid. His rise to fashion royalty was so unbelievable it can only be true. He moved from Taiwan to Canada when he was just nine years old. His first “fashion” gig was sewing dresses for dolls in Integrity Toys under the lines Jason Wu dolls and Fashion Royalty. Shortly after and not even out of high school, he was named creative director of the company. The money he earned from from making dolls he used to make his first collection for real life dolls. His 2006 debut was met by the fashion industry with open arms as he won the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star award in 2008 and was nominated for the Vogue Fashion Fund the same year. But Wu’s real break came when Michelle Obama started wearing his designs everywhere she goes from a TV interview to a magazine shoot and ultimately to the historic inaugural ball of President Barack Obama.

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Jil Sander. If you want to find the Zen in the chaotic world of fashion, all you’ve got to do is look towards Jil Sander’s designs. Known for her impeccable tailoring, high-end materials and understated aesthetics, it was no wonder that her debut in the 80s – where big hair, shoulder pads, crazy prints ruled – weren’t as met with as much as enthusiasm as it is today. Her trademark pantsuit, blouse and coat along with her eponymous label survived the 80s and moved on to become a big hit in the 1990s. Fashion house Prada took notice and bought 75 percent of the company. But this partnerships would have its rough patches with Sander and Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli’s break ups and make ups, until eventually separating for good in 2004. Currently Sander owns her own fashion consultancy company with clients that include Japanese brand Uniqlo.

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Diane von Furstenberg. If you can only one thing about Diane von Furstenberg then it is this – wrap dress. The former princess (because of her marriage to Prince Egon of Furstenberg) gave us the iconic wrap dress, the saviour of women who want to cinch their waist, or at least the illusion of it, to achieve that hourglass figure. Aside from clothing she’s also branched out to cosmetics, perfume and even interior design when she revamped 20 suites for Claridge, the iconic London hotel known for its Art Deco opulence.

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Alexander Wang. If there’s one word to describe Alexander Wang as a designer the first thing that would come to mind is edgy. But after looking at this wunderkind’s career and personality, you’ll soon realize that rock and roll is more appropriate an adjective for Wang. Taiwanese-American Alexander Wang was 18 years old when he moved to New York to study at Parson’s The New School for Design, although he never finished, dropping out in his sophomore year. In 2007 he launched his eponymous first collection and the following year was awarded the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Right now at 27 years old, he’s sitting on a $20 million business.

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Helmut Lang. His frustration over not finding the perfect pair of jacket and t shirt lead Helmut Lang to make one for himself, this ultimately is what opened the door for Helmut Lang to the world of fashion. His trademark minimalist designs stood out in the crazy 90s fashion scene. Although Lang left the label in 2005, the spirit of his designs live on in the skillful hands of designers Michael and Nicole Colovos, who incorporates Lang’s use of high-tech fabrics and modernist looks and colours in their designs. Currently, Helmut Lang has established himself as an artist, working mainly on sculptures. His works have been displayed at the MAK, Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art in Vienna, the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art in Athens and The Fireplace Project in East Hampton.

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Anna Sui. If you want to see someone having fun with fashion, then you don’t have to look no further than Chinese-American designer Anna Sui.Her fashion shows which can also double as rock shows, showcase her unique designs that’s a mix of good old fashioned vintage, eclectic and modern sensibilities. Another thing that makes her shows unique are the models that walk it. Unlike in other fashion shows where they put on their best model pout, the Anna Sui runway is filled with smiling models happily stomping their way down the catwalk. Currently, Anna Sui has branches worldwide selling not just her clothes but also her cosmetics and perfume line.

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Emma Cook. With her use of digital designs and monochromatic photo montages in her creations, you simply can’t miss British designer, Emma Cook’s designs. She’s worked under the tutelage of greats such as Donna Karan and in 2011 launched her eponymous label. According to any interview, her designs are inspired by a fictional character named Susie, whom she imagines “traveling throughout time and the world” to pick her fabric, prints and shapes.

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Junya Watanabe. Because of his use of synthetic fabrics and technologically advanced textiles ranging from waterproofing to incorporating glow-in-the-dark fiber, Junaya Watanabe’s creations has been given the name “techno couture.” He started out as a fashion designer in Comme des Garçons under the guide of Rei Kawakubo. As an apprentice he was a patternmaker and slowly worked his way up a chief designer of Tricot knitwear line of Comme des Garçons before handling the Comme Des Garçons Homme line.

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Roberto Cavalli loves women.Just about in every interview Roberto Cavalli gushes about his appreciation of women. But not just any woman, Cavalli says he designs for a very specific kind of woman, because for him simply being beautiful isn’t just enough.And it shows in his designs, all over-the-top glamour and sensuality captured in his dresses of plunging necklines and animal prints.One thing that Cavalli says has helped in immensely in designing such sexy clothes that’s adorned women equally sexy such as Sharon Stone, Kate Moss, Giselle Bundchen and Jennifer Lopez, is that he’s a straight guy. All he needs to do is imagine how he would like this woman to be close to him and he’s got he’s design idea. In short, Roberto Cavalli really loves women.

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Vivienne Westwood. The spirit of punk is alive and kicking in each one of Dame Vivienne Westwood’s designs.But it wasn’t always that way, coming from a working-class family Vivienne had doubts on how she could make it to the fashion industry and after a term in Harrow School of Art she quit and took on odd jobs including working at a factory and a school teacher. This all changed when she married the manager of Sex Pistols Malcom McLaren who had a boutique called Let It Rock. And that she did, taking punk designs to the pages of fashion magazines.

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Sonia Rykiel. Her trademark slim fitted sweaters, stripes and seams outside the garment have made her known all over the fashion stratosphere as The Queen of Knits. A great feat granting that Sonia Rykiel didn’t even have any background in fashion.Her first foray in the fashion industry came by way of dressing up a window display at a textile store in Paris when she was just 17 years old. And when she married a boutique owner named Sam Rykiel, she used a supplier of her husband to help her create what’s going to be her trademark look – the sweater.

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Jimmy Choo. A name that has been associated with slinky designer heels since it first came out in the 1988 issue of Vogue magazine. This Malaysian-born, London-based designer has made an empire making shoes but had his humble beginnings holding odd jobs at restaurants and at a shoe factory which paid for his college education. And having made his first pair of shoes at the tender age of 11 years old, it’s not so surprising that Choo’s shoe designs will have the world-wide recognition it has now. Aside from shoes, he’s also branched out in making ready-to-wear clothes and accessories which includes handbags.

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Christian Louboutin. Although YSL may have won the first round against their dispute about the exclusivity of the red sole, Christian Louboutin would always have the brand awareness and his legions of fans to count on. Louboutin’s designing history is filled of what Oprah would call an A-ha! moment. First was the sign at the Museum of Oceanic Art requesting tourists not to scratch the floor, which lead to him designing soft soles. Second was the idea of the red soles, which came from wanting to up the ante on his designs and after seeing an employee’s red painted nails, decided to make every pair of shoes from his studio have red lacquered soles.

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Tory Burch. Accessible luxury. No matter how much those two words seem like an unlikely pair, Tory Burch has somehow found a way for it to come together in her designs. Her mix of vintage, all-American style, affordability, comfort and luxury is what her eponymous line is built on. Tory Burch’s design background comes from working with greats such as alph Lauren, Vera Wang and Narciso Rodriguez. Which is why it’s not at all surprising that she’ll have the the CFDA award for Accessory Designer of the Year, Accessory Brand Launch of the year in from the Accessories Council of Excellence and the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award for Best New Retail Concept under her belt. And with all her success, Tory Burch is giving back through the Tory Burch Foundation in collaboration with the city of Los Angeles, which aims to empower women by giving them economic opportunities through micro-financing.

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Phillip Lim. His designs are beautifully designed and impeccably tailored. And even better it’s affordable. The Cambodian-Chinese designer’s introduction came by way of Barney’s in Beverly Hills where he took care of the inventory. His not so glamorous job lead to his discovery of designer Katayone Adeli which eventually turned into an internship. Maybe it was the influence of his father who was a professional poker player that Phillip Lim gambled on starting his own label in Los Angeles when Adeli moved to New York. And boy did his gamble pay off. After launching his firs collection in 2005 much to the delight of fashion experts such as Nicole Phelps of Vogue noting how “Lim knows how fashionable women want to dress.”

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Miu Miu.As Prada’s sweet little sister, Miu Miu’s origins couldn’t have been more apt. Derived from Miuccia Prada’s sweet and girly nickname, Miu Miu’s aesthetics was softer and more playful, filled with prints, earthy colors, lace, and as they say sugar, spice and everything nice. It was Prada’s craftsmanship and sense of style injected with a youthful vibe. Many celebrities have become the face of Miu Miu including Katie Holmes, Maggie Gyllenhaal and more recently 14 year old True Grit star Hailee Steinfeld.

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Vivienne Tam. Born in China before moving to Hong Kong at the age of three, Vivienne Tam moved to New York which sparked her interest in design. It’s probably this multi-cultural upbringing that’s inspired her 1994, debut collection under the label East Wind Code which takes inspirations from Eastern-style prints and silhouettes mixed with a Western style sensibility. In 1998, she received a CFDA award as well as a nomination for the Perry Ellis award for womenswear. Her eponymous brand now has offshoot lines called Vivienne Tam Red and Vivienne Tam Jade.

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Alberta Ferreti. What Alberta Ferretti‘s clothes do to a woman is make her feel like a goddess. Her signature flowy fabrics cut meticulously to create a fluid silhouette has been called the quintessential Italian aesthetic and has earned her the nickname “Queen of Chiffon.” But before becoming the toast of fashion’s elite, Alberta Ferretti worked as her mother’s assistant in their sewing shop. Not long after, she decided to open her own boutique in 1968, selling Italian luxury brands such as Versace and Armani. She applied the same concept of offering multiple luxury brands under one roof when she opened Aeffe with her brother, which also served as a platform for her designs. She launched her second line, a more affordable line aimed at the younger set, called Philosophy di Alberta Ferreti.

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Pierre Hardy. His background in dance and fine arts definitely shows in the way he designs his shoes. It’s so much more playful and more about expression than anything else. All his collections including his first one with Christian Dior to his collaboration with couture brands like Balenciaga and Hermes and then switching gears with Gap only shows his range as a designer. Currently his own label has stores in Paris and New York.

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Jonathan Saunders. Coming from a very strict Jehovah’s Witness background, where excess and frivolity is highly frowned upon, it’s quite interesting that Jonathan Saunders ended up in the fashion industry. But maybe it’s just fate because everything about his career seems to just fall into place. After his MA collection in Saint Martins he was snatched up by Alexander McQueen as a print maker. He’s also worked with other fashion houses such as Chloe and Emilio Pucci under the tutelage of Christian Lacroix. In 2003 he launched his eponymous label and in 2008 showed his first collection in New York. Currently, the London-based designer is the Creative Director of Italian brand Pollini.

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Giambattista Valli. As a young boy, Giambattista Valli’s pastime used to be sketching the people on TV (then only in black & white) and guessing what the colors of their clothes are. This could be what prepared him for becoming the successful professional designer he is now. He has worked for high fashion houses such as Fendi and Emanuel Ungaro ready-to-wear, serving as art director for the latter. He launched his first solo eponymous collection in 2005 and in July 2011 launched his first haute couture collection in Paris. His celebrity clients include Victoria Beckham, Queen Rania, Penelope Cruz and Astrid Munoz.

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Donna Karan. It seems like from the get-go Donna Karan will have her way with the fashion industry. A daughter to a showroom model mother and a suit maker stepfather, her acceptance to Parson’s should come as no surprise to anyone. She wasn’t even out of Parson’s when she landed a summer job at Anne Klein where she soon was promoted to associate designer because of her undeniable talent. She would start her own brand in 1988 under Donna Karan New York. This further branched out to a younger line called DKNY, DKNY for men, DKNY jeans, and her Essentials line. Everyone is in love with her designs except maybe PETA which slammed her for using fur in her collections.

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Reem Acra. Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, and Mary J. Blige. These women, aside from their strength as women and success in their careers have Reem Acra in common. And the women drawn to her clothes tells you a lot as to what kind of designer she is. She knows how to make you feel like a woman. Her clothes can even make people cry. Although she was first known as a bridal designer, she has then branched out into evening gowns and ready-to-wear which are available in over 150 of the world’s most exclusive retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue in the USA and also in specialty retailers in Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Istanbul, Egypt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Korea.

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Amanda Wakeley. These days you’ve probably heard of Amanda Wakeley through Kate Middleton who has taken a liking to wearing her understated but glamorous designs in several of her public appearances. But Kate is also not the first royal that Amanda Wakeley has dressed, she’s also dressed the late Princess Diana and Queen Rania of Jordan. Amanda Wakeley has been dressing women since the 1990s when she first launched her eponymous line which has then since branched out to bridal, ready-to-wear and even jewelry. Among her most notable awards include three British Fashion Awards for Glamour and as an Order of the British Empire for her contribution to the fashion industry. Among celebrity clients include Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Beckinsale, Dita von Teese and Charlize Theron.