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Iconic Designers: fun facts and quiz
The essentials in 7 ideas, with fun facts, an illustrated story and a quiz to see how much you know.
The essentials
Dior’s New Look
In 1947, Christian Dior showed full skirts and tiny waists after years of wartime rationing. The press called it the “New Look”, and it changed fashion.
Key fact
Some skirts used over 20 metres of fabric.
Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel freed women from corsets with comfy jersey and tweed suits. In 1921 she launched Chanel No. 5, still one of the best-selling perfumes.
Key fact
Chanel used jersey, a fabric then used for men’s underwear.
Le Smoking
In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent put women in a tuxedo, “Le Smoking”. Some restaurants refused entry to women in trousers, but the look became a classic.
Key fact
Saint Laurent led the house of Dior at just 21.
Armani
Giorgio Armani made suits soft and relaxed by removing stiff padding. His look took off after the 1980 film American Gigolo.
Key fact
Armani founded his company in 1975.
Punk Fashion
In 1970s London, Vivienne Westwood shaped punk style: ripped clothes, safety pins and tartan. She later became a famous fashion designer and activist.
Key fact
Westwood ran a shop on King’s Road in London.
Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga, from Spain, sculpted bold shapes like the balloon skirt and the sack dress. Dior called him “the master of us all”.
Key fact
Balenciaga was born in a fishing town in the Basque Country.
New Voices
Japanese designers like Rei Kawakubo and Issey Miyake brought new shapes and pleats to Paris. In 2018, Virgil Abloh became Louis Vuitton’s menswear director.
Key fact
Abloh trained as an architect and engineer.
Fun facts
Dior’s New Look faced street protests: some women were angry at all that fabric so soon after rationing.
Chanel No. 5 is said to be named after the fifth sample in the line-up the perfumer offered her.
In 1983, Yves Saint Laurent became the first living designer given a solo show at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Armani has designed the uniforms for Italy’s Olympic team.
Before fashion, Vivienne Westwood trained and worked as a primary school teacher.
Balenciaga closed his fashion house in 1968. Years later it was revived under new owners.
Issey Miyake pleated whole garments after sewing them, so they never need ironing.
Story: From Orphanage to Fashion
From Orphanage to Fashion
1890s, France. Young Gabrielle Chanel grows up in an orphanage run by nuns, where she learns to sew.
As a young woman she sings in a café, where soldiers nickname her “Coco” after one of her songs. Then she starts making hats.
She went on to dress women in comfy jersey, a fabric then used for men’s underwear, and became one of the most famous designers ever.
True or false?
Tap your answer to see if you got it, and why.
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Question 1 of 10
The New Look used lots of fabric.
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True. Some skirts took over 20 metres.
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Question 2 of 10
Chanel used jersey, then a fabric for men’s underwear.
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True. Comfortable and new for women.
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Question 3 of 10
Yves Saint Laurent designed a tuxedo for women.
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True. Le Smoking, 1966.
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Question 4 of 10
Armani made softer, less stiff suits.
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True. Known as unstructured tailoring.
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Question 5 of 10
Vivienne Westwood shaped punk fashion.
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True. In 1970s London.
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Question 6 of 10
Dior admired Balenciaga.
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True. He called him the master of us all.
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Question 7 of 10
Virgil Abloh trained as an architect.
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True. And as an engineer.
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Question 8 of 10
The New Look came from Coco Chanel.
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False. From Christian Dior.
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Question 9 of 10
Chanel made corsets tighter.
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False. She helped women leave them behind.
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Question 10 of 10
Le Smoking was a pair of shoes.
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False. It was a tuxedo suit.
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Sources
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Heilbrunn Timeline and Costume Institute
- Victoria and Albert Museum — Dior, Balenciaga and Westwood collections
- Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris — Le Smoking
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Chanel, Armani, Issey Miyake, Virgil Abloh
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Schiaparelli; McQueen
- Google — The origin of Google Images
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Diane von Furstenberg, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney
