15 MOST POWERFUL LGBT FASHION DESIGNERS

Over the years since the days of renaissance to modern times, fashion has been indispensable for any civilized society from the times of the monarchs to the present day Red Carpet darlings. The fashion industry can be regarded as the least closeted. No well meaning individual can deny the overwhelming impact made by men and women who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered in the history of fashion and costume as well as other forms of art. LGBT people can arguably be described as the most talented people in the world. 

From Versace’s adaptation of leather fetish regalia to Michael Kors famous ladies sportswear to Jean Paul Gaultier’s human systems ensemble and cone bras, the powerful impact of LGBT fashion designers is scattered across the North Pole to the South Pole of the Equator.

Here are a list of 15 most powerful LGBT fashion designers and their achievements.

Giovanni 'Gianni' Versace

 He was a born on 2^nd December 1946, in Reggio Calabria, Italy. He was a charismatic and accomplished Italian designer of clothing, theatre costumes, accessories, shoes, makeup and home furnishings as well.

Versace began his apprenticeship at a young age and in 1978 opened his first boutique in Milan. Influenced by ancient Roman Greco art Versace is often considered as one of the most colourful and talented designers of the late 20th century.

While returning from morning walk in July 1997, he was killed by gay serial killer, Andrew Cunanan. Two months after his death, brother Santo, and Jorge Saud took over as CEOs, while his sister, Donatella became the new head of design.

Giorgio Armani

 Armani was born in the northern Italian town of Piacenza in the summer of 1934. After his stint in the armed forces, Armani found a job as a window dresser and in the mid 1960s worked with Nino Cerruti and Sergio Galeotti. Armani launched his own fashion label Giorgio Armani S.p.A. in Milan 1975. Armani established an innovative relationship with various industry; Film, Sports. He designed costumes for the 1980 movie, American Gigolo to the much success of the movie. He also designed Italy’s National Football Team’s 1994 World Cup jersey.

Often regarded as one of the richest fashion designers ever, he is noted to be the most successful fashion designer from Italy. 

Christian Dior

 Christian Dior one of the foremost modern French fashion designers was born in the coastal town of Normandy, France on 21^st of January 1905 to a wealthy agro industrialist. He played a poignant role during World War II by designing dresses for wives of Nazi officers thereby preserving the French fashion industry for economic and artistic reasons. In winter 1946, Dior founded his own fashion house. In February 1947, he presented his first collection “Corolle”. While on holiday in Montecatini, Italy on 23 October 1957, Dior allegedly died of heart attack. However, as of 2014 the exact circumstances of Dior's death remain undisclosed. Shortly after his death, Yves Saint Laurent was named new head designer at Christian Dior.

Alexander McQueen

 Born Lee Alexander McQueen on 17 March 1969 in Lewisham, London, United Kingdom, this great British designer and couturier was the youngest of six children. He announced his interest to become a fashion designer at a young age and started making dresses for his three sisters. His alma maters include Rokeby School, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and an apprenticeship with Savile Row. His impeccable skills later won him a controversial appointment with Givenchy replacing the great John Galliano. Earning the title "l'enfant terrible" and "the hooligan of English fashion", he achieved a lot of milestone on the runway such as: spawning a trend in low rise jeans, constantly incorporating skulls in his designs, using silhouettes credited to adding a sense of fantasy and rebellion to fashion. Openly gay, he realized his sexual orientation at six. He had a brief marriage with his partner George Forsyth. On 11 February 2010, he committed suicide by hanging days before a new collection show.

Jean Paul Gaultier

 This successful French Haute Couture and Pret-a-Porter fashion designer never received formal training as a fashion designer. Impressed by his talent, Pierre Cardin hired him as an assistant in 1970. A year later, he worked with Jacques Esterel, Jean Patou and Hermes as creative Director (2003-2010). His first collection featuring street wear and popular culture was released in 1976. Known as the “enfant terrible” of French Fashion because of his characteristic irrelevant style which dates back to 1981. He earned criticism and popularity for using unconventional models for his exhibitions, like older men and full-figured women, pierced and heavily tattooed models, and by playing with traditional gender roles in the shows. A giant in costuming, he was costumed in many motion pictures and celebrities on tour.

John Galliano

 Born John Charles Galliano in 1960 in Gibraltar to a Gibraltarian father and a Spanish mother his family moved to England when John was six. In 1988, he graduated with first class honors in fashion design from Saint Martin's School of Art. His first collection was inspired by the French Revolution and entitled Les Incroyables. With the help of American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Andre Leon Talley Galliano received enough financial backing and high society stamp needed to give him credibility in Paris. In July 1995 and October 1996, he was appointed head designer of Givenchy and Christian Dior respectively thus becoming the first British designer to head a French haute couture house. Openly gay, he lives in Paris with his long term partner and style consultant, Roche Alexis.

Marc Jacobs

 This famous American designer was born on April 9, 1963 to a secular Jewish family in New York City. He studied at the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design in New York. While still at Parsons, he designed and sold his first line of hand-knit sweaters. In 1986, Jacobs designed his first collection bearing the Marc Jacobs label. In 1987, he became the youngest designer ever awarded the fashion industry's highest tribute, the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Perry Ellis Award for "New Fashion Talent". In 2009, he launched a shirt, sold at his stores demanding the legalization of gay marriage. He was the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton from 1997 to 2013. 

Pierre Cardin

 Pierre Cardin is an Italian-born French fashion designer and costumier known for his avant-garde style, Space Age designs and automobile designer. He prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. At 14, he worked as a clothier’s apprentice, learning the basics of fashion design and construction. In 1939, he left home to work for a tailor in Vichy, where he began making suits for women. Cardin moved to Paris in 1945 and worked with the fashion house of Paquin, Elsa Schiaparelli until he became head of Christian Dior’s tailleure atelier in 1947. Cardin founded his label in 1950 and famous for being the first couturier to turn to Japan as a high fashion market when he travelled there in 1959.

Tom Ford

 Born Thomas "Tom" Ford on born August 27, 1961, this American fashion designer and film director got his first stint of fashion while working as an intern in Paris at Chloe’s press office by just sending out clothes out on photo shots. After working with Hardwick and Perry Ellis, he took over the position of design director at Gucci in 1992. His leadership saw a rapid turnaround of Gucci Group. When Gucci acquired the house of Yes Saint Laurent (YSL), Ford was as well named the creative director. After leaving Gucci in 2004, he launched a line of menswear, beauty, eyewear and accessories in 2006. In 2010, he made his directorial debut in an award winning LGBT movie, A Single Man, starring Academy Award winning Actor, Colin Firth and Academy Award Nominee, Julianne Moore. Openly gay, he realized his sexual orientation while in College at Studio 54. Married to his long term partner, Richard Buckley, they have a son Alexander John Buckley Ford born in 2012. 

Yves Saint Laurent

 Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent was born on August 1, 1936 in French Algeria. At an early age, he was known to create intricate paper dolls and at his early teens, he was already designing dresses for his mother and sisters. At 18, he enrolled at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris where his designs earned him immediate repute. He was later hired by Christian Dior replacing him after his death in 1957. While on military service during the Algerian War of Independence, he was sacked at Dior. After a period of convalescence and successful legal fight, he and his then partner Pierre Berge founded their own fashion house. In the 1960s and 1970s, the firm popularized fashion trends such as the beatnik look, safari jackets for men and women, tight pants, thigh-high boots and arguably the most famous classic tuxedo suit for women in 1966, Le Smoking. He was also known for his use of non-European cultural references, and non-white models. A heavy smoker, alcoholic and constant cocaine user, Dior died of brain cancer at his Paris home days after a same sex civil union with his partner Berge.

Ben de Lisi

 Ben de Lisi an openly gay American born London based fashion designer was born 31 May 1955^. He studied sculpture at the famous Pratt Institute. He started deigning his brand’s menswear in 1979. He later moved to London three years later. He achieved outstanding fame for his collections at Debenhams. He has made appearances on the media, including “It Takes Two”, the BBC One show “Strictly Come Dancing” “Come Dine With Me” and as a mentor and judge on the television series, Project Catwalk.

Zac Posen

  Jewish American fashion designer Zachary E. "Zac" Posen was born on October 24, 1980 in New York and was raised in a lower Manhattan neighborhood. As a child he would steal yarmulkes from his grandparents’ synagogue to make ball dress for dolls. His first formal contact with fashion was with Nicole Miller in his sophomore year. At the age of sixteen, he enrolled at the famous Parsons New School for Design in New York and later at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Zac got a big break in 2000 after making a dress for supermodel, Naomi Campbell. A year later, he had his first runway show which achieved a remarkable success. In 2004, Zac Posen signed a deal with urban fashion giant, Sean John. Amongst his students, includes an internship with Ashley Olsen. Openly gay, Posen lives with his boyfriend Christopher Niquet and their three dogs.

Michael Kors

 Michael Kors was born Karl Anderson, Jr in Long Island New York on August 9, 1959Having an early flair for fashion, Kors designed his mother’s second wedding dress at the age of five. As a teen, he began designing clothes and selling them out of his family’s house. In 1977, he enrolled at the fashion institute of technology in New York City only to drop out nine months later. Shortly afterwards, he was discovered by a fashion boutique director.  In 1981, Kors launched his Michael Kors womenswear line only to discontinue in 1993 after filing for bankruptcy. Four years later, he launched a lower priced line and was designing clothes for Celine, a French fashion house. His tenure at Celine was very successful. However, in October 2003, he left Celine to concentrate on his own brand. He is widely known for his sportswear line for women. He is Honorary Chairman and Chief Creative Officer for his company, Michael Kors Holdings Limited (KORS). Openly gay, Kors got married to his partner Lance LePere in August 2011.

Coco Chanel

 Born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel on 19 August 1883, she was a French fashion designer and founder of the Chanel brand. Along with Paul Poiret, Chanel was credited with liberating women from the constraints of the "corseted silhouette" and popularizing the acceptance of a sportive, casual chic as the feminine standard in the post-World War I era. A prolific fashion creator, Chanel's influence extended beyond couture clothing. Her design aesthetic was realized in jewelry, handbags, the little black dress, suits, suntans and fragrance, the. Her signature scent, Chanel No. 5, is often regarded as the most successful brand of perfume ever. Known for her lifelong determination, ambition, and energy which she applied to her professional and social life, she achieved both success as a businesswoman and social prominence thanks to the connections she made through her work. These included many artists and craftspeople to whom she became a patron. However, Chanel's life choices generated controversy, particularly her behavior during the German occupation of France in World War II. On Sunday 10^th January, 1971 at 87, Chanel died at the Hotel Ritz where she had resided for more than 30 years.

Valentino Gavarani

 Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in Italy, May 1932. Valentino became interested in fashion while in primary school in his native Voghera, northern Italy, when he apprenticed under his aunt Rosa and local designer Ernestina Salvadeo. Valentino then moved to Paris to pursue this interest with the help of his parents. After studies at the École des Beaux-Arts and Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, he had an apprenticeship with Balenciaga and Jean Desses. He then partnered with Guy Laroche for two years. Five years later, Valentino left Jean Desses. His first international show at the Pitti Palace was welcomed as a true revelation and the young couturier was deluged by orders from foreign buyers and enthusiastic comments on the press. He has made dresses for many famous ladies including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. On September 4, 2007, Valentino announced that he would retire fully in September 2007. His last women's ready-to-wear show in October witnessed the return of many supermodels. Openly gay, Valentino and partner Giancarlo Giammetti met in 1960 and have been together, both romantically and in business.