The most iconic fashion designers of the last 100 years

Erin McDowellSep 16, 2020, 02:08 IST

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani and models following the presentation of the Armani fashion show in Milan, on September 23, 2018.ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

Over the last 100 years, many fashion designers have greatly influenced how we dress.
Some pushed boundaries by creating a "new look," while others brought punk subcultures into the mainstream fashion scene.
From Coco Chanel to Valentino, Virgil Abloh, and Rihanna, here are the most iconic fashion designers of the last century.

Some fashion designers will forever be remembered for how they pushed boundaries and influenced how we all dress.

From Coco Chanel's famous skirted suits to Alexander McQueen's out-of-the-box creations, these designers all stand out in history as masters of taste and creativity.

New York Fashion Week will be held this month with social distancing and other precautions in place, with shows happening remotely and streaming digitally.

Here are 30 of the most iconic fashion designers of the last 100 years.

Coco Chanel is famous for creating timeless perfumes and popularizing the little black dress and skirt suit set.

French fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. AP Photo

Salvatore Ferragamo was an Italian shoemaker who rose to fame in the 1930s.

Salvatore Ferragamo. David Lees/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

Christian Dior invented a new silhouette called the "New Look," which featured an A-line skirt and fitted bodice.

Fashion couturier Christian Dior, designer of the "New Look" and the "A-line," with six of his models in April 1950. Fred Ramage/Keystone/Getty Images

Cristóbal Balenciaga was never formally trained but is regarded as one of the most influential fashion designers in history.

Designer Cristóbal Balenciaga and Harper's Bazaar editor in chief, Carmel Snow, in 1952. Walter Sanders/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Hubert de Givenchy is remembered as the favorite designer of Audrey Hepburn.

Audrey Hepburn with Hubert de Givenchy in his workshop in Paris. Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty Images

Pierre Balmain was a well-known French fashion designer who launched Revlon's first perfume and regularly dressed Queen Sirikit of Thailand.

Parisian designer Pierre Balmain is here with a model wearing his "Midnight Bathing Suit" with a skirt. Bettman/Getty Images

Edith Head was an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design throughout her career.

Edith Head, director of costume design for Paramount Pictures, is shown wearing her signature glasses. Bettman/Getty Images

Yves Saint Laurent moved to Paris as a teenager and began working for Christian Dior.

French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his models celebrate the unveiling of his second spring collection at the House of Dior in January 1960. Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Emilio Pucci was well known for using bright, eye-catching prints in his designs.

The Florentine fashion designer Emilio Pucci surrounded by some of his models and working on one of his designs in Florence, Italy, in 1959. David Lees/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images

Paco Rabanne was best known for his space-age inspired designs throughout the late 1960s.

Fashion designer Paco Rabanne on the 1966 film set of "Casino Royale." Doreen Spooner/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

Italian designer Valentino Garavani, better known as Valentino, shot to fame after Elizabeth Taylor spotted one of his designs while shooting "Cleopatra" in Rome.

Designer Valentino in his Paris boutique. Jack Nisberg/Condé Nast/Getty Images

Vivienne Westwood became a prominent designer during the punk rock fashion scene of late 1970s London.

Vivienne Westwood backstage prior to her Autumn/Winter 1991 collection. John van Hasselt/Corbis/Getty Images

Calvin Klein studied design in New York City before starting his label with Barry Schwartz, who ran the business side of the company.

Bianca Jagger and Calvin Klein at Studio 54 in New York City, circa 1977. Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images

After starting out at Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren shot to fame with his own Polo Ralph Lauren fashion line.

Ralph Lauren leads a group of models down a runway at a 1995 fashion show. Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images

Betsey Johnson first rose to prominence in the 1960s due to her more subversive, out-of-the-box designs. However, in the 1970s, her brand really took off.

Betsey Johnson. Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Giorgio Armani is an Italian designer best known for his sleek men's and women's suits.

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani and models following the presentation of the Armani fashion show in Milan, on September 23, 2018. ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images

Donna Karan brought upper-class, New York style into stores across America with her DKNY fashion line.

Fashion designer Donna Karan attends the Tribeca Daring Women Summit during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Manolo Blahnik is a famous Spanish shoe designer known for his high-end stiletto heels.

Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik signs shoes as he makes a personal appearance at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Tom Ford led Gucci from 1994 to 2004, before starting his own label.

Tom Ford attends GQ Celebrates Milan Men's Fashion Week on December 14, 2016, in Milan, Italy. Victor Boyko/Getty Images

Michael Kors is famous for his eponymous fashion brand and for appearing on the hit reality series "Project Runway" alongside Heidi Klum.

Michael Kors walks the runway at a Michael Kors fashion show. JP Yim/Getty Images

Marc Jacobs has held high positions at Perry Ellis and Louis Vuitton, but his own brand has also achieved astronomical success.

Marc Jacobs. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace's life has been highly talked about and chronicled since his assassination in 1997.

Fashion designers Gianni Versace and Donatella Versace on the runway after a Versace fashion show in March 1996 in New York City. Catherine McGann/Getty Images

Alexander McQueen was known as a rule-breaker before his death in 2010.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen at the "Anglomania" Met Gala in May 2006. Evan Agostini/Getty Images Entertainment

Azzedine Alaia was known for his body-hugging designs beloved by stars over the last 30 years.

Kourtney Kardashian and Azzedine Alaia attend Paris Fashion Week on October 2, 2016 in Paris, France. Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

Karl Lagerfeld is credited with elevating Chanel to global prominence as well as being a strong creative vision behind Tommy Hilfiger and Fendi.

Karl Lagerfeld on the runway during the Chanel Paris Fashion Week show on July 3, 2012, in Paris, France. Michel Dufour/WireImage

Diane von Furstenberg invented the wrap dress in 1972 and is known for her fashion label, DVF.

Diane von Furstenberg. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Christian Siriano studied under Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood before auditioning for — and winning — the fourth season of "Project Runway."

Christian Siriano. Miller Mobley/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Stella McCartney may be a former Beatle's daughter, but she has paved her own way with her eponymous fashion line.

Stella McCartney. Steven Lovekin/Getty Images

Virgil Abloh completely changed the face of the fashion industry when he took over as creative director of Louis Vuitton's menswear.

Virgil Abloh. Edward Berthelot/GC Images

Rihanna, a music legend and pop culture figure, entered the fashion world in 2018 with the launch of her lingerie and loungewear line, Savage X Fenty.

Rihanna talks to media backstage after the Savage x Fenty fashion show in September 2018. Diane Bondareff/AP

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