The
world of fashion has a fast-increasing number of high-profiled designers
- that are listed below - whose on-going creations have caught the attention
of the general public and Hollywood's celebrities.
FASHION DESIGNERS
ELEY KISHIMOTO - Wakako
Kishimoto, along with her husband Mark
Eley, has built one of the success stories of British fashion.
Despite their reputation
as print specialists, the designers have built a formidable ready-to-wear
business.
Eley Kishimoto is an inspiration to younger designers, combining
creativity with commercial stability.
TOMOMI FUKUDA -
From Japan by way of London, fashion designer Tomomi Fukuda knows all
about that. Bored with selling exclusively vintage clothing after
opening her Camdenlock boutique on Melrose Avenue in 1995, Fukuda
began carrying what were then largely unknown British brands.
Business was slow- at first.
By 2001, the U.K. brands Fukuda first imported to L.A. began making
inroads at her competitors and eventually at the big department
stores, so she began creating her own clothes. She quickly picked up
local clients along with those visiting town to record albums,
including rock bands Green Day and OK Go.
Armed with a measuring tape, Fukuda is well equipped to notice the
changes in the Anglophile L.A. community. For one thing, "the boys
are getting skinnier and skinnier every year," she says, laughing. If
the boys are looking less like the meaty American stereotype, they're
also starting to look less modern.
ELLE HAMM - clothing designer, tv emcee, entrepeneur and
music artist
REI KAWAKUBO - Founder of Comme des Garcons. Starting out
with women's clothes, Kawakubo added a men's line in 1978. Comme
des Garcons specializes in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed
garments, sometimes lacking a sleeve or other component. Her garments
are primarily in black, dark gray, and white, often worn with combat
boots.
WAKAKO KISHIMOTO - Wakako Kishimoto, along with her husband
and design partner - Mark Eley, has built one of the success stories
of British fashion.
PHILLIP LIM - A former designer for Katayone Adeli and Development, last year Phillip Lim, 31, started his own line 3.1 Phillip Lim. Sold at Cusp, Lim's classic, chic and simple clothing has been a favorite of glamour girls in the know for ages. In preparation for his next show in September — his second at New York Fashion Week — Lim will be chronicling his progress in a new blog for Jane magazine beginning August 1.
PARAMJIT SINGH RANA - The embroidered robes
in "Troy," the props and flags in Oliver Stone's "Alexander
the Great," the intricate embroidery on the 400-meter stage curtain
in the upcoming "The Phantom of the Opera" -- all came from
Rangarsons (Paramjit Singh Rana & Son - Manjot), a family-run business located in New Delhi's central
business district.
VIVIENNE TAM - Her dresses can be seen in the Andy Warhol
Museum in Pittsburgh, Pa. & London's Victoria, Albert Museum, Glasgow's
Lighthouse and Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology in
New York City. She was included in People magazine's list of "50
Most Beautiful People."
ZANG TOI - Malaysian-born clothes designer who has worked
with Sharon Stone and Ivana Trump
VERA WANG - a former Vogue editor, revolutionized the bridal
wear market in the 1990s, offering simple, modern alternatives to
the prevailing frou-frou styles. She gained worldwide attention for
designing Nancy Kerrigan's skating costumes at the 1994 Olympics.
Wang also has ready-to-wear, accessories, beauty and tabletop collections.
LINGERIE DESIGNERS
JOSIE NATORI - founder and CEO of Natori Company, a women's
clothier specializing in elegant lingerie and sophisticated, romantic
daywear with a combined sales revenue of more than $50 million annually.
JEAN YU - Her spare, meticulously constructed underthing
designs, which make their point through architecture, not embellishment
and has earned her a high-profile clientele of photographers, artists
and models who typically get things free but pay for her pieces.
She started her career with Rei
Kawakubo
HAT DESIGNERS
EUGENIA KIM - acclaim Korean American hat designer has had
stores in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, and London.
TEE-SHIRTS/TOTE BAGS DESIGNERS
ANJALI PATHAK - designer of Indo-American tee-shirts and
tote bags
SHOE DESIGNERS
EUGENIA KIM - acclaim Korean American hat designer has had
stores in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, and London.
