You may be fashion obsessed but those names can be challenging! Prabal Gurung, Ann Demeulemeester even the seemingly simple Lanvin can cause confusion. It’s like they do it on purpose. Why can’t they all be Tom Ford or Marc Jacobs?
By knowing how to pronounce designer names correctly you can avoid potential embarrassment. Whether discussing the latest collections or referring to a particular designer at Bergdorf’s it will be most helpful and prevent that awkward pause when you’re not sure what to say.
Refer to this A-Z list to help you save face the next time you have to refer to one of these tricky names. And check out these two videos for bonus lessons!
Ok just a little humor… I promise this one is correct xx!
A
Abaeté: Ah-bye-ah-tey
Alber Elbaz: Ahl-bare El-bahz
Alejandro Ingelmo: Allay-handro In-gel-mo
Alessandro Dell’Acqua: Ala-sahnd-roe Del-la-kwa
Alexandre Vauthier: Aleks-andr Vau-tee-ay
Andrew Gn: Andrew Jen
Andy Thê-Anh: An-dee Tey-Ann
Anna Sui: Anna Swee
Ann Demeulemeester: Ann Deh-mule-eh-meester
Anya Hindmarch: Ahn-ya Heind-march
Arthur Mendonça: Ar-thur Men-doe-sa
Azzedine Alaia: Azz-eh-deen Ah-lie-ah
B
Badgley Mischka: Badge-lee Meesh-ka
Balenciaga: Bah-len-see-ah-gah
Balmain: Bahl-mahhhhn
Bottega Veneta: Bo-tega Ven-e-ta
Bulgari: Ball-gah-ree
Burberry Prorsum: Bur-bur-ree Proar-some
C
Cacharel: Cash-er-el
Carolina Herrera: Caro-leena Hair-era
Cesare Paciotti: Che-sah-ray Pah-cho-tee
Chaiken: Chay-ken
Chanel: Shuh-nel
Christian Dior: Dee-yor
Christian Lacroix: La-kwah
Christian Louboutin: Loo-boo-tahn
Comme des Garçons: Comb dey Gahr-sown
D
Dior Homme: Dee-yor Om
Dolce & Gabbana: Dole-chey and Gah-bah-na
Dries Van Noten: Dreeze Van Know-ten
DSquared: Dee Squared
E
Etro: Eh-tro
F
Fausto Puglisi: Fao-sto Poo-yee-zee
Fendi: Fend-ee
G
Gareth Pugh: Gareth Pew
Giambattista Valli: Gee-ahm-bah-tease-ta Vah-lee
Gianfranco Ferre: Gee-ahn-franco Feh-ray
Givenchy: Jhee-von-shee
Gucci: Goo-chi
Guy Laroche: Ghee La-roash
H
Haider Ackermann: Ay-der Ak-er-man
Hedi Slimane: Eddy Slim-mahn
Hermès: Air-mehz
Hervé Léger: Air-vay Lay-jay
Hussein Chalayan: Hoo-sane Cha-lion
I
Issey Miyake: Eees-ay Mee-yah-key
J
Jean Paul Gaultier: J-awn Paul Go-tee-ay
Joeffer Caoc: Joe-fur Kay-ock
John Varvatos: John Var-vay-toes
Junya Watanabe: Joon-yah Wah-tah-nah-bey
K
Kinder Aggugini: Kinder Ag-ooh-gee-nee
Kris Van Assche: Kris-van-ash
L
Lanvin: Lahn-vaun
Loewe: Loh-wev-eh
Louis Vuitton: Loo-wee Vwee-tahn
Lucien Pellat-Finet: Lu-see-en Peh-lought Fin-ay
L’Wren Scott: La-ren Scott
M
Madame Gres: Madame Gray
Mainbocher: Mayn-bo-shay
Maison Martin Margiela: May-sohn Mar-tin Mar-jhell-ah
Marchesa: Mar-kay-sah
Marithe Francois Girbaud: Jer-bo
Markus Lupfer: Mar-kus Lupp-fur
Mary Katrantzou: Mary Cat-tran-zoo
Missoni: Miss-own-ee
Miu Miu: Mew-mew
Monique Lhullier: Mo-neek Loo-lee-ay
Moschino: Mo-ski-no
N
Narciso Rodriguez: Nar-siss-so Ro-dree-gez
Nicolas Ghesquière: Nee-co-la Guess-ki-air
O
Olivier Rousteing: Oh-liv-ee-ay Rhoos-tain
Olivier Theyskens: Oh-liv-ee-ay Tay-skins
Ovadia & Sons: Oh-vah-dya and Sons
P
Phoebe Philo: Fee-bee File-oh
Prabal Gurung: Prah-bull Goo-roong
Proenza Schouler: Pro-enza Skool-er
R
Raf Simons: Rauph See-mon-s
Ralph Lauren: Lauren (as in the girl’s name, not Sophia Loren)
Rei Kawakubo: Ray Kah-wah-koo-bo
Riccardo Tisci: Rik-ar-do Tish-ee
Rochas: Row-shahs
Rodarte: Row-dar-tay
Roksanda Ilincic: Roksanda ill-in-chik Rock-sand-a Ill-in-chich
S
6267: Six-two-six-seven
Salvatore Ferragamo: Sal-vah-tor-reh Fair-ra-gah-moh
Sonia Rykiel: Sonia Ree-kee-eel
Sophia Kokosalaki: So-fee-a Ko-ko-sah-lah-kee
Swarovski: Swore-off-ski
T
Thakoon: Tah-koon
Thierry Mugler: Tee-air-ree Moo-gler
Tibi: Tbi (not Tee-bee)
Tocca: Toe-ka
U
Ungaro: Oon-ga-ro
V
Versace: Ver-sah-che
Vionnet: Vee-oh-nay
Y
Yigal Azrouël: Yee-gal Ahz-roo-el
Yohji Yamamoto: Yo-jee Yam-ah-mo-to
(Yves) Saint Laurent: Eve-sahn-Lau-ron
Z
Zac Posen : Poe-zen
Zegna: Zen-ya
HOMEWORK: Which names do you find most challenging? Have I missed any? Let me know in the comments!
