How many times have you adored a designer’s work, but been baffled as to how to pronounce their name? Do you love the designs of Nicolas Ghesquière and Demna Gvasalia, but you’re unsure how to say each of their names? I was unsure myself until I consulted various sources and made this list! The following list gives the phonetic spelling for most of the major designers so you will feel confident in pronouncing your favorite designer’s names when you show off their designs or simply admire their work!
Adrien Caillaudaud, artistic director, Carven: ai-dree-en kai-oh-dough
Alber Elbaz, former creative director, Lanvin: ahl-bare el-bahz
Alexandre Vauthier: aleks-andr vau-tee-aye
Alexis Martial, artistic director, Carven: al-ex-ee mar-she-ahl
Andrew Gn: andrew ghen (with a hard “g”)
Ann Demeulemeester: ann de-mule-eh-meester
Ariel Ovadia, co-founder, Ovadia & Sons: are-ee-el oh-vah-dya
Carin Rodebjer, founder and creative director, Rodebjer: kaar-in ro-duh-beer
Christian Wijnants: kri-stee-ahn vine-ants (but, FYI, he’s happy with “wine-ants,” too, because Wijnants means “wine merchant” in Flemish)
Christophe Lemaire, founder and designer, Lemaire and artistic director, Uniqlo U: kree-stoff le-mair
Christopher De Vos, designer and partner, Peter Pilotto: kris-tuh-fer de-voes
Consuelo Castiglioni, creative director, Marni: con-sway-lo cas-tig-lee-oh-nee
Dao-Yi Chow, designer and co-founder, Public School: dao-wee chow
Duro Olowu: dure-oh o-low-woo
Erdem Moralioglu, designer, Erdem: er- dem moralee-oh-glue
Ermanno Scervino: err-mah-no sher-vee-no
Fausto Puglisi: fao-sto poo-yee-zee
Francesco Scognamiglio: fran-ces-ko- sko-gna-mi-glio
Gosha Rubchinskiy: goe-sha roob-chin-skee
Guo Pei: gwo-pay
Haider Ackermann: ay-der ak-er-man
Hedi Slimane, former creative director, Saint Laurent Paris: ed-ee slim-ahn
Huishan Zhang: hway-shan tzahng
Hussein Chalayan: hu-se-in cha-la-yan
Ji Oh: jee-oh
Jonathan Simkhai: jon-a-thon sim-ky (like “eye“)
Josep Font, creative director, Delpozo: joe-sep font
Joseph Altuzarra, designer and founder, Altuzarra: joe-sef ull-too-zah-ra
Markus Lupfer: mar-kus lupp-fur (as in “up” and fur, like, “animal fur“)
Marta Marques, co-founder, Marques’Almeida: mar-ta mar-kes
Mary Katrantzou: mar-ee ka-tran-zoo
Massimo Giorgetti, creative director, Pucci and founder, MSGM: mas-ee-moe george-eh-tee
Misha Nonoo: mee-sha new-new (like, “old old, new new“)
Paulo Almeida, co-founder, Marques’Almeida: pow-lo al-may-da
Phoebe Philo, creative director, Céline: fee-bee file-oh
Robert Tagliapietra, designer and co-founder, now-closed Costello Tagliapietra and recently launched JCRT: ro-bert tag-lee-ya-pee-ay-tra
Roksanda Ilincic, designer and founder, Roksanda: rock-sand-a ill-in-chich
Ryan Roche: rye-an rowsh
Shimon Ovadia, co-founder, Ovadia & Sons: shim-ohn oh-vah-dya
Simon Porte Jacquemus, designer and founder, Jacquemus: see-mohn port jahk-muhss
Simone Rocha: see-mone ro-sha
Tadashi Shoji: ta-da-shee sho-jee
Thakoon Panichgul, designer and founder, Thakoon: tah-koon pah-nich-gull
Thea Bregazzi, designer and co-founder, Preen: thee-ah bru-gahz-ee
Timo Weiland, designer and co-founder, Timo Weiland: tee-mo why-land
Ulyana Sergeenko: uhl-yahn-uh se-air-jane-koh
Veronique Branquinho: ver-on-neek brahn-kin-oh
Vika Gazinskaya: vee-kah gahv-in-skee-yah
Yigal Azrouël: yee-gal ahz-roo-el
