Franck Sorbier
The romantic designer, known the world over for his exquisitely tailored jackets, showed his first collection in 1987 when he was just 25 years old after graduating from ESMOD. But the road to success was often long and winding, and financial difficulties led him to close his own label, making a comeback in 1999 as a guest designer at haute couture Week, before becoming a life member in 2005.
Giambattista Valli
The Italian-born designer designed ready-to-wear for Emanuel Ungaro before setting up his own fashion house in Paris in 2004. His lively, feminine designs made him a favorite of supermodels and actresses such as KendallJenner and Kate Bosworth, and he presented his first haute couture collection as a guest member in 2011 and became a life member later that year.
Givenchy
ClaireWaight Keller was appointed creative director of Givenchy in March 2017, becoming the first woman to lead the house, which was founded in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy, a protege of Cristobal Balenciaga. Givenchy, who started the eponymous label at the age of 24, is best known for his portrayal of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and for his long collaborations after that.
In 1995, after his retirement, his successor John Galliano has caused controversy, since Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald also entered the fashion house, the brand's previous designer is RiccardoTisci, He has created a darker and more romantic aesthetic for the LVMH house.
Jean PaulGaultier
Gaultier, who never formally trained as a designer, started as a studio assistant at PierreCardin at the age of 18 and then worked for JacquesEsterel and Patou before securing the backing to set up his own fashion house in 1982.
It immediately opened stores with a fragrance, accessories and denim line. In 1997, he made a successful appearance at Haute Couture Fashion Week. From 2003 to 2011, he was chief designer at Hermes, and in 2015 he closed the ready-to-wear business to focus on haute couture.
JulienFournie
The former biology student joined JeanPaul Gaultier's studio in 2000 after graduating from the Haute Couture Institute in Paris. He then worked at Claude Montana, Torrente, CharlesJourdan and Ramosport before launching his own label in 2009. His colorful, purely feminine designs became his trademark. He made his haute Couture debut in 2011 and launched a ready-to-wear collection in 2014.
MaisonMargiela
The renowned Belgian designer worked as a design assistant for JeanPaul Gaultier from 1984 to 1987 before launching his own label with business partner Jenny Meirens in 1989. Although Margiela made the schedule as a guest member in 2006, it wasn't until 2012, three years after he left the company, that Fashion House became a permanent member.
Since 2014, the brand has been headed by former Givenchy and Dior creative director John Galliano, who continues his previous deconstructive, oversized design style; White, nude tones, paint splatter, visual deception art and other features.
Maurizio Galante
Always heavily influenced by traditional Japanese clothing, the Italian-born architecture graduate presented his first collection in Milan in 1987 at the age of 24. Shortly after moving to Paris, he was invited to Haute Couture Week in 1992 and became a life member in 2008. Today, he remains passionate about architecture, most recently designing the interior of the Carnavale Museum in Paris, as well as numerous hotels and private residences.
Schiaparelli
Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli was a great rival of Coco Chanel. From 1927 to 1954, she ran her own haute couture house, and her surrealistic design style won her over some of the best women in fashion, including the Duchess of Windsor. They have all worn her lobster, mouse dresses, high heels or mitt-shaped hats. In 2012, Diego Della Valle, CEO of Tod's Group, revived the house in Paris, and it rejoined the haute weekly schedule in 2014. Bertrand Guyon has been the creative director of this legendary fashion house since 2015.
Stephane Rolland
Born in 1967, Rolland was only 20 when he started at Balenciaga and within a year was promoted to creative director of the menswear and international franchise line. At the age of 24, he launched his own ready-to-wear line and, six years later, closed the label and became artistic director of Jean-Louis Scherrer, where he remained until 2008.
In 2007, he launched his first haute couture collection and became a life member the following year. Roland's work is marked by its lean, elegant lines and sharp colors, and he has always favored black and white designs.
