James Philips

Francisco de Rabanne da Cuervo, known the world over as Paco Rabanne, was born in San Sebastian, Spain on February 18, 1934. During the Spanish civil war, he fled to France together with his mother who was then the Chief Seamstress at the Spanish salon of Balenciaga.

Oscar de la Renta is a US fashion designer currently viewed as one of the world's leading designers in the industry. He was born the Dominican Republic of Santo Domingo on July 22, 1932. His mother is of Dominican descent while his father is Puerto Rican. At the age of 18, he left the comfort of his own home to pursue painting at the Academy in Madrid Spain known as the Academy of San Fernando.

Kimora Lee Simmons had too much too soon in her life—and continues to have more. Born on May 4, 1975 in St. Louis, Missouri, Kimora was a Cinderella in a rags-to-riches story. She was bullied at school for standing five feet, 10 inches at the age of 10 and for being a mixed ethic background. Her mother is Japanese and her father is African American. To ease her troubles, Kimora's mother enrolled her in a modeling class when she was 11. Two years later, her life took a sudden turn.

Jones New York has made an imprint in the fashion industry since Sidney Kimmel incorporated it in 1975. The Jones Apparel Group has come a long way. Bearing the Jones New York trademark, it has survived challenges in the industry and transcended barriers limiting the expansion of the brand.

Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Celine Dion,are huge names in the entertainment industry, and if there is one thing that these huge names have in common, it is the fact that they all turn to Coty when it comes to smelling good.

If you are an avid follower of fashion design and the industry itself, then you surely must have heard of Carven. Now owned by the Daniel Harlant Group that places major focus on developing fragrances, the founder of Carven was actually Carmen de Tommasso, who was born in France.

When it comes to luxurious fragrances, the House of Creed should definitely be at the top of the list. Founded in 1760, the House of Creed is actually one of the manufacturers of the best ever fragrances that have graced the rich and famous. The company itself is a dynasty, being passed from one generation to another since its foundation, so you can even say that it is a luxury fragrance dynasty that is held privately.

We all know how the works of huge artists can inspire how aspiring artists work as well. This is evident in the case of Hanae Mori. When she was 34 years old, Mori met Coco Chanel by accident during a fitting, even though Mori had indeed been studying fashion in her homeland Japan, and holding the position of costume designer since the year 1951, it was her encounter with Coco Chanel that truly inspired her.

Vera Wang is just about the most famous designer when it comes to wedding gowns. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising that many Hollywood brides would want their wedding gown to be designed by Wang. This is because Wang has certainly built a strong reputation for herself in the industry. Interestingly, Wang’s first love is not really bridal fashion. Rather, it was ice skating that first caught the fancy of Wang, which she ultimately gave up to focus on her career in fashion.

Nicola Trussardi was in his late 50s when he died of a tragic car accident, but he did not die without leaving his legacy in the fashion industry. If you would take a look at Trussardi‘s background, you just might be amazed at how an Economics graduate was able to turn his family business of glove-making into one of the largest ever companies to ever strike the fashion industry.