How to Prounounce Designer Names 101

Hi there! Last night I had a meet and greet opportunity with the beautiful Ambrosia Malbrough, who is known for beauty, fashion, and lifestyle videos on YouTube. She also sales delicate jewelry and candles. If you do not know her, go to her YouTube channel to get to know her and her brand.

During the meeting we had a funny moment discussing brands and a few of us was not sure how to pronounce some designers. Everyone may pronounce designer names differently, especially ones with accents. 

With Fashion week around the corner, I wanted to educate us all on how to pronounce popular designers.  I also uploaded a video from the i-D YouTube channel so we can also hear a few of the pronunciations

A Détacher: ah day-tah-shay

Acne: ahk-nay

Alber Elbaz: ahl-bear el-bahz

Alexandre Vauthier: ah-lex-ahn-der voh-tee-ay
Andrew Gn: an-drew jin

Ann Demeulemeester: ann de-mule-eh-meester

Anna Sui: anna swee

Anya Hindmarch: ahn-yuh hind-marsh

Aquilano Rimondi: ah-kwi-lahn-doh rim-ohn-dee
ASOS: a-sauce

Azzedine Alaia: azz-eh-deen ah-lie-ah

Badgley Mischka: badge-lee meesh-kah

Balenciaga: bah-len-see-ah-gah

Balmain: bahl-mahhhhn

Behnaz Sarafpour: ben-ahz sar-uh-for

Bibhu Mohapatra: bee-booh mo-ahh-pat-rah

Bottega Veneta: bow-tay-guh vah-netta

Bouchra Jarrar: boo-shra jahr-arr

Burberry Prorsum: burr-behr-ee prohr-sum

Carven: cahr-vehn
Chanel: sha-nell
Christian Dior: christian dee-or

Christian Lacroix: christian luh-kwa

Christian Louboutin: christian loo-boo-tan

Comme des Garçons: comb dey gah-sown

Costella Tagliapietra: coh-stell-oh tag-lee-ah-pee-ay-troh

Cushnie et Ochs: cuh-sh-nee eht ocks

Dolce & Gabbana: dol-chey and gab-ana

Dries Van Noten: drees van know-ten

Elie Saab: ee-lee sahb

Emanuel Ungaro: ee-man-you-el oon-gar-oh

Erdem Moragliou: air-dem more-ah-glee-uh

Ermenegildo Zegna: ehr-men-e-jil-doh zayn-yah

Etro: eht-ro

Gareth Pugh: gareth pew

Giambattista Valli: gee-am-bah-tease-ta vah-lee

Gianfranco Ferre: gee-ahn-franco feh-ray

Givenchy: zjee-von-shee
Gucci: guu-shee

Guillame Henry: gee-ohm ahn-ree

Hedi Slimane: ed-ee slim-ahn

Hermès: er-mez

Hervé Léger: air-vay lay-jah

Hussein Chalayan: hoo-sane sha-lion

Issa: ee-sah

Issey Miyake: ee-say mee-ah-kay

Issey Miyake: iss-ee mee-yah-key

Jean Paul Gaultier: zhon paul go-tee-ay

Junya Watanabe: jun-yah wat-an-ah-bey

Kinder Aggugini: kinder ag-ooh-gee-nee

Kirna Zabête: keer-nah zah-bet

Lanvin: lahn-vahn

Loewe: loh-wev-eh

Louis Vuitton: loo-wee vwee-tahn

L'Wren Scott: la-ren scott

Maison Martin Margiela: may-sohn martin mar-jhell-ah

Maiyet: may-et

Maje: mahj
Manolo Blahnik: Min-ol-o blon-ik

Marchesa: mar-kay-sah

Mary Katrantzou: mary cat-trant-zoo

Miu Miu: mew-mew

Monique Lhuillier: monique le-hu-lee-ay

Moschino: mos-key-no

Nicholas Ghesquière: nee-coh-la guess-k-yair

Olivier Theyskens: oh-liv-ee-ay tay-skins

Proenza Schouler: pro-en-zuh skool-er

Ralph Lauren: ralf lor-en

Rei Kawakubo: ray cow-uh-kooh-bo

Rochas: row-shahs

Rodarte: row-dar-tay

Roksanda Ilincic: roksanda ill-in-chik

Sacai: suh-kai

Salvatore Ferragamo: sal-vah-tor-re fer-ra-gah-moh

Schiaparelli: skyap-uh-rell-ee

Sonia Rykiel: sewn-yah ree-key-el

Thakoon: tah-koon

Thierry Mugler: tee-air-ee mu-glare

TSE: say

Ulyana Sergeenko: uhl-yahn-uh s-air-jane-koh

Versace: vur-sah-chee

Vika Gazinskaya: vee-kah gahv-in-skee-yah

Vionnet: vee-oh-nay

Yigal Azrouël: yig-ahl ahz-roo-el

Yohji Yamamoto: yoh-jee yam-ah-mo-to

Yves Saint Laurent: eve san lau-ron
Zara: zar-rah

Now we can all study the designer names over the weekend, just in time for Fashion Week. If any of you fashionistas are attending fashion week and events this year, it is extremely important to know how to pronounce the name of these popular designers. It can be embarrassing and possible damage to your brand or reputation when working with designers in the future. Just as a note.

Also the meeting I attended last night ran a little late and I was not able to finish the post I had planned for today, however I will upload it on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Images and Credit: Harper Bazaar