Top 10 Best Parisian Fashion Houses

Top 10 Best Parisian Fashion Houses

With one Paris Fashion Week or another perpetually “just around the corner”, it helps to become familiar with the big names that have ruled the Parisian fashion scene since day one.

Paris is one of the fashion capitals of the globe; a hub for new and innovative trends that change the course of self-expression world wide each time a new season rolls around. Here are the names you need to know.

1. Dior

The year was 1947; a time just after World War II when a man named Christian Dior took it upon himself to help the women of Paris feel beautiful and happy once again.

He felt the climate amongst society had women hungry for glamour and new identity.

Fast forward almost 80 years, and the Dior fashion house remains one of the most classy, sophisticated couture labels in the game. The label has also evolved into successful perfume, cosmetic and jewelry lines with various stores for each found all over Paris.

Dior’s flagship store has been at 30 Avenue Montaigne since the beginning of the house in 1947.

Dior – by Alex Maloney – Unsplash

2. Chanel

There are few modern households in the world who aren’t already familiar with the Chanel fashion house in some capacity.

Few people are familiar with Coco Chanel’s rags-to-riches journey that saw this young Parisian woman become one of the most important fashion minds of all time.

Coco Chanel was brought up in an orphanage in Paris, where she was taught to sew. By 1910 she had opened up her first store in the city, where she made hats and other garments intended to compliment the female figure.

Known for her figure-flattering, timeless garments, Chanel remains one of Paris’ most important fashion houses long after the death of both Coco Chanel and her successor, Karl Lagerveld.

Chanel – by Laura Chouette – Unsplash

3. Lanvin

Like Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin too was a fashion trailblazer in Paris. She actually paved the way first, opening her first store in 1889.

Miss Lanvin was always thought of as ahead of her time, and by the time the 20s rolled by she had a mass number of employees under her brand: seamstresses, embroiderers and tailors all loyal to her and her vision.

Today Lanvin remains a big name on the Fashion Week schedule, with effortlessly chic collections of clothing, handbags and even shoes.

4. Isabel Marant

Isabel Marant doesn’t have nearly as much history as the afore mentioned fashion houses, but this is definitely one to watch on the Parisian fashion circuit.

Founded in 1994, Isabel Marant has quickly made an impact on the Parisian fashion scene with notoriously androgynous pieces and sophisticated bohemian energy. The brand has, however, incurred a number of plagiarism accusations over the years.

A significant one came from the Mixe indigenous people of Oaxaca, Mexico, who had been making scarily similar clothing to Marant’s designs for over 600 years.

The stores are ever expanding, with a handful of them found internationally as well as in Paris.

5. Louis Vuitton

It doesn’t get more household than this big name in Parisian fashion. Louis Vuitton was founded way back in 1854, when a young man by the same name began making durable, high-end luggage and trunks for esteemed clients.

Napoleon III’s wife was his first important customer. The famous “LV” logo was only introduced much later by Louis’ son, Georges.

Louis Vuitton as a brand has since become somewhat of the holy-grail of luxury fashion in Europe, and the globe. It is worn by almost every celebrity in some capacity or another, and designers bend over backwards to collab with the house.

Louis Vuitton on the Champs Elysees – by Melanie Pongratz – Unsplash

6. Hermès

In 1837, Thierry Hermès began making harnesses, saddles, bridles, and leather riding gear for European noblemen.

This quickly transformed into other accessories, like scarves and bags, which quickly led to   Hermès gaining wide-spread popularity as a brand.

It was Thierry’s son who first opened the Hermès store at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where it remains open to the public to this day!

by Modern Affliction – Unsplash

7. Mugler

Known for being one of the more risqué fashion houses in Paris, Mugler took a sabbatical during the 80s when a season of “sexist fantasies” caused quite a stir amongst the public.

Today, Thierry Mugler is known as being somewhat of a “king of camp”, and his outrageous designs constantly push the boundaries on what one should and shouldn’t do with leather and latex.

Mugler’s Angel perfume is also one of the best-selling fragrances in the world, contributing significantly to this labels ability to stay relevant. 

Mugler in Paris – by Natalie Wra

8. Yves Saint Laurent

Few designers live on in as positive a light as Yves Saint Laurent does.

A quiet and tortured soul, Yves grew up in Paris and broke into the scene by becoming creative director at Dior at just 21 years old.

He was solely responsible for saving Dior from a financial breakdown via his come-back collection of 1958.

Yves went on to open his own fashion house, YSL, alongside his partner Pierre Bergé. Their old home is now the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Paris. 

YSL – by Aleksandra Rupar – Unsplash

9. Jean-Paul Gaultier

Jean-Paul Gaultier was a natural talent who could sketch entire collections without having had any formal training or education in fashion.

He made much of his impact on Paris between the 70s and 90s, and was responsible for the infamous “cone-bra” that Madonna wore throughout this latter decade.

The Gaultier fashion house terminated their ready-to-wear sectors in 2015, choosing to focus solely on haute couture instead.

Jean-Paul Gaultier – by ricardo martin – Wikimedia Commons

10. Paco Rabanne

If you’re new on the Parisian fashion scene, Paco Rabanne is a show to lookout for each season.

Paco started his career working as a costume designer, mostly for cabaret. When you see his designs today you’ll understand what a strong impact this industry had on him.

In the early years, Rabanne collaborate with Dior, Givenchy and other big-brands until eventually starting a self-named label of his own.