Fashion Eye: One-Name Wonders to Look Out For

Fashion Eye: One-Name Wonders to Look Out For From Herm?�s to Versace and Dior to Prada, we’ve all fallen for the one-name designers. Here’s a list of one-namers that you may not have heard of just yet. Just in time for the summer season! Akris Claiming fame as one of the underground greats, Akris is the go-to designer for any female professional. Created in 1922 by Alice Kriemler Schloch, the Swiss clothing line began with a product line of polka-dot aprons, and gradually grew to be the Swiss champion that it is today. Akris’ collections are filled with tailored suits and trim-cut dresses that will make any CEO and executive bring a powerful punch into the everyday wear. Balmain From day one Balmain collections have never been anything short of ultra-feminine. Dating back to the 1930s, Balmain’s history as a fashion designer is both dense and complicated. Since his death in the early 80s, Balmain’s line has been taken up by various designers, including Oscar de la Renta, and since 2005 the fate of Balmain has been in the hands of designer Christophe Decarnin. Although beginning as a fashion house that focused on elegant dresses, Balmain collections now include more casual wear, including stark white trousers, simple pastel-coloured blouses, and patterned mini-dresses. C?�line Hailing from France in the mid-1940s, C?�line Vipiana began her fashion house with a made-to-measure children’s shoe line. It wasn’t until 20 years later that Vipiana expanded her expertise into women’s footwear and handbags, as well women’s pr??t-?�-porter clothing. After 52 years, Vipiana handed over the design reins to Michael Kors, which he led gracefully for just under eight years. Currently, Pheobe Philo is the mastermind behind the Celine line. A signature feature that will leave you spotting C?�line coats, jackets and even some dresses and blouses are the trademark C?�line sleeves: falling just at the wrist or mid-palm, and tapered. Most recently, Philo has launched C?�line collections that boast a union of extremes. In a single collection we can see modesty and exuberance, neutrals and vibrant tones, solid colours and eccentric patterns. Marni Less than two years away from celebrating its 20 year anniversary, Marni designs seem to be gaining precedence with the years. Beginning slowly through her husband’s fur company, Consuelo Castiglioni founded Marni in 1994 and has yet to show any signs of slowing down. Those unfamiliar with the name have likely caught a glimpse of Marni’s designs through her H&M Spring 2012 collection, which landed in stores with immediate praise. Castiglioni brings an element of femininity that is rare in women’s fashion. Unlike most fashion houses, whose principal mission is to enhance sex appeal, Marni designs aim for a sense of camaraderie with fellow women. With exposed sheer slips, leather jackets with wide fur collars, and floral patterns reminiscent of the 70s psychedelic, a woman who wears Marni is not too serious, and more concerned with fun than she is with perfection. Marni extends into shoes, handbags and accessories, and are infamous for a colourful, tailored bohemian look, fit for any woman with a creative flare.