Lanvin’s look for fall-winter 2008-09 by Alber Elbaz

Kristen Scott Thomas walks the Cannes red carpet in a Lanvin frock

Name: Alber Elbaz

Label: Lanvin

Story so far: Morocco-born Alber grew up in Israel and began his career with Geoffrey Beene in New York. He then moved to Paris in 1997 to work with Guy Laroche for a year, only to join the house of Yves Saint Laurent. Alber was appointed as creative director of Lanvin in 2001 and has been with the highly respected and coveted French design house since. He is a master thinker and creator and always manages to tap the pulse of the moment. Just about everything he touches becomes a trend.

His look: Very aesthetic and classic, he is hardly ever gimmicky.

Claim to fame: He was awarded Council of Fashion Designers of America award for Best International Designer in 2005. He is known for his personal signature style, a black tuxedo with a bow tie. Recently, he also showed his funny side when he sent a model out on the runway dressed just like himself!

Alber Elbaz likes to keep a low profile. His bags, shoes and frocks are permanently on any informed fashionista’s shopping list.

Designerspeak: “Alber Elbaz is a superstar designer because he is so seriously unaffected by fashion. He has a life beyond designing and that’s what keeps his sanity alive. His clothes are real and believable and simply beautiful,” feels Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

Jennifer Connelly, the new face of Balenciaga, in a design by Nicolas at the Metropolitan gala in New York recently

Name: Nicolas Ghesquiere

Label: Balenciaga

Story so far: This Frenchman is the creative director for the house of Balenciaga (owned by the Gucci group) since 1996. He began his career as a teen interning for agnes.b and after completing his studies, he assisted Jean Paul Gaultier. Very few people know that Nicolas was initially a knitwear designer. He began with Balenciaga by designing uniforms and funeral clothes under a Balenciaga licence for Japan but soon his employers tapped his talent and he started rising within the company. With each collection he satisfies the critics, classes and masses alike.

His look: He is a virtual reference for any season’s high street mood. He has the ability to mix high street fashion with more classic elements like no one else. Whether it is last year’s breeches or this year’s digital flower power, his look differs with the season but remains the industry’s strongest.

Claim to fame: He has probably done as much for brand Balenciaga as its founder-designer Christobal Balenciaga. Nicolas is fashion’s current favourite. His designs are worn by the world’s who’s-who.

Designerspeak: “It is very creditable what Mr Ghesquiere has done for the House of Balenciaga. It is not an easy task to head such a design house but he has managed not just to contemporarise it but he has also given it a revolutionary look,” says Anamika Khanna.

Name: Stella McCartney

Labels: Stella McCartney and Adidas by Stella McCartney

Story so far: She began her career with an internship with couturier Christian Lacroix. After completing her design studies at Central Saint Martins, she took the head designer position at French house Chloe in 1997. In 2002 she quit Chloe to launch her own label under the Gucci umbrella. She is now one of the most respected designers and sells very well. Stella is a PETA supporter and has led strong campaigns against the use of fur in fashion.

Her look: Stella’s forte is that she manages any look. She balances a feminine and floaty line on one hand and a strong sporty one on the other.

Claim to fame: She happens to be the daughter of Sir Paul McCartney. She has famous friends too. The first time that she shot to fame was at her graduation show in London where she got her supermodel buddies Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to walk the ramp for her. It was only a few Chloe collections later that she was taken seriously as a designer. She was the winner of VH1/ Vogue Designer of the Year Award in 2000. Stella also designed Madonna’s look for her Re-invention Tour and also her wedding dress. Stella has been under a stellar contract with Adidas since 2004.

Designerspeak: “Stella has a fantastic eye for detail. She has great sensibilities and does a super job of distinguishing her two labels, something that can be quite tough to achieve. She could have used her surname the Paris Hilton way but she has never done that. Her surname is always backed by product,” says Ashish Soni.

Luella’s spring-summer 2008 look

Name: Luella Bartley

Label: Luella

Story so far: A Central Saint Martins graduate, Luella began her career as a successful fashion journalist in London Evening Standard and British Vogue. Then suddenly, a career switch saw her hop over to the other side when she launched her fashion label in 1999. Luella is on a super career roll, winning accolades in England first and then overseas. She shows mostly in New York but recently came back to London Fashion Week. Luella’s bags and shoes are forever in demand.

Her look: Young, fun, preppy and punk-rock-style edgy. She is a mix-and-match sort of a girl with strong English design sensibilities with many references to London’s street style.

Claim to fame: She won Elle’s Young Designer Award in 2000. This year again she won the Elle Style Award in the International Designer category. She has famous friends in Sadie Frost and Kate Moss.

Designerspeak: “Luella Bartley is quirky. She finds the right balance between experiment and practical using clever and thought-provoking techniques. She has the right mix of antique and modern, of contrast and monotone. She is also a great stylist and the way she puts things together tickles the stimuli,” says Gaurav Gupta.

A moment from Dries van Noten’s showing

Name: Dries van Noten

Label: Dries van Noten

Story so far: Dries comes from a retail background, so fashion came early and natural to him. He enrolled at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1976 and had his share of success quite soon. Children’s garments, buying and retailing, Dries has done it all before opening his first boutique in 1986. The same year got him recognition as part of the famous Antwerp Six (a group of six Belgian designers trained at Royal Academy of Fine Arts who made it big after a showing in London) and there has been no looking back since.

His look: Eclectic, quirky and effective styling forms are key features of his lines. Great use of print and colour stand a Dries van Noten outfit apart.

Claim to fame: The Antwerp Six is his biggest claim to fame. His designs reach nearly 500 stores all across the world. This year, he has bagged the International Designer award by Council of Fashion Designers of America and also dressed Cate Blanchett at the Academy Awards.

Designerspeak: “He is global and his prints work everywhere. What is interesting is that his look is so eccentric yet wearable, from rasta to red carpet!” says Kiran Uttam Ghosh.

Kate Moss with Stella McCartney

Name:Stella McCartney

Label: Stella McCartney and Adidas by Stella McCartney

Story so far: She began her career with an internship with couturier Christian Lacroix. After completing her design studies at Central Saint Martins, she took the head designer position at French house Chloe in 1997. In 2002 she quit Chloe to launch her own label under the Gucci umbrella. She is now one of the most respected designers and sells very well. Stella is a PETA supporter and has led strong campaigns against the use of fur in fashion.

Her look: Stella’s forte is that she manages any look. She balances a feminine and floaty line on one hand and a strong sporty one on the other.

Claim to fame: She happens to be the daughter of Sir Paul McCartney. She has famous friends too. The first time that she shot to fame was at her graduation show in London where she got her supermodel buddies Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to walk the ramp for her. It was only a few Chloe collections later that she was taken seriously as a designer. She was the winner of VH1/ Vogue Designer of the Year Award in 2000. Stella also designed Madonna’s look for her Re-invention Tour and also her wedding dress. Stella has been under a stellar contract with Adidas since 2004.

Designerspeak: “Stella has a fantastic eye for detail. She has great sensibilities and does a super job of distinguishing her two labels, something that can be quite tough to achieve. She could have used her surname the Paris Hilton way but she has never done that. Her surname is always backed by product,” says Ashish Soni.

You know the brands, but do you know the designer behind the brands?

Here’s a quick checklist:

Prada: Miuccia Prada

Yves Saint Laurent (YSL): Stefano Pilati

Gucci: Frida Giannini

Louis Vuitton: Marc Jacobs

Chanel: Karl Lagerfeld

Pucci: matthew williamson