Philippe (1906-1979). Latvian photographer who became an American citizen in 1949. After moving first to Germany and then to Paris, he opened a firm specialized in portraiture and fashion photography for Vogue, Vu, and Voilà. In 1940 he moved to…

René (1899-1966). American costume designer of Swiss origin. His rapport with Gloria Swanson, who he dressed both for movies and for her private life, made him one of the most renowned costume designers in Hollywood. He started working at Paramount…

English company of clothing for sailing established in July 1963. In the early 1960s, the Englishman Henry Strzolecki, who was very keen on sailing, wanted to exploit the new possibilities that the new hydro-repellent and waterproof technical materials could offer…

Léon. French fashion historian. In his essays Recherches sur les figures de la femme voilée (1873) and, above all, in Histoire du costume antique d’après les etudes sur le modèle vivant (1922), he studied draperies and plissés of Greek and…

Fause (1967). Brazilian designer. Born in San Paolo, he grew up in contact with fashion thanks to his father’s manufacturing business. Self taught, he soon began to create his first designs, selling them to private clients. In 1987 he launched…

Brand and English designer working in the USA. Her fixed idea is femininity, which is demonstrated in her bridal dresses. They are very tight with elaborated corsets and skirts in very light fabrics that model the body. After studying in…

Ryszard (1939). Polish photographer. Imprisoned as a child in the concentration camp of Auschwitz, he was one of the youngest survivors along with the director, Roman Polanski. After studying at the Superior School of Fine Arts and the Academy of…

Voor de Kunsten. Dutch fashion school. It has two headquarters: Arnhem and Utrecht. It runs four-year courses with a compulsory entrance exam. It offers one of the best cultural beginnings for aspiring designers.

(Hennes & Mauritz). Swedish company of young, trendy clothing. In 2002 its turnover amounted to 6 billion Euros (5.037 Euros in 2001) with a profit before taxation of 840 million Euros. It employs 34,000 people with 850 stores in 14…

Norman (1901-1979). Fashion designer of English style and designer for the Royal family. He was still a student at Cambridge when he had already designed clothes for the magazine Footlights. In 1923 he opened an atelier in Burton Street with…