The cutting edge

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Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani founded his world-famous clothing company, Armani, in 1974. He was the first designer to ban models with a Body Mass Index under 18, hoping to stop anorexia among models. Armani’s breakthrough came when he tailored Richard Gere for the film “American Gigolo.” In 2006, Forbes Magazine named him the most successful Italian designer, estimating his total fortune at about $4.1 billion.

Prada

Miuccia Prada is currently in charge of the Milan, Italy-based fashion company Prada. She has a doctorate in political science, studied performance mime for five years and was once a member of the Communist Party. In 1978, she inherited her grandfather’s old luggage company and transformed it into the luxury line of clothing it is today. Prada has been known to outfit such prominent figures as Uma Thurman, Cameron Diaz and The Devil Herself.

Calvin Klein

The son of Hungarian Jewish immigrants, fashion designer Calvin Klein founded a coat shop in New York in 1968 with $10,000 and one other designer. The company began to expand, most notably with a line of jeans in the early ’80s advertised by a young Brooke Shields. Calvin Klein also is known for its underwear line, promoted extensively by rapper/actor Mark “Marky Mark” Wahlberg.

Versace

The first Versace boutique was opened in 1978 in Milan, Italy. Founded by designer Gianni Versace, the clothier is one of the world’s biggest international fashion houses. In 1997, Versace was murdered by serial killer Andrew Cunanan and his sister Donatella Versace became head designer.

Chanel

Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel was a French fashion designer who established the Parisian Chanel fashion house in 1909. Chanel popularized the “little black dress,” which was featured in the third issue of Playboy. The Chanel brand began to boom, however, with the introduction of its signature perfume, Chanel No. 5. Actress Marilyn Monroe’s Chanel campaign remains one of the most famous advertisements in history.

—Compiled by Dan Faas, The State News

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