Twenty Fashion Perspectives from Design Masters

Every designer has their own set of design philosophies and fashion perspectives. As you admire their works, it’s worth exploring them.

Those designs that are either darkly romantic, or gorgeously noble, or bizarrely unconventional and whimsical, or clean and gentle – what kind of mood were they created in?

We have selected some statements from fashion thinkers that may provide you with answers.

Karl Lagerfeld

“Perhaps your fat mother is sitting in front of the TV with a large bag of chips, sneering at the unattractive models. However, fashion is all about dreams and fantasies.”

“We are living in the dark, romantic, and quite a miserable world.”

I am inspired by everything. There is only one rule: keep your eyes open!

“One is never over-dressed or under-dressed with a Little Black Dress.”

Jean Paul Gaultier

“I want to tell you, open your eyes and see beauty in places you wouldn’t normally notice.”

“I was a lonely child, and one day I felt that my teddy bear was very plump, so I made a tight outfit for him.”

Alexander McQueen

“Like most artists, I find beauty in the grotesque.”

I have no way back, and I will take you on what you think is an impossible journey.

Yves Saint Laurent

“Fashions fade, style is eternal.”

“I have never sought out sorrow intentionally, but through it, I have discovered the paradise of creative thought.”

Vivienne Westwood

“The ultimate fashion is to take off all your clothes!”

John Galliano

“You shouldn’t ask, ‘Why are you wearing a hat?’ You should ask, ‘Why not?'”

To be stylish is to go to McDonald’s in an evening dress and play football in high heels. It’s a personality, a confidence, and a seduction.

Marc Jacobs

“Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them.”

“It’s important for me that my clothes are not just an exercise in runway high jinks.”

I always find beauty in things that are odd and imperfect, they are much more interesting.

Tom Ford

“Fashion is a huge stage. I always dream of performing on it. However, I want to be different, to stand out from the stereotype, in order to avoid a mass-produced style.”

“When I get home, I take my clothes off and don’t get dressed until I go out. I eat naked and do everything naked.”

Rei Kawakubo

What is really beautiful is not necessarily shiny on the outside.

Valentino Garavani

“I design for romantic people.”

Diana Vreeland

“You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It’s a way of life. Without it, you’re nobody. I’m not talking about lots of clothes.”

Paul Smith

The thing I most interested in is continuity. I’ve always worked hard at not being today’s flavors.

Coco Chanel

A girl needs two things: taste and surprise.

“Fashion is not only about clothing, it floats in the air, spreads in the streets. Fashion is about creativity, lifestyle, and the present moment.”

Luxury is comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury. Some people believe that luxury is the opposite of poverty. In fact, it is not; luxury is the opposite of vulgarity.

“The future is romantic. I don’t understand why everyone says the past is romantic. For me, romance is the unknown, a dream, an untouchable mystery. That’s what makes romance fascinating.” – Raf Simons

“Why don’t we turn our dislikes upside down and inside out?” – Alber Elbaz

“In the age of machinery, fashion cutting is one of the ultimate comforts of humanity, individuality, and characteristics.” – Christian Dior

“Fashion is about dreaming and making dreams come true for others.” – Donatella Versace

“Fashion designers must be like architects in construction, sculptors in shaping, painters in color, musicians in harmony, and philosophers in moderation.” – Cristobal Balenciaga

“I formed my own style over 20 years ago, or rather, my style found me over 20 years ago. Since then, every line, every brushstroke, appearance, and clothing silhouette I have handled has been imprinted with my style, and these have defined me.” – Hedi Slimane

“In my designs, half of it is a restrained imagination, 15% is completely crazy creativity, and the rest is for bread and butter design.” – Manolo Blahnik

“Black is the strongest color! I think black is like saying: I won’t disturb you, and you don’t bother me either.” – Yohji Yamamoto