From Chanel to Galliano, the names that made fashion history
A lavishly illustrated guide to the lives and achievements of some of the most influential fashion designers of the last 180 years.

Over the course of the last 180 years, designers have transformed fashion from an elite craft into a cornerstone of global popular culture.

This brilliantly written classic guide to the lives and collections of 59 iconic fashion designers was first published in 2009 and is now available in this fully revised and expanded third edition. It draws on the latest academic research and the best of fashion journalism, including the authors’ own interviews with designers. Beginning with Charles Frederick Worth and concluding with the star names of the twenty-first century, the book details each designer's working methods and career highlights with engaging essays that capture the spirit of their times.

This new edition widens its remit to explore designers making waves beyond the Western world. It features six new designer profiles: Virgil Abloh, Iris van Herpen, Japan’s Nigo, China’s Uma Wang, India’s Sabyasachi and Nigeria’s Shade Thomas-Fahm. The text has also been updated throughout to reflect growing concern within the fashion world over sustainability issues, and to document a business in constant ferment, with designers swapping jobs and fashion houses at unprecedented speed. The Great Fashion Designers explores these designers' passion and flair, showcasing fashion at its most inspirational.