How Do You Pronounce Fashion Designer Names Correctly?

High-fashion and designer style is great, but how do you pronounce all those designers’ names? One of the most intimidating parts for newbies diving into the world of designer menswear is just figuring out how to say all the names. Here’s some basic tips and a guide so you sound like you know what you’re talking about. 

One of the best tips is to know where the designer or fashion house originates. If they’re French, you’ll want to drop the final vowels on words, just breath the Hs and slur the words together a bit.  Meanwhile for the Italians and Japanese, you’ll want to pronounce those vowels at the end with gusto.

If you’re looking to expand your fashion lexicon, here is your cheat sheet.

Alessandro Dell’Acqua

ItalianAla-SAND-roe del-LA-kwa

Ann Demeulemeester

Belgiumann DEH-moo-lah-MEE-ster

Bottega Veneta

ItalianBO-teg-a VEN-eta

Burberry Prorsum

UK + LatinBUR-bur-ree proar-SOME

Comme des Garçons

FrenchComb day gar-SON

Dior Homme

Frenchdee-OAR OM

Dolce & Gabbana

​ItalianDOLE-chay and gab-BON-a

Dries Van Noten

BelgiumDREEZE van KNOW-ten

DSquared2

DEE squared

Givenchy

FrenchZshee-VON-she

Gucci

Italian GOO-chi

Hedi Slimane

FrenchEddy slim-MAHN

Hermès

FrenchAIR-mehz

John Varvatos

USA John var-VAY-toes

Junya Watanabe

JapaneseJUNE-ya Wah-TAH-nah-bay

Kris Van Assche

BelgiumChris van-ASH

Lanvin

Frenchlon-VAUN

Louis Vuitton

​Frenchloo-E vo-WE-ton

Maison Martin Margiela

​FrenchMAZE-on Mar-TIN mar-GEL-a

Moschino

Italianmo-SKEEN-o

Ovadia & Sons

USAOh-VAH-dya and Sons

 Proenza Schouler

USA pro-en-zuh skool-er

Raf Simons

Belgiumrauph SIM-mons

Rodarte:

USArow-dar-tay

Salvatore Ferragamo

Italian Sal-va-TOH-reh Fair-a-GAH-moe

Versace

Italianver-SAH-chay

Yohji Yamamoto

JapaneseYO-jee ya-MA-moto

Yves Saint Laurent

FrenchEVE Sane-LOR-aunt

Zegna

​ItalianZANE-ya