European Fashion Designers

Accostages was created in 1991 by Sophie Bastais and Xavier Fourneret. Pieces are crafted using soft, fluid, modern, and light materials that flow with the body. A variety of innovative and natural fabrics are used, including cotton mixed with steel thread and have a light, incredibly comfortable finish. Styles are fresh and young, exhibiting a carefree, casual lifestyle.

Alberta Ferretti -attracts hordes of Hollywood stars to her gentle colors and subtle sexiness. Born in Cattolica, Italy. In 1974 she launched her own label, and designs for many fashion designers, among them Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rifat Ozbek, Narciso Rodriguez and Moschino. The Ferretti style is not one of old-fashioned prettiness. Her vision is a delicate one, developing an appreciation for textiles, daintily beaded or embroidered chiffons and sari silks. Her Fall/Winter 2006 collection [showed that]she's come a long way from girly chiffon and folksy boho. From the very first look, a chain-belted sixties fur coat with rounded shoulders, it was apparent Alberta Ferretti would be making interesting strides into a new kind of sophistication....the flat, calf-high boots, the stiff, rounded capes and pod-shape skirts—weren't vintage rehash. She made a hybrid out of fall's heavier black, navy, brown, and gray wools and jerseys and her usual light, romantic pintucks and ruffles, often pulling looks together with the great unifying device of a wide metal-link belt, woven onto suede. -Sarah Mower

Barbara Bui (born Paris, 1957) entered the world of fashion in 1983 when she opened a boutique, Kabuki, with her business partner William Halimi. Within this environment, Bui began to introduce some of her own designs; four years later she presented her first full collection to international press and buyers. In 1988, the first Barbara Bui shop opened on Rue Etienne Marcel in Paris and in 1998 Bui started a diffusion line, Barbara Bui Initials, a line of classic daywear. In 1999, Barbara Bui switched from Paris to New York in order to show her collection, but since then has shied away from catwalk shows and is currently working with the photographer David Bailey. Today she has stores in New York and Milan, as well as Paris, and a best-selling range of shoes and bags.

Anna Molinari- was born in the 50’s Capri, Italy. She and her husband Gianpaolo Tarabini established her label Anna Molinari in 1977. Blugirl is a ready-to-wear line for girls and young woman, infused with a touch of irony and joie de vivre with a clearly romantic vein. The collection expresses an ideal femininity that perfectly reflects the spirit of the Blumarine collection, readapted with great creativity and imagination. Anna Molinari's Blugirl is a perfect embodiment of a certain Italian woman’s attitude toward fashion: Let the rest of the world worry about sobriety, not her. What's the point in clothes if they don't make her feel decorative? Dresses and elaborate knitwear are ever the core of Molinari's commercial success, so she took the coat-and-minidress combo that is one of the looks of the season, but tweaked it to show off all the pieces that make her customers happy. A sliver of gold dévoré velvet with a fox-trimmed coat thrown over it started a show of slinky jersey and body-hugging mini sweater dresses. She thought up things to do with her line of embellished cardigans, too, trimming a turquoise one in fur and embroidery, and making another in multiple cream crochet ruffles.

Hoss Homeless came into being in 1994 as a range of women’s wear sold in multi-brand stores. In 1998, it was launched in own-brand outlets, the first of which opened in Leioa (Vizcaya). In 1999, further shops were set up and the firm began to export to Italy and Portugal. The company has grown ever since and its structures have become increasingly professionalised in the process.

"...Just in Case is a Belgian high profile fashion brand sold in an impressive list of countries. Antwerp based designers Vicky Vinck and Katrien Strijbol create sophisticated collections for women as romantic as they are. Amongst the clients you will find famous and not so famous women, yet all strong characters.
The collection explores as well boundaries of former fashion styles with romantic & fashionable details which Vicky & Katrien draw or create themselves. This makes the collection recognizable by the public and is regarded as highly fashionable. Women waring Just In Case will not pass unnoticed and are often complimented out of the blue with their choice of clothes."
(justincase.be)

"Since its birth in 1994, maharishi has evolved into one of the UK’s most influential designer labels, offering men’s, women’s and children’s collections available from exclusive fashion retailers worldwide. Founded by (creative director) Hardy Blechman, maharishi carries a strong ethos of respect for nature while utilising the latest technology.
Blechman, whose former experience lay in the international military and industrial clothing surplus trade, started maharishi by producing hemp and other natural fibre clothing as well as recycling workwear and military surplus. In fact, his work in the field of natural fibres helped them to gain wider acceptance among larger commercial fashion retailers...
By 1999, the label was producing comprehensive collections for men, women and children in which innovative design, comfort and functional detail form the common thread. In 2000, maharishi was awarded ‘Streetwear Designer of the Year’ at the British Fashion Council Awards. Today, owing to its commercial yet still credible status, it stands as one of the top key brands in men’s, women’s and children’s fashion in the UK’s leading department stores – Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Sales worldwide in over 500 designer fashion stores in 35 countries continue to grow.
Despite great commercial growth and a high media profile, maharishi remains a privately owned company, with its ethos and identity truly intact...
maharishi prides itself on gaining a respected reputation for not conforming to mainstream fashion trends, placing emphasis on its own points of inspiration and the natural progression of excellent quality, perfect fit and original design. The company continues to develop and expand with a positive attitude, open mind and unique approach, firmly positioning it as one of the most influential and progressive international brands around."
(emaharashi.com/info)

Two distinct origins, diametrically opposed cultures, strong personal visions yet similar aesthetic values… Peachoo Datwani and Roy Krejberg created their brand in 2004.
They like to mix references, styles and codes and have an architectural approach to the construction of clothes. Traditional couture techniques are combined with sharp cutting to obtain a very personal style built-up of contrasting volumes and proportions.
They do not believe in a specific inspiration for a collection. They design modern clothes with a soul and believe in moving ahead with the times and influences.
The interplay of shape and fabric, technology combined with ancient handcrafted skills are values intrinsic to all their collections.

Rue Du Mail is a platform set up by Martine Sitbon's vision of blending roughness with richness; her poetic feminine sensibility with uniquely urban sharpness. This duality makes Sitbon an important force in fashion. Rue Du Mail is an address, a space, and esthetic symbolizing Sitbon's independent spirit deeply rooted in Parisian elegance. Sitbon is a modernist whose clothes nonetheless have a sense of history.

Born and raised in London, Stella McCartney graduated from Central St Martin’s in 1995. Her final year collection had the rare accolade of being bought by influential stores such as Browns, Joseph, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. She launched her own line immediately on leaving college.