French designer labels evoke glamour, elegance, and creativity and were the bedrock of fashion. Whether it was the royal grandeur of Chanel or the modern razor-sharpness of Balenciaga, French brands dominated trends and changed the world of fashion.
France’s designer brands, whose legacy, creative approach and fusion of tradition and modernity make them indispensable in the global fashion houses, are legendary. From haute couture to celebrity accessories, they were the pinnacle of French fashion, and they still hold the fashion reins today.
As you continue reading below, we'll discuss 7 popular French designer brands that are still popular today!
Top 7 French Designer Brands
1. Chanel
The most famous and sought-after brand was Chanel, founded by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel in Paris, France in 1910. Chanel was a boutique millinery that quickly adapted to the unaltered, raw, and feminine women's fashion of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Coco Chanel’s avant-garde pieces were often inspired by her own experiences, mixing ease with class. She invented the little black dress, pioneered the jersey fabrics in haute couture, and developed the Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1921. Making it one of the best-selling fragrances of all time.
Chanel’s fashions weren’t only about clothes, but lifestyles. She imported fashion accessories including the Chanel suit, which combined feminine tailoring with macho detail, and the quilted leather clutch, the best-selling model being the 2.55 released in 1955. These technologies transformed women’s fashion, and the style they encouraged was a relaxed, classy, but soft-feeling unglamorous look.
Coco Chanel proclaimed that ‘luxury cannot be anything but comfort.’
2. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton or LV is the most popular luxury brand in the world that is synonymous with design excellence, classic style, and prestige. It was founded in Paris by Louis Vuitton in 1854 as a luxury luggage company. Louis Vuitton’s abilities to create customized trunks and suitcases transformed travel luggage, in a world where leather was still used only for extra-grip.
The royals took great pride in their flat-topped trunks, which could be stacked and covered with water-proof canvas. Such a strategy to fuse function with opulence set the tone for what would soon be one of the world’s most formidable fashion houses.
As the brand evolved, Louis Vuitton continued to branch out with luggage, handbags, clothing, accessories, shoes, and even perfume. Louis Vuitton’s son George’s Vuitton’s 1896 LV monogram was to become one of luxury’s signatures.
The monogram canvas, with its grid of interlocking "L" and "V" letters and flowers, was quickly synonymous with travel and luxury fashion. Throughout the years, the brand’s styles have come to symbolize luxury and appeal to the masses who want to express their style and fortune worldwide.
3. Christian Dior
Christian Dior is the most powerful fashion house in the world, founded by the French designer Christian Dior in Paris in 1946. In 1947, the year of Dior’s bubble, he presented the world with his first collection "New Look". The New Look represented an unprecedented turn away from the wartime austerity that had dominated fashion with a prominent waistline, full skirts, and feathered shoulders.
The "New Look" meant femininity, luxury, and excess, rather than the utilitarian designs of the postwar years. The collection became a smashing success and helped cement Dior’s status as one of the era’s most prominent designers.
For Christian Dior, good fashion was not a concern, the aim was to express the dignity, grandeur, and elegance with which every woman would identify. Dior’s clothes were all custom-made, feminine, and dominated by couture fabrics such as silk, wool, velvet, and embroidery. The House of Dior rapidly blossomed, producing bags and perfumes that would transform Dior into a fashion house.
4. Hermès
Hermès is an upscale French designer label, renowned for its quality, creativity, and elegance. Founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès, it produces high-quality saddles and harnesses for the carriage industry. The Parisian company Hermès soon became the producer of glittery-shiny leather accessories for the haute équestre.
The brand would later expand beyond saddlery into luxury handbags, jewelry, fashion and perfume, every tad of fashion and glam. It was only in the 20th century that the brand’s stature really took hold, as the first products that would define Hermès appeared. Probably the most well-known of these is the Hermès Birkin, which was created in 1984 for the actress and singer Jane Birkin.
The Birkin, not surprisingly, became a common symbol of status and exclusivity, with waitlists of months or years for one. The 18 hours it takes to create one Birkin bag gave the brand’s devotion to handcraft further credence. From the finest leathers, all bags are works of art and Hermès still handcrafts them to make each one a true one.
5. Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent (pronounced Yves Saint Laurent) is a French luxury clothing brand established by the designer Yves Saint Laurent and his business partner Pierre Bergé in 1961. Saint Laurent revolutionized the industry, merging art decor with modernity and altering the way women looked. The brand soon lent itself to experimental design and a new bold look that straddled male and female trends.
Yves Saint Laurent himself was among the first designers to present ready-to-wear collections that gave high fashion a reduced cost so that he could appeal to a wider audience and rewrite the definition of luxury. Perhaps Yves Saint Laurent’s most influential contribution to fashion was the women’s tuxedo jacket. He introduced the now-familiar "Le Smoking" tuxedo, in 1966, a sleeveless suit combining the masculine styling of the male blazer with the female form.
It was a stark rejection of conventional views of what women should wear and a symbol of power and innovation. Saint Laurent remained innovative and open to change throughout his career, accepting differences and flouting conventional wisdom. His writings frequently included allusions to art movements, cultures, and historical eras that he translated into new, modern versions.
6. Givenchy
Givenchy is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy. It soon became known for its straight, sweeping designs, unlike the decade’s more experimental designs. Hubert de Givenchy wanted to create modern and timeless pieces that focused on simplicity and elegance.
His relationship with the actress Audrey Hepburn, his favourite co-star, was the first thing that comes to mind. Givenchy even made Hepburn’s most recognizable gowns, such as the little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961).
And it is this collaboration that made Givenchy one of the most successful fashion houses of the 20th century. This style's reputation was later further reinforced by haute couture, ready-to-wear fashion, jewelry, and perfumes. Givenchy’s style was typically straight, light fabrics, and light details that still looked fresh and classically sophisticated.
Givenchy also developed designer handbags, shoes, and perfumes, including its own signature L’Interdit (1957). It remains a large part of the company’s archive.
7. Balenciaga
Balenciaga is a Spanish luxury fashion brand founded in 1917 by Cristóbal Balenciaga, one of the 20th century’s most pioneering designers. It was quickly admired for its flawless fit, architectural sensibility, and avant-garde designs that transformed the world of fashion. Cristóbal Balenciaga was an expert in cutting clothes with sweeping curves and sculptures, and he tended to design shapes rather than decoration.
He was an innovator, and his garments were avant-garde such as the first balloon skirts, sack dresses, and high collars. His attire was sometimes rudimentary in detail, but intricate in style and construction, purified and elegant.
French Designer Brands: FAQ
1. Who are the most popular French Fashion brands?
Some of the most popular French designer brands are Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Hermès, Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Lanvin, Céline, and Chloé.
2. What is the history of French fashion design?
French fashion design began even during the 19th century when Paris was the fashion capital of the world. Haute couture was created by designers like Charles Frederick Worth, who founded fashion design.
3. What’s popular about French designer labels?
French designer labels have a prestige label because of their history, talent, and tendency to innovate while remaining traditional. We associate these brands with Parisian fashion, luxuries, and clout. They create what they consider to be top-notch clothing, accessories, and perfumes that are made from the finest materials and have been meticulously manufactured.
4. Are there any French designer brands exclusively for women?
Even the most costly ones like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Saint Laurent all have men’s and women’s items ranging from ready-to-wear fashion, accessories, shoes, bags, and so on. The brands have also been able to develop lines that cater to a range of customers and offer high-quality tailored, casual wear for men and women.
5. Are French designer brands expensive?
Yes, French designer labels are associated with opulence and exclusivity, which means that they cost more than other brands. The price is an indicator of skill, history, and craftsmanship.