Parlez-Vous Fashion 2.0: How to Pronounce Designer Names Like Balmain, Christian Lacroix, & More!

With Her Campus’s “Parlez-Vous Fashion?” you tackled (and conquered, we hope!) the pronunciation of major fashion designers, fine jewelry houses, and important brands.  Now it’s time for more! Her Campus added to that list of designers you might avoid naming for fear of mispronouncing them, usually to steer clear of a cringe-worthy situation like HC Contributing Writer Anne’s:

“I worked at Rag & Bone this summer in New York and, as an English major, I was one of the only non-fashion students interning. One day, the interns were all discussing Paris Fashion Week and I tried to say something insightful about the Givenchy collection—only I pronounced ‘Givenchy’ as I read it: "Give-in-chee." My coworkers looked at me, horrified. ‘It's Gee-von-shee,’ one of them said quickly. Everyone was obviously embarrassed for me. I played it off, but I immediately looked up how to pronounce all of the Paris designers' names when I got home!” -Anne, The College of William & Mary

Sound familiar? Fear not, collegiettes.  Mastering the pronunciation of the design elite can be easy with this Her Campus guide.  Read on, and conquer the fashion world one designer at a time! 

Balmain 

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Balmain, founded in 1945 by Pierre Balmain, dresses what NY Magazine calls “the trendsetting French party-girl.” The Spring 2011 RTW collection showcased studded biker jackets, edgy cutoffs, and corset tops. Pronunciation? Easy. “Bal” rhymes with “wall”, not with the Cal in California. The second syllable, “main,” is stressed and it is pronounced without the “n”.  A similar sound? “Meh,” but with a hard finish.  Balmain = “Ball-meh.”

Nicolas Ghesquière

Nicolas Ghesquière is currently the creative director for Balenciaga and according to writer Kate Betts for Time Magazine, Ghesquière’s “ability to wow the front-row crowd with a heady blend of street style and historical reverence is unparalleled.” When pronouncing, keep in mind that Nicolas is not pronounced like “Nick.” Instead, pronounce the “i” as “ee.” Also, the “s” is silent. Nicolas = “Nee-co-la.” Ghesquière, intimidating on the onset, can be broken down into three easy syllables: “Ghes” or “guess”, “qui” or “key”, and “ère” or “air.” Make sure “air” is pronounced without a hard “r”. Nicolas Ghesquière = “Nee-co-la Guess-key-air”

Anna Sui

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Alex Kuczynski of the New York Times wrote there is “artistry in Ms. Sui’s art and fashion.” Bohemian and eccentric, while still glamorous and cool, Anna Sui’s designs are trendy and feminine with a little bit of edge! Think bold, retro prints, baby doll dresses, and handkerchief hemmed skirts. Anna is pronounced as you would read it, but there is a common mistake when pronouncing her last name.  Sui = “Swee,” not “Soo-ee.” Anna Sui is “Anna Swee.”

Christian Lacroix

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Lacroix, although a victim of the financial crisis in 2009, is extremely important to the global fashion arena. He is a French designer who rose to fame in the 1980s and Anne Slowey, in “Showgirl Style” for Elle, says he is known for “pouf skirts, embellished drapery, and folkloric mixes of colors such as hot pink and red.” Lacroix is “rarely able to resist a snug bodice, flaring skirt, or puff sleeve.” Pronunciation for Christian: “Chris” is said as you would normally say it, but “tian” is not pronounced as “chin” but “tee- eh(n).” Christian = “Chris-tee-eh(n).” Lacroix is a bit trickier- “La- kwah.” The “x” is not pronounced!  Christian Lacroix, “Chris-tee-eh(n) La- kwah.”

Isabel Marant

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Isabel Marant, another French designer, highlights minimalist, but feminine designs.  Think short shorts paired with loose-fitting knits, short floral dresses, and strong, structured jackets—effortless chic at its finest! When pronouncing Isabel, the only difference here is the first “is” sound; instead of “iz” say “ees.” Isabel = “Ees-ah-bell.” “Mar” rhymes with “car” but keep the “r” soft.  For “ant,” think of saying “awnt,” not like the insect and without the hard “t” at the end.  Stress this syllable rather than the first.  Isabel Marant = “Ees-ah-beel Mar-awn(t)”