French Fashion Designers Quiz
Estimated Completion Time
2 min
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Image: George Hoyningen-Huene/Condé Nast via Getty Images
About This Quiz
Louis XIV's lavish lifestyle made France a fashion hub in the 17th century, and the country's role in fine design has only grown since then. Take our quiz to see how much you know about the greatest French designers of all time.
START QUIZ
What was Coco Chanel's real first name?
Born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel, Coco grew up in an orphanage, where she learned to sew.
What did Chanel sell at her first boutique?
When she opened her first boutique in 1910, Chanel sold hats. She later focused on fragrance and fashion, including the little black dress.
Where was Karl Lagerfeld born?
Lagerfeld was born in Germany but moved alone to Paris at age 14 to pursue a career in fashion.
What year did Lagerfeld finally start his own label?
Lagerfeld started making his own designs in 1961 but didn't start his own label until 1984.
What house did Andre Courreges work for before branching out on his own?
Courreges joined Balenciaga in 1949 and opened his own fashion house in Paris in 1961.
What sport did Rene Lacoste dominate in the 1920s?
Lacoste became one of the best tennis players in the world, despite not starting in the sport until age 15.
What was Lacoste's nickname when he played tennis?
Lacoste's playing style earned him the nickname "The Crocodile," which inspired him to use a crocodile logo on the left breast of his famous polo shirts many years later.
What actress was closely associated with Hubert de Givenchy?
Givenchy dressed fashion icon Audrey Hepburn both in her personal life and in the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
What year did de Givenchy open his own design house?
Givenchy opened his famous French fashion house in 1952. His first collection included long, feminine skirts and tailored white blouses.
What designer is known for his signature red soles?
Louboutin released his first line of shoes in the early '90s and started painting the soles red in 1993.
Who inspired Louboutin to create his red-soled shoes?
Watching his assistant paint her nails bright red inspired Louboutin to add the signature red sole to his shoes.
What did Louis Vuitton do to revolutionize the trunk in 1858?
Vuitton introduced the first stackable trunks in 1858. Instead of having a domed top like most trunks of the day, Vuitton's trunks were flat and therefore stackable.
What country was Cristobal Balenciaga born in?
Balenciaga hailed from Spain but moved to Paris at age 20 and started his own French fashion house in 1937.
Which of these garments was Balenciaga best-known for when he started out?
In his early career, Balenciaga was celebrated for his capes and his use of plastic to create water-resistant rainwear.
What is Paloma Picasso famous for?
The young Picasso crafted jewelry for Yves Saint Laurent and Tiffany & Co. before launching her own line of accessories.
Which designer did Yves Saint Laurent work for before branching out on his own?
Yves Saint Laurent worked at Dior before heading home to his native Algeria to join the military.
Which of these pieces is Yves Saint Laurent best-known for?
Saint Laurent famously crafted tuxedos for women and smoking jackets known as "Le Smoking."
Whom did Jean Paul Gaultier work for before branching out on his own?
Gaultier learned under Pierre Cardin before launching his own design house in 1982.
What musician did Gaultier create an iconic piece for?
It was Jean Paul Gaultier who came up with Madonna's classic conical bra in 1990.
Who created a "New Look" in 1947?
Dior's 1947 silhouettes, with their cinched waists and voluminous skirts, were so different that his clothes were dubbed the "New Look" in 1947.
Who took over at Dior after Christian Dior passed away?
After Christian Dior died in 1957, Yves Saint Laurent ran Dior until 1960.
What year did Pierre Cardin start his own line?
Cardin left Dior in 1950 to start his own line. Part of his success came from Dior himself, who directed overflow clients Cardin's way.
Which of these fashions was Cardin famous for?
Cardin pushed the limits of fashion with bubble dresses, avant-garde designs and even a space age line.
What fashion house was started by Gaby Aghion in 1952?
Aghion started Chloe in 1952. Karl Lagerfeld worked as a Chloe designer starting in 1964.
What year did Sonia Rykiel open her first boutique?
Rykiel started making her own clothes when she was pregnant and opened her first boutique on Paris' Left Bank in 1968.
Where did Christian Lacroix work from 2002 to 2005?
Lacroix launched his own line in 1987 and spent three years designing for Pucci.
What designer is known for his trucker hat designs?
Audigier started his own denim line before starting both Ed Hardy and Von Dutch, a company famous for its fashionable trucker hats.
What year did Diane von Furstenberg introduce her iconic wrap dress?
Von Furstenberg always designed with the working woman in mind and sold millions of wrap dresses starting in 1972.
Where was Charles Frederick Worth born?
Worth was born in England and became the father of haute couture when he moved to Paris in 1845.
What year did Guy Laroche open his first boutique?
Laroche initially focused on affordable fashion, opening his first boutique in 1961, but he later chose to specialize in haute couture.
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