| Each country has its own dedicated team of | | | | widespread influence worldwide of American |
| fashion designers that not only lead the way in | | | | culture. American designers of importance include, |
| that country's trends, but also influence the rest | | | | Tommy Hilfiger, Liz Claiborne, Marc Jacobs, Donna |
| of the world in their style and way of wearing | | | | Karan (DKNY), Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Vera |
| items. The primary areas of fashion influence are | | | | Wang and Abercrombie and Fitch. |
| America and Europe, and these translate to the | | | | These designers bring out new designs and |
| rest of the world. Italian, French, British and | | | | combinations every season, but they are actually |
| American designers are amongst the best in the | | | | working at the time on clothes for seasons a |
| world, and their designs are copied slavishly by | | | | year or two in advance at any one time. These |
| many others. Leading Italian designers include | | | | are closely guarded secrets by the fashion |
| Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Versace, | | | | industry, which conveys the power that these |
| Fendi, Gucci, Prada, Moschino, and Missoni. The | | | | individuals and their fashion houses have over |
| Italian designers dominate the field of global | | | | society. But it's not just clothes that designers |
| fashion, but they are joined by French designers, | | | | have control over, but accessories, luggage, |
| who are almost as important in their influence. | | | | makeup, perfume, underwear and most |
| French designers include, Chanel, Dior, Jean Paul | | | | importantly, shoes. These can sometimes be |
| Gautier, Givenchy, Hermès, Christian Lacroix, | | | | even more prominent than clothes, and footwear |
| Yves Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton, whose | | | | designers are among the most highly-paid and |
| names, along with all the other major designers | | | | most sought-after individuals in the world. A pair |
| are known throughout the planet, and whose | | | | of Manolo Blahnik shoes is enough to make even |
| creations adorn the bodies or arms of every | | | | the most put-together woman go a bit crazy! He, |
| celebrity worldwide. No other creators besides | | | | along with Jimmy Choo and Gina amongst others, |
| fashion designers attain that level of | | | | are the designers whose creations can be found |
| acknowledgement or fame. Even if you do not | | | | pounding, or should that be gracing the |
| know what they have made they are famous | | | | pavements of countries worldwide, on the feet of |
| merely for influencing the styles of generations | | | | all those with the pocket to afford them. |
| and for being the creators of one of the most | | | | Everyone else just admires them from afar, and |
| potent aspects of our time, fashion. American and | | | | has to make do with the high street shoe |
| British designers, although not as famous as their | | | | fashions that are influenced, as high street clothes |
| Italian or French counterparts, still achieve a high | | | | are, by designers' styles and designs. The power |
| level of recognition and celebrity. British designers | | | | of the designer is all-encompassing; if they make |
| of note include Burberry, Ted Baker, John Galliano, | | | | something fashionable, everyone around the world |
| Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne | | | | will be wearing it within a few weeks. Designers |
| Westwood, Julien MacDonald, Zandra Rhodes and | | | | know they have this power, and will continue to |
| Mulberry. Their American equivalents are more | | | | use it to influence global fashions throughout the |
| renowned, but this may be due to the more | | | | eras. |