11 Best Male Designers of Women’s Clothing

Image via Complex Original

There are few designers in the world who have been, will be, or are as fantastically enigmatic as Raf Simons. His eponymous label has been an unimpeachable force in menswear with its youthful, rebellious nature that is often replicated, but never duplicated. But then he takes over as creative director at one of - if not the biggest fashion house in the world in Dior, known for its traditional French couture with prim and proper written all over it. So what does he do? He bolsters the brand even more, creating ethereal, almost unreal collections that have garnered practically nothing but the highest praise. It remains to be seen if there is another designer who has as much influence in the world of fashion as Simons. 

Don’t let the recent news of Alexander Wang’s departure from his creative directorial post at Balenciaga deter you from realizing the absolute brilliance he has brought to the fashion world and, more specifically, womenswear. At the unreal age of 31, Wang has garnered the full spectrum of reviews for his work with his eponymous label and Balenciaga, causing many to question whether he could balance the two brands’ visions and stay dually successful. He proves himself time and time again with some kind of split personality of design between the French maison and NYC avant garde brands, but it looks like its time for Wang to truly take his namesake to new heights, that most will never reach.

“Kaiser Karl” Lagerfeld is a brand in and of itself. Never one to mince words or designs, Karl Lagerfeld has been the poster boy for how to go about running—not one, but two fashion labels for long periods of time while delivering fresh, responsive ideas for new and old fans. He has run Fendi since 1965 and Chanel since 1986. “Luxe” is continuously a word thrown around when reviewing Lagerfeld’s garments and the image his designs give off. While Fendi has always been atop the list of Read-to-wear women’s fashion, Lagerfeld reinvigorated a stale, faltering Chanel into the powerhouse it is, from street to red carpet. His Midas touch, while hidden under leather gloves, is inimitable within the world of women’s fashion.

Marc Jacobs’ longstanding relationship with Louis Vuitton ended last year after 16 incredible years with the brand. But when your eponymous brand has raked in around $1 billion in sales over nearly 20 years, it’s understandable why one would want to concentrate on it. It is, however, undeniable the impact Jacobs has had on womenswear while splitting time between the two labels. Creating a rarified era of running an extremely successful fashion house, simultaneously with an extremely successful namesake label for an extended period of time with little to no faltering. All while being considered one of the more “outgoing” fashion house designers. Something Jacobs took pride in personally and with his designs for both labels.  

A starling in the making, Olivier Rousteing has become the new “designer to the stars” with support from Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and fervent womenswear fan, Kanye West. And he has proven even in a short period that he has the chops to back his newfound celebrity status. One of the few designers of color, especially at such a prestigious position with Balmain, the 28-year old African-Frenchman has been very vocal about the need for diversity in the fashion world since he took over the reins at the 200-year old French fashion house in 2011. The success he has brought to the brand has been built on designs that are strong, sexy, yet elegant. 

Running the world's oldest fashion house means you have your work cut out for you. This hasn't fazed artistic director Alber Elbaz, who has held it down since 2001 with a quirky, sprite sensibility and a knack for maintaining the brand's elegance while exploring eccentricities to infuse at the right moments. 

Nicolas Ghesquire had extremely big shoes to fill as he took over the role of artistic director at Louis Vuitton after it was vacated by Marc Jacobs. After a very good 15-year run at Balenciaga, where he saw high praise for creating some commercial buzz for the brand and giving it some new direction, Ghesquiere’s impact on women’s fashion was one that many saw to be a great fit as he transitioned his ability to cover a wide spectrum of wants and needs from a design standpoint over to the 162-year old French label. He has also been able to begin the process of creating a name for himself, outside of the fashion world, much like how Marc Jacobs has become a household name during his tenure with LV. The talent and know-how is definitely there for Ghesquiere, he just needs to push it to the right limit.

Probably the most unrecognizable names on this list are also running one of most talked about luxury fashion houses in Proenza Schouler. What started as a senior thesis at Parsons School of Design in 2002, which was a collection that was purchased in full by Barneys New York, quickly turned into a full-fledged womenswear brand that’s won five CFDA awards, including three Womenswear Designer of the Year nods in 2007, 2011 and 2013. With a focus on downtown chic, McCollogh and Hernandez never dwell on one particular style of cool, yet they rarely miss the mark, making them some of the most important designers in New York right now and for many more years to come.

Movement between big brands is nothing new within the industry, but not many have done it with so much buzz around like Hedi Slimane. He ended his tenure at Dior in 2007 to concentrate on his photography. But, whenever a fashion house was rumored to be looking for a new creative director, the first name that everyone wanted to throw into the ring was Slimane’s. Luckily for (formerly Yves) Saint Laurent, Slimane accepted in 2012 and immediately infused his skinny grunge style with the French brand’s sharp, yet elegant aesthetic to perfection. While some of his initial work was met with criticism, much of it was admittedly from shock for such a fast transition to the collection’s encapsulation of Slimane’s whole vision so soon. That isn’t quite an issue any longer as he has spurned the brand into a newer direction—his direction—which has proved to be enormously successful. 

After establishing his own line in 2004, it only took a year for Givenchy to recognize Tisci's talents and name him creative director. He was given full custody of both the men’s and women’s lines, which have both seen tremendous commercial success over the past few years. He has taken a very traditional, elegant brand and turned it upside down with shockingly dark designs, pushing the boundaries between “goth” and “elegance.” Even introducing bold prints to the brand’s repertoire. His influence has gone beyond the clothing itself as he was the first designer to send a transgender model down the runway in 2010, something that is constantly noted as a huge win in the history of fashion. 

No one has seen such a fall from grace with a rise from the ashes like John Galliano. His 2014 appointment to creative director to Maison Margiela proved to be his chance at redemption, which he took immediate advantage of by showcasing his quirkiness and unapologetic designs to a highly anticipatory crowd during his Fall/Winter 2015 show—his first women’s collection for the brand. While many will never forgive the designer, one can only assume he is trying to create something with Margiela that would cause them to forget his transgressions.