Nicolas Ghesquière

Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, 1997–2012 Balenciaga had enjoyed little success since the 1970s when a 25-year-old Ghesquière, who had been designing licensed suits and funeral clothes for Japan, became the surprise choice to lead it in 1997. He made Cristóbal Balenciaga's sculptural legacy feel futuristic and turned the label into a critically praised house again. The money came from accessories: the slouchy Lariat bag, with braided handles and dangling zip pulls, was his biggest commercial hit. Read this one for how a forgotten couture name can be rebuilt from a single bag upwards. He left in November 2012, to general astonishment, and went on to Louis Vuitton womenswear.