FAMOUS GAY FRENCH FASHION DESIGNERS

When you think of French fashion designers, whose name springs to mind first? Christian Dior? Yves Saint Laurent? Most of France’s most celebrated couturiers are gay men. In fact, you’d probably be hard-pressed to name a French fashion designer who isn’t gay (apart from Coco Chanel!). As this French Slate article explains, gay men have excelled in the art of dressmaking since the early 20th century.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

To continue celebrating Pride Month, we’ve put together a list of the most famous gay couturiers. You’ll learn about the inspirational careers and most iconic designs of classic couturiers like Pierre Balmain, and also discover newer couturiers like Simon Porte Jacquemus and Olivier Rousteing, who are currently reinventing French culture. Finally, you’ll have lots of opportunities to brush up on your language skills with our “Practice your French” tips that allow you to delve deeper into the lives of these revolutionary designers. Want to start off with a little French practice right now?

CHRISTIAN DIOR (1905 – 1957)

In the 1930s, Dior started working for the Figaro Illustré despite having trained for the French foreign service. (Check out his prototypes here.) He started working as an assistant designer for renowned Parisian couturier Robert Piguet in 1938. Dior went on to design a number of well-known silhouettes, including the A-, H-, and Y-lines. He also transformed French fashion from the 1950s until his death. The House of Dior was taken over by his assistant, Yves Saint Laurent (see below!).

Work on your French: Watch “Les dessins de Christian Dior,” a fantastic ARTE documentary, here.
Watch a 1948 video where Dior discusses the design of his gowns.

PIERRE BALMAIN (1914 – 1982)

Pierre Balmain established the storied fashion house that became synonymous with elegance in 1945. He created clothing for actresses Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Katharine Hepburn, and Marlene Dietrich. In addition, he dressed the Queen of Belgium, the Duchess of Windsor, and even the well-known modernist writer Gertrude Stein! The “L’Atelier Balmain Podcast”‘s fourth episode discusses his friendship with Stein and her well-known partner Alice B. Toklas. View pictures of some of his most well-known gowns and customers.

Listen to a 25-minute France Culture segment about a 1954 fashion conference that Balmain gave to practice your French. The conference and episode “Comment j’habille mes rêves” (How I Dress My Dreams) are available.

YVES SAINT LAURENT (1936 – 2008)

Born in Oran, Yves Saint Laurent left for Paris to pursue a career in fashion and attended design school for a short period. When Saint Laurent was only 17, Dior, after seeing some of Saint Laurent’s sketches, hired him as his assistant and protégé. Saint Laurent took over the House of Dior after the designer’s death, and introduced many famous looks including the chic beatnik style. In 1962, Saint Laurent opened his own fashion house, emerging as one of the youngest and most influential French couturiers. He used metallic and transparent fabrics, popularized pants for women, and introduced the haute peasant look. You can read about Saint Laurent’s relationship with his romantic and professional partner, Pierre Bergé, here. The Musée Yves Saint Laurent’s website includes an excellent interactive biography of Bergé and Saint Laurent. 

• Watch the trailer for Saint Laurent (2015) . 
• Practice your French: Listen to a radio episode about Saint Laurent and Dior’s relationship here. 
• Rent the ARTE documentary “Les dessins d’Yves Saint Laurent”. 

Born in Oran, Yves Saint Laurent left for Paris to pursue a career in fashion and attended design school for a short period. When Saint Laurent was only 17, Dior, after seeing some of Saint Laurent’s sketches, hired him as his assistant and protégé. In 1962, Saint Laurent opened his own fashion house, emerging as one of the youngest and most influential French couturiers. He used metallic and transparent fabrics, popularized pants for women, and introduced the haute peasant look. You can read about Saint Laurent’s relationship with his romantic and professional partner, Pierre Bergé, . The Musée Yves Saint Laurent’s website includes an excellent interactive biography of Bergé and Saint Laurent. 

• Watch the trailer for Saint Laurent (2015) 
• Practice your French: Listen to a radio episode about Saint Laurent and Dior’s relationship here. 
• Rent the ARTE documentary “Les dessins d’Yves Saint Laurent” 

THIERRY MUGLER (1948 – PRESENT)

Thierry Mugler, a former ballet dancer turned fashion designer, is credited with producing some of the most outrageous looks in fashion history. The fashion designer made a name for himself as one of the most audacious and creative of his generation from the 1970s until his departure from the industry in 2002. He coordinated Pat Cleveland’s jump from Le Zénith Paris’ ceiling in 1984. In addition, he created the wardrobe for George Michael’s well-known “Too Funky” music video. With his avant-garde collections, lavish photo shoots, and spectacular fashion shows, he helped revive haute couture in the 1990s. View the designer’s interview with the New York Times .

“Thierry Mugler: Couturissime” will be on display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from September 30, 2021, to April 24, 2022. Get tickets and read more about the show here.
Work on your French: See “Thierry Mugler en 9 collections cultes” to learn about the development of Mugler’s designs from his debut collection, Café de Paris, to his more recent offerings.
Check out Mugler’s Ready-to-Wear Spring 1992 collection here. A lovely tribute to the drag culture!

JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER (1952 – PRESENT)

A lifelong lover of fashion, at 13 Jean-Paul Gaultier created a collection of clothing for his mother and grandmother and started working for Parisian designer Pierre Cardin when he was only 18. He opened his first boutique in Paris in 1984 and his product line became an enormous success. Gaultier created some of Madonna’s most iconic looks and also designed costumes for a variety of films including Peter Greenaway’s controversial The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989) and Pedro Almodóvar’s Bad Education (2004). Gaultier was Hermès’s official designer from 2003 to 2011. 

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN (1963 – PRESENT)

After a short stint in design school, Christian Louboutin began designing les escarpins (high heels) and sold a few of his creations to the dancers at les Folies Bergères. After doing freelance work for Chanel, Hervé Léger and Maud Frizon, he opened his own brand in 1991 with the help of Henri Seydoux (father of actress Léa Seydoux!). Less than a year after opening his store in Paris, he began receiving visits from celebrities and Vogue’s fashion editor Anna Wintour. In 1995, he became le chausseur (shoe creator) for a variety of designer shows.

In 2012, Disney commissioned Louboutin to create a modern-day Cinderella-inspired pair of slippers. Practice your French by watching “Cendrillon – Making Of L’histoire d’un soulier” . 

PIERRE BALMAIN (1914 – 1982)

Pierre Balmain established the storied fashion house that became synonymous with elegance in 1945. He created clothing for actresses Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Katharine Hepburn, and Marlene Dietrich. In addition, he dressed the Queen of Belgium, the Duchess of Windsor, and even the well-known modernist writer Gertrude Stein! The “L’Atelier Balmain Podcast”‘s fourth episode discusses his friendship with Stein and her well-known partner Alice B. Toklas. View pictures of some of his most well-known gowns and customers

• Practice your French: Listen to a 25-minute-long France Culture episode about a 1954 fashion conference Balmain gave. You’ll find the episode and conference “Comment j’habille mes rêves” (How I Dress My Dreams) . 
• Balmain’s autobiography “My Years and Seasons” is unfortunately out of print, but you can buy a copy . 

YVES SAINT LAURENT (1936 – 2008)

Yves Saint Laurent, who was born in Oran, briefly attended design school before moving to Paris to pursue a career in fashion. After examining a few of Saint Laurent’s sketches, Dior appointed him as his protégé and assistant when he was just 17 years old. Following the designer’s passing, Saint Laurent assumed control of the House of Dior and created a number of well-known looks, such as the sophisticated beatnik look. Having established his own fashion house in 1962, Saint Laurent became one of the most prominent and youthful French couturiers. He pioneered the haute peasant look, popularized pants for women, and employed transparent and metallic materials. You can read about Saint Laurent’s partnership with Pierre Bergé, both personally and professionally.

THIERRY MUGLER (1948 – PRESENT)

Former ballet dancer and fashion designer Thierry Mugler is known for creating some of the most over-the-top moments in fashion history. From the 1970s until 2002, when he quit the fashion world, the designer established himself as one of the most daring and inventive couturiers of his time. In 1984, he orchestrated Pat Cleveland’s descent from the ceiling of Le Zénith Paris. He also designed the clothes for George Michael’s iconic “Too Funky” music video.

“Thierry Mugler: Couturissime” will be on display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from September 30, 2021, to April 24, 2022. Get tickets and read more about the show here.
Work on your French: See “Thierry Mugler en 9 collections cultes” to learn about the development of Mugler’s designs from his debut collection, Café de Paris, to his more recent offerings.

JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER (1952 – PRESENT)

A lifelong lover of fashion, at 13 Jean-Paul Gaultier created a collection of clothing for his mother and grandmother and started working for Parisian designer Pierre Cardin when he was only 18. He opened his first boutique in Paris in 1984 and his product line became an enormous success. Gaultier created some of Madonna’s most iconic looks and also designed costumes for a variety of films including Peter Greenaway’s controversial The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989) and Pedro Almodóvar’s Bad Education (2004). Gaultier was Hermès’s official designer from 2003 to 2011. 

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN (1963 – PRESENT)

After a short stint in design school, Christian Louboutin began designing les escarpins (high heels) and sold a few of his creations to the dancers at les Folies Bergères. After doing freelance work for Chanel, Hervé Léger and Maud Frizon, he opened his own brand in 1991 with the help of Henri Seydoux (father of actress Léa Seydoux!). Less than a year after opening his store in Paris, he began receiving visits from celebrities and Vogue’s fashion editor Anna Wintour. In 1995, he became le chausseur (shoe creator) for a variety of designer shows.

OLIVIER ROUSTEING (1985 – PRESENT)

Oliver Rousteing was adopted when he was an infant and grew up in Bordeaux. He moved to Paris when he was 19 and studied at ESMOD, the world’s oldest fashion school. After graduating, he worked for Roberto Cavalli and then joined Balmain, where he became artistic director at only 25.