There’s literally nothing worse than being in a high end department store, asking where their *insert fancy pants designer name here* department is and being given the death stare by a snooty shop floor assistant because you pronounced the name wrong. Trust me, it happened to me in a very large, very posh store and I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole. For those of us not fortunate enough to grow up with these beautiful designer labels, discovering them in adulthood can be quite the obstacle course.
Although, before I let you in on this little list, let me make it perfectly clear that you should never actually stand for that snooty death stare from any sales assistant, no matter the store, whatever reason they’ve deemed you lower than themselves is never acceptable. And after that embarrassing experience I emailed the very store in question, who took my complaint very seriously. They reprimanded said sales assistant and invited me back to their flagship store for a complimentary facial and champagne, I still spend an exorbitant amount of money with them to this day!
Hermès: er-mez
Hervé Léger: air-vay lay-jah
Hussein Chalayan: hoo-sane sha-lion
Kinder Aggugini: kinder ag-ooh-gee-nee
Moschino: mos-key-no
Olivier Theyskens: oh-liv-ee-ay tay-skins
Proenza Schouler: pro-en-zuh skool-er
Rochas: row-shahs
Rodarte: row-dar-tay
Sonia Rykiel: sewn-yah ree-key-el
Thakoon: tah-koon
Versace: vur-sah-chee
Yves Saint Laurent: eve san lau-ron
Yohji Yamamoto: yoh-jee yam-ah-mo-to
Anna Sui: anna swee
Ann Demeulemeester: ann de-mule-eh-meester
Azzedine Alaia: azz-eh-deen ah-lie-ah
Badgley Mischka: badge-lee meesh-kah
Bottega Veneta: bow-tay-guh vah-netta
Christian Lacroix: christian luh-kwa
Christian Louboutin: christian loo-boo-tan
Comme des Garçons: comb dey gah-sown
Dolce & Gabbana: dol-chey and gab-ana
Giambattista Valli: gee-am-bah-tease-ta vah-lee
Gianfranco Ferre: gee-ahn-franco feh-ray
Givenchy: zjee-von-shee
Lanvin: lahn-vahn
L’Wren Scott: la-ren scott
Maison Martin Margiela: may-sohn martin mar-jhell-ah
Marchesa: mar-kay-sah
Issey Miyake: iss-ee mee-yah-key
Jean Paul Gaultier: zhon paul go-tee-ay
Junya Watanabe: jun-yah wat-an-ah-bey
Loewe: loh-wev-eh
Mary Katrantzou: mary cat-trant-zoo
Miu Miu: mew-mew
Monique Lhuillier: monique le-hu-lee-ay
Louis Vuitton: loo-wee vwee-tahn
Dries Van Noten: drees van know-ten
Gareth Pugh: gareth pew
Balenciaga: bah-len-see-ah-gah
Balmain: bahl-mahhhhn
Roksanda Ilincic: roksanda ill-in-chik
Salvatore Ferragamo: sal-vah-tor-re fer-ra-gah-moh
