How To Pronounce Designer Brands: A Phonetic Guide

karlie kloss, swarovski

by Katie Rosseinsky |
Published on

Fashion can be a minefield - the trends change every season, rules are made to be broken, and then there's the designer names. Our homegrown Burberry and Mulberry may slip easily off the tongue but there's a whole world of tough-to-pronounce brand names out there just waiting to trip up the unitiated. And it's not just us who struggle - even supermodels like Karlie Kloss can end up tongue tied, as evidenced in her brand new campaign for Swarovski.

karlie kloss, swarovski
Karlie Kloss for Swarovski ©Swarovski

The 23-year-old model has just been announced as the new ambassador for the jewellery brand, but that's not to say that pronouncing its name came easily. Her first video in the #BeBrilliant campaign shows Karlie attempting to perfectly enunciate the name of her new employer - no pressure there, then...

Of course, the multi-talented model finally manages to nail it - it's 'Swor-off-ski,' FYI. According to Karlie, who studies at NYU alongside her modelling commitments, 'It's an honour to join the Swarovski family and to be part of the brand's long history of bringing elegance to women through brilliant, unique designs.'

karlie kloss, swarovski
Karlie Kloss for Swarovski ©Swarovski

Swarovski isn't the only fashionable name that you might struggle with - here's a lesson in pronouncing 20 tough-to-say major labels. Repeat after us and you need never stumble on the fashion vernacular again...

Acne Studios

Ahk-nay studios

Altuzarra

Al-two-zarrah

Azzadeine Alaia

Ah-za-dean Ah-liar

Badgley Mischka

Badge-lee meesh-kah

Balenciaga

Bah-len-see-aga

Balmain

Ball-mahn

Bulgari

Buhl-guh-ree

Dolce & Gabbana

Doll-che & Gab-ana

Elie Saab

Eee-lee sahhb

Erdem

Air-dem

Gareth Pugh

Gareth Pew

Giambattista Valli

Gee-am-bah-tease-ta Vah-lee

Givenchy

Jee-von-she

Herve Leger

Her-vay Lay-jarr

Hermès

(not like the courier service, which is pronounced her-meeeeeez)

Air-mez

Issey Miyake

Ee-say me-ah-kay

Jean Paul Gaultier

Zhon Paul Go-tee-ay

Lanvin

Lon-vahn

Louboutin

Lou-boo-tan

Louis Vuitton

Loo-wee Vwee-ton

Manolo Blahnik

Muh-NO-low BLAH-nick

Miu Miu

Mew Mew

Moschino

Mo-skee-no

Nike

Nai-kee

Marchesa

Mar-kay-zah

Rodarte

Row-dar-tay

Lanvin

Lahn-van

Moschino

Moss-key-no

Maison Martin Margiela

May-sohn Martin Mar-jell-ah

Marchesa

Mar-kay-sah

Mary Katrantzou

Mary Cat-trant-zoo

Olivier Rousteing

Oh-liv-ee-yay Rhoos-tain

Prabal Gurung

Prouble (like trouble) goo-rung

Proenza schouler

Pro-en-za skool-er

Ralph lauren

Ralf LOR-uhn

Rei Kawakubo

Ray ka-way-koo-bo

Sonia Rykiel

Sewn-ya Ree-key-el

Thakoon

Ta-khoon

Versace

Ver-sah-chee

Yves Saint Laurent

Eve San Lau-rahn

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