Gianfranco Ferré

Gianfranco Ferré trained as an architect at the Politecnico di Milano before entering fashion, first designing accessories in 1970 and raincoats from 1972 to 1974. He launched his own women's collection and founded Gianfranco Ferré S.p.A. in 1978, adding a menswear line in 1982. His architecture background earned him the nickname 'the architect of fashion,' reflected in structured, geometric tailoring; sophisticated white shirts became a recurring signature across his collections. From 1989 to 1996 he served as creative director of Christian Dior in Paris, where he created the Lady Dior handbag in 1994. Ferré died in Milan in 2007 following a brain hemorrhage; designers including Giorgio Armani, Valentino Garavani and Donatella Versace attended his funeral in his hometown of Legnano. The brand continues today as a multi-line fashion house (Ferré, GF, GF Ferré) with an official e-commerce site and store locator.