10 SEXIEST DESIGNERS

BY: Andy Shoulders

Usually models and/or celebrities are the ones making our lists of sexiest & hottest people of the moment.  Designers definitely get credit for their sexy designs, but what about the designers themselves?  We’ve rounded up ten designers (both big names as well as ones you may not know yet) that we think are just as beautiful as the designs they create.

TOM FORD

No list of sexy designers would be complete without Tom Ford.  After single-handedly bringing Gucci back from the dead in the 1990s, Ford debuted his own line in the mid 2000s, and from there, he shot to the stratosphere.  His designs were all over the red carpets, which soon became his own red carpets after he dabbled in directing (his film A Single Man is a must-see).  His racy fashion ads are some of the most memorable ever put to print, and pretty soon Ford himself started appearing in them.  How many designers are hot enough to star in their own fashion ads?

CARLY CUSHNIE

After starting the fashion label Cushnie et Ochs in 2008 with Michelle Ochs, Carly Cushnie built a business known for bold sensuality and minimalist sophistication.  She soon began designing looks for Beyoncé and Michelle Obama, and eventually became one of the first black female designers to launch a successful collaboration with Target.  Sadly, Cushnie’s label was unable to survive the effects of Covid-19, and she shut its doors in October of last year.  Something tell us that we haven’t seen the last of this stunningly beautiful designer.

PRABAL GURUNG

With those high cheekbones and golden brown skin, Prabal Gurung could easily be the face of his own campaigns…if his collections contained menswear.  Gurung is well known for using his designs as a form of communication, mainly about issues that are important to him, such as social justice.  Like Carly Cushnie, he’s also had the honor of dressing Michelle Obama.  He also counts Helen Mirren, Kerry Washington, and Issa Rae as clients.

RIHANNA

After bursting onto the music scene back in 2005, not to mention being named Esquire’s “Sexiest Woman Alive” in 2011, Rihanna now adds the titles of “Creative Director” and “Founder” to her already insane resume.  In 2014, she signed a multi-year deal with Puma to become the brand’s Women’s Creative Director, and in 2017 she founded her very own fashion house known as Fenty (officially launched in 2019 under LVMH).  Rihanna has always been a leader in the style department, and now that she has her own fashion house, she’s sure to remain one of the go-to sources for what’s in and what’s out for years to come.

THOM BROWNE

Always debonair in his trademark gray suit uniform, designer Thom Browne revolutionized the traditional men’s suit by shortening the trouser leg just a few ankle-skimming inches.  As a former actor himself, Browne stayed tuned in to the pulse of Hollywood and wasn’t afraid to take risks with his designs.  With his square jaw and overall classically handsome looks, his is a face we look forward to seeing further change the way men dress.

 

GEORGINA CHAPMAN

The strikingly beautiful Georgina Chapman launched Marchesa with friend and fellow ex-model Koren Craig in 2004.  The brand quickly racked up the accolades, including Red Carpet Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2007 and Britain’s Best Business Award in 2008.  You’ve certainly seen her face as a judge on Project Runway, and she’s been on the CFDA’s Board of Directors since 2014.

 

OLIVIER THEYSKENS

Ever since Belgian designer Oliver Theyskens revived the once-sleepy brand Nina Ricci back in 2007 at just 30 years old, fans of the brand have been watching the mysteriously sexy Theyskens to see what kind of bite he’ll bring next to the usual Nina Ricci romance.  His debut show marked the end of the brand’s ladylike propriety (but held true to its trademark ethereality), and introduced an aesthetic that was more raw and sexy-with-an-edge.  Just like him.

 

AURORA JAMES

Designer Aurora James has always viewed fashion as a tool for narrative and impact, rather than trend-following.  After being told by industry advisors in 2013 that she’d never be able to establish a luxury label that was manufactured in Africa, James went and did just that with $3,500 of her own money and a stall at a New York City flea market.  Just two years later, her designs for her brand Brother Vellies made her the first Black woman to win the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.  It’s also interesting to note that James trained in journalism, not fashion.  Talk about defying the odds – now that’s sexy.

 

OLIVIER ROUSTEING

Well-known for his own ability to strike a pose (just take a look at his Instagram), Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing has a face that any campaign would love.  After taking the reigns of the luxury house in 2011, Rousteing masterfully rose to the challenge of maintaining Balmain’s sharp & powerful aesthetic while still managing to put his on spin on things.  He’s been instrumental in establishing a contemporary outlook at the House of Balmain and his legion of fans, known as the “Balmain Army.”

 

STELLA MCCARTNEY

Stella McCartney needs no introduction.  The daughter of music royalty Paul McCartney has been at the forefront of responsible & sustainable fashion ever since her early days as Creative Director of Chloe.  She launched her namesake label in 2001 in a joint venture with Gucci Group (now Kering), and fully purchased its stake of her company in 2018 – giving her complete control of her global fashion empire.  Her beauty was immortalized on the January 2020 cover of Vogue, cementing her reign as fashion’s conscience.