Some labels are incredibly hard to pronounce. I remember back in high school, one of my best friends asked if I have ever been to the Loo-is Vi-tten store. It was endearing, but then again she was only 16-years-old. Once you’re an adult, mispronouncing any name can make you turn a brighter shade of red then a classic Valentino gown.

The only way I can ever remember how to say Prabal Gurung is because I saw a clip of the designer saying you pronounce his name like Trouble, but with a P. So I’ve compiled a little cheat sheet if you ever want to avoid the embarrassing outcome of mispronouncing a designer’s name.

How To Pronounce Designer Names:

Abaete: Ah-bye-ah-tay

Alejandro Ingelmo: Allay-handro In-gel-mo

Alessandro Dell’Acqua: Ala-SAND-roe del-LA-kwa

Anna Sui: Anna Swee

Andrew Gn: Andrew Jen

Andy Thê-Anh: An-dee Tay-Ann

Ann Demeulemeester: ann DEH-moo-lah-MEE-stera

Anya Hindmarch: Ahn-ya Heind-march

Arthur Mendonça: Ar-thur Men-doe-sa

Badgley Mischka: Badge-lee Meesh-ka

Balenciaga: Bah-len-see-aga

Balmain: Bahl-mahhhhn

Bebe: Bee-bee

Bottega Veneta: BO-teg-a VEN-eta

Bulgari: Ball-gah-ree

Burberry Prorsum: BUR-bur-ree proar-SOME

Carolina Herrera: Caro-leena Hair-era

Cesare Paciotti: Che-sah-ray Pah-cho-tee

Chaiken: Chay-ken

Christian Lacroix: Christian Luh-qua

Christian Louboutin: Loo-boo-tin

Comme des Garçons: Comb day gar-SON

Dior : dee-or

Dior Homme: dee-OAR OM

Dolce & Gabbana: DOLE-chay and gab-BON-a

Dries Van Noten: DREEZE van KNOW-ten

DSquared2: DEE squared

Emilio Pucci : ee-mee-lee-oh  pu-chee

Ermenegildo Zegna: Er-men-a-geel-do Zen-ya

Etienne Aigner : eh-tee-yen on-yay

Gareth Pugh: Gareth Pew

Giambattista Valli: Gee-am-bah-tease-ta Valley

Gianfranco Ferre: Gee-ahn-franco Feh-ray

Giles Deacon: Jy-els Dee-kin

Givenchy: Zshee-VON-she

Giambattista Valli: Gee-ahm-battista Valley

Gucci: GOO-chi

Hedi Slimane: Eddy slim-MAHN

Hermès: AIR-mehz

Hervé Léger: Air-vay Lay-jay

Hussein Chalayan: Hoo-sane Sha-lion

Issey Miyake: Iss-ee Mee-yah-key

James Perse :  pronounced like “purse”

Jean Paul Gaultier: Zhon Paul Go-tee-ay

Joeffer Caoc: Joe-fur Kay-ock

John Varvatos:  John var-VAY-toes

Junya Watanabe: JUNE-ya Wah-TAH-nah-bay

Kris Van Assche: Chris van-ASH

Lambertson Truex : lam-bert-son tru-ex

Lanvin: lon-VAUN

Loewe: Low-ev-ay

Louis Vuitton: loo-E vo-WE-ton

Madame Gres : mah-dam gray

Maison Martin Margiela: MAZE-on Mar-TIN mar-GEL-a

Marchesa: Mar-kay-sa

Mainbocher: Maynbo-shay

Miu Miu: Myoo Myoo

Monique Lhuillier: Monique Loo-lee-ay

Moschino: mo-SKEEN-o

Narciso Rodriguez : nar-si-so rod-ree-gus OR rod-ri-gez

Nicolas Ghesquière: Ni-co-la Guess-ki-air

Olivier Theyskens: Oli-vier Tay-skins

Pierre Cardin: Pee-air Car-dain

Prabal Gurung: Prub-ble Ger-rung

Prada : prah-da

Proenza Schouler: Pro-enza Skool-er

Raf Simons: rauph SEE-mon

Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lauren (as in Lauren the girl’s name, not Sophia Loren)R

Rei Kawakubo: Ray Kah-wah-koo-bo

Rochas: Row-shah

Rodarte: Row-dar-tay

6267: Six-two-six-seven (not Sixty-two-sixty-seven)

Salvatore Ferragamo: Sal-va-TOH-reh Fair-a-GAH-moe

Sonia Rykiel: Sewn-ya Ree-key-el

Sophia Kokosalaki: So-fee-a Ko-ko-sah-lah-kee

Thakoon: Tuh-koon

Thierry Mugler: Tee-air-ree Moog-lay

Tibi : tbi (not Tee-bee)

Tocca : toe-ka

Ungaro : oon-ga-ro

Veronique Branquinho: Ve-ro-NEEK BRANG-kee-no

Versace: ver-SAH-chay

Vionnet: Vee-oh-nay

Yigal Azrouel: Yee-goll Az-roo-el

Yohji Yamamoto: YO-jee ya-MA-moto

Yves Saint Laurent: EVE Sane-LOR-ron

Zac Posen : poe-zen

 

Info compiled from Valet Mag, Pop Culture Post, Glamour Slaves to Fashion, Splendicity