Longtime favorites are Dries van Noten, Prada, Marni, Miu Miu, McQueen.

More recent faves include Proenza Schouler, Mary Katranzou, Rodarte, Derek Lam, 3.1 Philip Lim, DVF, Duro Olowu, Isabel Marant, Jonathan Saunders, Haider Ackermann, Lanvin, Balenciaga, Thakoon, Jil Sander, and Zero + Maria Cornejo.

Angie, first I agree with you on Valentino and DVF. I think my strong attraction to Valentino is the marriage of architecture and artistry. I still vividly recall the piece that made me fall in love with Valentino - a winter white coat with a sculptural collar and a very artistic, yet tailored drape to the body. Perfection. Price tag? Like, whoa times twenty to the power of 100.

Second, no, regrettably not a Rag Trade girl as I've never been in the right place at the right time to capitalize on opportunity. However, I'd definitely move to the industry if the opportunity presented itself. I've looked into it a few times, and perhaps I should get serious about such an endeavor.

I don't have an educated opinion, but high-end designers I am consistently attracted to are Chanel and Prada. I must always see what Chanel is doing on the runway. I love seeing Prada in stores, not that it is in my price range. In the last few years Burberry has been very interesting as well as Chloe. Especially in real life one can appreciate their clothing, again, not that I buy. I adore Theory, Hugo Boss, DVF, and Isabel Marant.

Angie, what is June? I have a couple of fantastic leather jackets from "June" which I bought because they were great, but I haven't otherwise heard of the brand. I thought they specialized in leather. Is that the designer you mean or is just the name the same?

I'm pretty designer-illiterate, too. But...

I have stumbled upon some Kate Spade and OMG, love, love, LOVE times a million! Her clothes actually fit me and suit me to a tee!!

I was lucky enough to score a DVF wrap dress at the consignment store, and ditto.

Same with some Nanette Lepore -- a couple of jackets and a fab pantsuit.

Love Trina Turk.

I don't pay much attention to the super-high-end designers, but after seeing the movie about Valentino I am completely smitten. And I've always loved Chanel although I don't think that style particularly suits me. Love DKNY, too!

Roland Mouret. Below the picture in this link is a link to a slideshow of his ready-to-wear 2011. I like the simplicity.

http://www.style.com/fashionsh.....TW-RMOURET

I also think Valentino has some fabulous evening gowns.

For years I couldnt "understand" high end fashion design. But then they had some documentaries about fashion designers (Sonia Rykiel, Karl Lagerfeld etc) & their design process on TV and that was when it all changed. I realised, that these are not people thinking about what "crazy" thing to invent next but artists. The way the designers were creating fashion was so similar to artists creating a new piece. The emotion, struggle, stories...
After that I looked at fashion much more differently and it helped me A LOT to "understand" it.

Well, to cut a long story short, these are my favourites: Chanel, Jil Sander, Proenza Schouler, Elie Saab, Erdem

Angie, Marie Saint Pierre (mah-ree-sen-pee-air) is a leading Canadian designer! http://www.mariesaintpierre.com/ Her clothes are multipurpose and quite unique, somewhat Asian inspired. There is something of the romantic and the dark rebel.

I discovered the store Kaliyana, from designer Karina Ackert, through her boutique in Ottawa. Apparently she also has boutiques in Montreal and Toronto. I was told in the boutique that Ackert spent years developing the look. Check it out, it's to die for:
http://www.kaliyana.com/
I absolutely LOVE her style. Every time I walk past the boutique I drool. The presentation, the fabric, the jewellery and footwear all work together. Unfortunately everything in the store is too large (and too expensive). But one day...

My brain is kind of stuck about this most of the time. I like to browse through fashion show reports, but I don't retain enough to form a solid opinion about most lines. I'm a magpie with bad memory.

Something that made a big impression on me (and I can remember!) was Alexander McQueen's S/S 2010 marine creatures collection. Those patterns, colors and shapes are TDF.

Kookai (Koo - Kye): I discovered that French brand in Morocco.
http://www.kookai.fr/
It is more mainstream and accessible than Kaliyana. A great part of the merchandise is for taller women but not all. The look is very matter-of-factly, I-didn't-try-too-hard (but in fact a lot of work behind the look), I-don't-care-how-I-look (but I do). A few years ago they launched a series of adds appealing to the French notion of "jolie-laide" ("pretty-ugly"): "Je ne suis pas jolie, je suis pire" (I am not pretty, I am worse).
http://lookbooks.com/campaigns.....uis-pire-1
A North-American equivalent? Maybe Club Monaco comes close.

Rodier (raw-dyay) is another French store http://www.rodiernew.com/
I discovered it in my teens, because my Mom shopped there and later I got a job in one of their boutiques as a sale assistant. Oh, what a dream it was to work there! Their bright colors (they were into color blocking BIG time) paired with their clean, sharp cuts sent me dreaming! I think an equivalent could be Benetton; yet Rodier is more feminine I think. Think French actress Miou-Miou in La lectrice
http://www.cinemovies.fr/photog-82481-8.html

My style has changed quite a bit since I joined YLF (looking at the designers I put on my profile, hehe).
Right now, I can't get enough of:

DVF, LAMB, Trina Turk (some of it), Alexander Wang, and Elizabeth and James.

Chanel is my fantasy. And Australian designer Leona Edmiston designs the most beautiful dresses, many of which have a slightly retro feel.

oh, what fun! recently i've been bent on sniffing out old Sonia Rykiel collections...there's a new coffee table book out of her history, but everyplace i've been to it's shrink wrapped i love the stripes, sailor motif, berts, bows and cartoons. and the wearability of those knits! i can still picture those 1980's ad campaigns of hers in my mind's eye.

Issey Miyake of course - so abstract yet so wearable! i'll always look at Yamamoto, too. i like Prada (esp some of the early -mid 1990's collections). and i've become very interested in Clare McCardell's work, but it's hard to find out about it (for me, anyhoo). i love the sportswear influence!

she's not a high end designer, but Trudy of Hot Patterns comes up with designs for her patterns that are just wonderful!!! they're all on trend and so incredibly well thought out - each item fills very real functions in a modern woman's wardrobe. she embodies the 'design' aspect of clothes - how to come up with pieces that work for various occasions, with other pieces in the closet, that fit and flatter and stand up to laundering, etc. from the 'production' aspect she comes up with pieces that can be made up in numerous variations and fabrics so you get the most value from your money and time investment. i'm really appreciating all the thought that goes into a great article of clothing by studying her work. steph

adding trippen for shoes.

Oh wow, ladies! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Steph, I knew that you would mention Miyake

Jonesy, I kind of equate you with Mr. Van Noten and Rodarte! With a little Commes des Garcon thrown in.

Dresslover, high five again! The more you post, the more I see similarities between our style thinking.

MaryK, we are Kate Spade kindred spirits

There are many, many reasons why I think Chanel is genius: the collections are always classic AND edgy. It's an incredible combination that continually blows me away. I love ballet flats. The pearls and strong black & cream handwriting appeals to my sensibilities. And no one comes close to the legacy of Coco in the fashion and style world.

Scarlet, June makes designer leather jackets and I have a few too. LOVE their stuff.

Krish, thanks for all the info! Amazing! Kookai is not a designer brand, although I do love that shop and regularly wear the label. Have always loved Rodier too

I've always loved Chanel and DVF and while at the moment, they are a little out of reach for me, I tend to look for styling that is similar at a lower price point. I'm digging Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren (again). There are some up and coming designers in the San Francisco Bay Area that I just read about and will be checking them out (I have to find the article again as I'm having a genius moment and power surge at the same time and can't quite remember the names!)

Am I the first to mention Stella McCartney? Her oversized slouchy knits and trousers would form the basis of my weekend wardrobe, with a few Prada day dresses for good measure.

Burberry would be my go to for outerwear, those colourful wool coats for Autumn are amazing. Of course I would need a Chanel jacket (or four).

I love the latest By Malene Birger collection, it's wearable and meets many of my style goals
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion.....#/image/44

I would also add some knit (no cardigans) from Missoni and Pringle of Scotland.

My leather pieces would come from Loewe.

Ah and now back to reality...or eBay as it is more commonly known.

In brackets as it's not really part of the thread...

(I didn't dare reply on this thread until Ornella, Joy and others admitted to some of the designer illiteracy that I experience... Thank you!

I have a Viviennne Westwood shop locally. When I moved here my only thought about it was 'it's all bonkers'. Three years on, I can look in the window and think 'ah, that's rather fun (even if I wouldn't ever wear it)' and 'very Helena Bonham Carter'.

I aspire to recognise more designer characteristics in the future and have an opinion!)