Designer names pronunciation

It happened to me a few times, when I was talking to somebody and said a brand name completely wrong. And, oh my, the looks that were shot back at me – some of them I still get shivers from. To avoid further embarrassment, I made a decision to take a few minutes out of my busy life and learn the right way to pronounce designer names.

Here is my list, in case I’m not the only one who prefers to have a cheat sheet at hand:

Anya Hindmarch: Ahn-ya Heind-march
Badgley Mischka: Badge-lee Meesh-ka
Benhaz Sarafpour: Ben-oz Sah-rafpoor
Balenciaga: Bah-len-see-AH-gah
Bottega Veneta: Bo-tega Ven-e-ta
Bulgari: Ball-gah-ree
Carolina Herrera: Caro-leena Hair-era
Cesare Paciotti: Che-sah-ray Pah-cho-tee
Christian Louboutin: Loo-boo-tin
Commes des Garcons: Comb day Garse-on
Ermenegildo Zegna: Er-men-a-geel-do Zen-ya
Etro: Eh-tro
Giuseppe Zanotti: Gee-zepee Zanottee
Givenchy: Jhee-von-shee

Giambattista Valli: Gee-ahm-battista Valley
Gianfranco Ferre: Sj-yawn-franco Fair-ay
Guy Laroche: Ghee La-roash
Hermès: Err-mez
Hervé Léger: Air-vay Lay-jay
Hussein Chalayan: Who-sane Sha-lion
Issey Miyake: Eees-Ay Me-Yah-Kee
Jean Paul Gaultier: Sj-awn Paul Goat-ee-ay
Lacroix: La-kwah
Lanvin: Lon-vin
Louis Vuitton: Loo-ee Voo-ee-ton
Marchesa: Mar-kay-sa
Moschino: Mo-ski-no
Monique Lhullier: Mo-neek Loo-lee-ay
Narciso Rodriguez: Nar-siss-so Ro-dree-gez
Nicolas Ghesquière: Ni-co-la Guess-ki-air
Olivier Theyskens: Oli-vier Tay-skins
Pierre Cardin: Pee-air Car-dain
Proenza Schouler: Pro-enza Skool-er
Rochas: Ro-chass
Rodarte: Ro-dart-tay
6267: Six-two-six-seven
Sonia Rykiel: Sonia Ree-kee-eel
Thakoon: Ta-koon
Thierry Mugler: Tee-air-ree Moog-lay
Tibi: Tbi
Tocca: Toe-ka
Yves Saint Laurent: Eve-san-Laur-ahnt
Yohji Yamamoto: Yo-jee Ya-ma-mo-to