Date: Italian, 1944 - 2007

Biography: Gianfranco Ferré studied architecture before starting to design jewelry, accessories, and women's wear in the early 1970s. He introduced his first ready-to-wear collection in 1974, and Gianfranco Ferré Couture was successfully presented on the runways in Rome in 1986. From 1989 to 1996, he worked in Paris as the artistic director of Christian Dior. Known as the "architect of fashion," Ferré demonstrated his expertise with form by using a simple white, man's shirt as the basis for a series of spectacular transformations in each of his couture collections for women. Displaying a wide variety of textures, shapes, and details, they were masterful showpieces in their elaborateness and intricacy. After leaving Dior, Ferré began his own label. After his sudden death of a massive brain hemorrhage, Lars Nilsson was brought on as creative director of the company. He was replaced in April 2008 by designers Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi who served as creative directors until 2011, and were followed by Stephano Citron and Frederico Piaggi who departed the company in 2014.