Designer Bios

The Big Ones

The House of Chanel, more commonly known as Chanel, is the famed Parisian fashion house founded by Coco Chanel. Chanel revolutionized haute couture fashion by completely replacing the traditional corset with the comfort and elegance of simple suits and dresss. Coco introduced her signature cardigan jacket to the world in 1925, introducting a more sultry and seductive definition of sexy. She had numerous other major successes that changed the fashion industry including the popular Chanel suit, an elegant creation composed of a knee-length skirt and a trim, boxy jacket, traditionally made of woven wool with black sewing trim and gold buttons, worn with large costume-pearl necklaces.

1983 proved to be a year of change for the House of Chanel. After Coco passed away, Karl Lagerfeld was appointed to the position of Artistic Director for Chanel, including haute couture, prêt-à-porter, and accessories. He shocked the fashion world by changing Chanel's fashion lines from the same predictable styles to funky cuts and eye-capturing designs. The House of Chanel, under the leadership of Karl Lagerfeld has defined the style and fashion of Chanel as being the five essentials: audacious, perfectionist, unique, passionate, and visionary.

Emma has been wearing Chanel clothing since as early as 2002, but became a major supporter in 2007. She was personally asked by the company to wear their designs throughout the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix press junket, helping her to attain an undeniable fashion icon status. There is a rumor that she may someday model for a Chanel ad-campaign, though this has yet to be confirmed.

Matthew Williamson is a designer based in the United Kingdom. His collections are shown twice a year during New York Fashion Week, the clothes often possessing an Indian influence. This is perhaps related to the time Williamson spent in India working for the clothing store Monsoon. Although Emma is only known to have worn one outfit of his, the other female stars of the Harry Potter cast are reportedly big fans of Williamson's work. Both Bonnie Wright and Katie Leung have worn his pieces on multiple occasions.

Donna Karan is the fashion designer and creator of the DKNY (Donna Karan New York) clothing label. She initially became famous because of her versatile elastic bodysuits, first introduced in the 1980's. She also became known for her successful Essentials line, offering seven easy pieces that could all be mixed and matched, and created a fully integrated wardrobe. At a time when more and more women in America were entering the business world and were looking for sophisticated yet simple and functioning clothing, Karan experienced a tremendous success with her power outfits. Karan has always insisted that she would only design clothes, like jersey dresses and opaque tights, that she herself would wear.

In 1988, Karan extended her women's collection by a less expensive line called DKNY, intended for younger women. The line was such a hit that she can be regarded as the first designer to successfully establish a bridge collection. Two years later, she launched DKNY Jeans and DKNY for men. A kid's collection, beauty products, accessories, and furniture later complemented her portfolio.

Miss Watson has been sporting DKNY outfits since the young age of eleven, proving herself to be a massive supporter. She's donned everything from blouses to kitten heels to the glamorous black gown she wore to the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire after party by the designer. Emma has also been quoted as a fan of DKNY's Be Delicious perfume.

Alberta Ferretti is an Italian designer and dressmaker. She designs for Alberta Ferretti and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, both housed in Milan, Italy. Ferretti is known for her designs featuring twisting, tucking, and draping techniques. Her style employs a subtle layered look, sometimes showing a hint of hand-beaded gauze that extends slightly beneath the hem of a wool dress. Emma has been wearing Alberta Ferretti's designs consistently since 2005.