American fashion houses

Alice + Olivia 

Stacey Bendet Eisner is an American designer, who graduated the University of Pennsylvania. In 2002 Stacey and her classmate, Rebecca Matchet, from the university founded Alice+Olivia. The girls named the brand after their mothers, Olivia ( Stacey) and Alice (Rebecca). However, their partnership ended in 2003, Rebecca became co-founder of another clothing company. The first pieces of the brand Stacey Bennet designed for herself. One day she was noticed by Andrew Rosen (man, who developed Theory fashion line), and he offered to finance her new line. Today the brand is well-known for mostly its dresses, which you can find in eight hundred outlets all over the world. 

Michael Kors

After Michael Kors had dropped the Fashion Institute of Technology he began to work at a boutique, where he was given a small space to sell his own designed pieces. One day he was discovered by Dawn Mello, the former director at Bergdorf Goodman. From that moment his career started. In 1981 Kors launched womenswear line at Bergdorf Goodman and other big stores. The success was so great that he was announced as creative director for the French fashion house Celine in 1997. However, in 2003 he left the house in order to develop his own brand. In 2004 he launched two lines: MICHAEL Michael Kors, which focuses on women's handbags and shoes as well as women's ready-to-wear, while KORS Michael Kors is the mid-tier line. Consequently, Michael Kors has received a lot of awards for his great contribution to the fashion world.

Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs (50) is the American fashion designer who was named the creative director of Louis Vuitton in January 1997, where he was tasked with the creation of the house's first ready-to-wear clothing line. At the same time, LVMH also bought a stake in Jacobs' own label. In the spring of 2001, Jacobs introduced his secondary line, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Over 10 years he could increase the company’s profit and place the company in  a great position in the fashion world. 

Donna Karen

Donna Karen started her career as a designer in 1960. That time she worked with Anne Klein and as her assistant she took a part in The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show in 1973. After the death of Anne Klein Karen became head designer of the house. In 1984 she launched her own brand and already in 1985 she showed her first women's clothing collection. The brand "Donna Karen" became popular thanks to its Essentials' Line: seven pieces, combination of which would create a fully integrated wardrobe. 

In 1997 Karen left the position CEO and began to work as a designer.  

Carolina Herrera

Carolina Herrera is a Venezuelan-American designer. From 1965 to 1968 she worked for Emilio Pucci in his Caracas boutique. Carolina Herrera have launched her own collection on Diana Vreeland, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, advice. The brand "Carolina Herrera" was based in New York City in 1980. Recognition to the brand came right away, as a result such influential people as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Renee Zellweger became permanent clients.      

Ralph Lauren 

Ralph Lauren began his career as a designer at the age of 26. His first designed pieces were ties. He sold them to small shops in New York, as a result the sales were so high that he decided to open his own necktie store, where he worked under the label "Polo". In 1970 he won the COTY Award for his menswear, at the same time he launched women's  suits, which were tailored in a classic men's style. In 1972 Ralph Lauren created his famous short sleeve mesh shirt with Polo logo on. Today he is the main designer and business executive of his brand.

Betsey Johnson

The first successful step in Betsey Johnson's career was the victory in the Mademoiselle Guest Editor Contest. Her view on fashion went alongside with youthquake movement and Andy Warhol's underground scene. In 1969 she open her own store "Betsey Bunky Nini" in New York. In the 1970s she began to develop the fashion label  "Alley Cat", which was popular among rock'n roll musicians. In 1987 she launched her own fashion line. Her career as a designer was so successful that in 2002 Johnson was included into Fashion Walk of Fame.  

Photos via Wikipedia, askmen.com