HELMUT LANG

Helmut Lang influenced the fashion world throughout his career, introducing the minimalist and utilitarian style, revisited by numerous designers over the years. Born in Vienna (Austria) in 1956, he opened his first studio in 1977 at only 21. A self-taught designer, his career immediately took off and showed his first collection in Paris in 1984. He was considered ahead of his time thanks to his sexy elegance, sharp cuts and use of unconventional materials like rubber, feathers and metallic fabrics. His move to New York City in 1998 was a turning point. Before his arrival, the fashion month started in Milan, but since he was ready to show earlier, he influenced other American designers to follow him, switching the calendar in his favor. Lang was also known as a trailblazer; he was the first designer to present a fashion show on the internet and via CD-Rom and advertise on New York City taxi cabs. After selling his stakes to the Prada Group in the hope of only focusing on the artistic direction, which was later sold to the group Link Theory, the iconic designer retired and moved to Long Island (USA) becoming an artist. Nowadays the label is headed by his design studio, keeping a faithful approach to Lang's signature 90's look.