Mispronounced Fashion: Top 40 Brand Names You’re Probably Saying Wrong

When you buy pre-loved designer bags from Hermès – what do you say? Do you ask for a “her-mez” handbag? Or perhaps you inquire about an “air-mez”?

Mispronunciation in designer fashion and luxury brands is very common. This isn’t surprising, considering that a lot of the terms used in the industry originate from French, Italian, German, and other languages other than English. Moreover, many of these brands are not pronounced as they are spelt.

Take Hermès, for example. While it is similar to the name of the Greek god of trade and travel, “Hermès,” in this case, is pronounced in French since you’re referring to the luxury designer brand from Paris, France.

So, if you’re asking about pre-loved Hermes bags, keep in mind that:

• The “H” is silent, so you say: “How much for an Air-mez Birkin?”
• Instead of: “How much for a hur-mes Birkin?”

Interestingly enough, Hermès isn’t the only misspoken luxury brand in the fashion world – at least according to the volume of Google searches made during the past year.

Whether you’re preparing to create fashion content or simply want to update your knowledge in the niche, it pays to know how to say the names of the most famous designer brands correctly. This guide lists the 40 most commonly mispronounced brand names and the right way to say them.

1. Loewe (Lo-EE-vay)

Besides being one of the oldest designer brands today, Loewe takes the top spot as the most commonly misspoken brand name online. Like Hermès, determining the correct way to read “Loewe” calls for a deeper dive into its origins, particularly on who the brand was named after.

Although Loewe was founded by a group of Spanish craftsmen in 1846, it was German leather-maker Enrique Loewe Roessberg who unified the collective into the brand we know today. And since the name is German:

• We do not say: “low-wee”
• Instead, we say: “Lo-EE-vay” on account of the German pronunciation of the letter “w.”

2. Yves Saint Laurent (eeves san lor-RAUN)

Saint Laurent is a French luxury fashion brand offering ready-to-wear, haute couture, leather accessories and footwear. Its founder, Yves Saint Laurent, was Christian Dior’s protégé and someone who initiated many fashion trends, from the “little girl” look to the fur-edged black leather jackets of the ‘60s.

Saint Laurent’s efforts also changed how ladies dress in a more groundbreaking way. According to Vogue, he is a key figure in empowering women to wear whatever they want, including trousers and suits. He also pioneered ready-to-wear high fashion and championed diversity on the runway.

To show your respect to Saint Laurent properly, make sure you pronounce his name and brand the right way:

• Avoid saying: “eeves SAINT low-rent”
• Instead, say: “eeves san lor-RAUN”

3. Louis Vuitton (lou-ee VWEE-tah-n)

From making trunks for Napoleon III’s wife to becoming a global household name, Louis Vuitton is a luxury designer with a reputation that can last several generations. Opening his own artisanal workshop at 33, the renowned fashion designer used his knowledge and skills to create some of the most iconic handbags in the world.

With their monogram logos and revolutionary spring buckle single-lock systems, Louis Vuitton bags are among the chicest and most useful designer bags out there. If you’re a fan, it’s only right that you know how to read the brand name correctly:

• Don’t say: “Loo-wis VWEE-ton”
• Instead, say: “lou-ee VWEE-tah-n” on account of the French’s silent ‘s’ in the name “Louis”

4. Givenchy (jee-VOHN-shee)

Givenchy is another well-known luxury fashion house with a lesser-known brand name pronunciation. Famous for cosmetics, perfumes, haute couture, and ready-to-wear fashion, this French brand is a renowned purveyor of conservative good taste.

During the ‘50s, Hubert de Givenchy became a mentee of Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. He is also credited for some of the fashion scene’s most memorable trends, including the princess silhouette and the Sabrina neckline made famous by Aubrey Hepburn’s iconic Little Black Dress (LBD).

But despite its popularity, many people – both laymen and the fashion-oriented – often misspeak the Givenchy brand name. To make sure you don’t make the same mistake:

• Don’t say: “Gah-vin-chee”
• Instead, say: “jee-VOHN-shee”

5. Versace (Ver-sah-CHEH)

Almost everyone who’s anyone has heard of the name “Versace,” whether it’d be from their sensual designer products with the Medusa head logo, the famous Bruno Mars song featuring Zendaya, or the news of the fashion house founder’s unexpected demise. Even so, there are still some who fail to realise that they are mispronouncing the name.

While it may not seem as difficult as the other brand names we’ve covered so far, Versace is still among the top five victims (of mispronunciation, that is). To avoid this blunder, remember to:

• Never say: “Ver-sah-chee”
• Instead, say: “Ver-sah-CHEH” (with a softer ‘e’ at the end)

6. Dior (dee-OAR)

Christian Dior is a legend in the luxury fashion industry. So many Dior bags made history – including the “Lady Dior” named after Princess Diana. In fact, the fashion house continues to make waves to this day, even after its founder’s untimely passing in 1957.

With only four letters, you would think that there is no chance anyone would mispronounce the brand name but, lo and behold, many still do. According to our research, online users made a whopping 10,500 Google searches to determine how to say “Dior” properly in the last year alone.

If you’re among those who made this query, you can stop Googling now. All you have to remember is to:

• Say: “dee-OAR”
• Instead of saying: “dee-Yor”

7. Jacquemus (ZHAK-moose)

Simon Porte Jacquemus – the self-taught genius behind the brand Jacquemus – has been receiving recognition from both critics and celebrities since his runway debut in 2012.

Besides the art-inspired pieces Jacquemus produces, the designer brand stands out because of its more affordable high-fashion products. In fact, its signature “Le Chiquito” bag sells impeccably well because of this strategy (with the help of engaging online marketing efforts). This could also be why more and more fashion enthusiasts are searching for information about how the brand name should be pronounced. If you’re one of them, here’s what you need to know:

• Don’t say: “JAK-ee-moose”
• Instead, say: “ZHAK-moose”

8. Chanel (shu-nel)

Chanel bags are among the top designer pieces sold online. In fact, the Chanel black lambskin 9-inch Classic Flap bag is one of the most popular products of 2023 in our book, second only to the Hermès Mini Kelly II in black matte alligator leather.

If you’re planning to buy a Chanel online or from a brick-and-mortar store, make sure you know the right way to ask for it:

• Don’t say: “I want a ‘Shan-elle’,” or “Do you sell ‘Chan-l’?”
• Instead, say: “I’m looking for a ‘shu-nel’ Classic Flap bag.”

9. Balmain (Bal-mah)

When it comes to furs and embroidered evening gowns, there are very few names that emerge more frequently than Balmain. Founded by Pierre Balmain in 1954, the brand has undergone several changes in leadership but remained a force to be reckoned with in high-end fashion, with Olivier Rousteing currently at the helm.

Not to be confused with the Sydney suburb with the same name, “Balmain” – the designer brand – should be pronounced more carefully. Avoid putting too much emphasis on the “n” sound, especially since you’re talking about a French name. So:

• Instead of saying: “Bal-meyn”
• Say: “Bal-mah”

10. Gucci (GOO-chee)

Like Versace, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, Gucci is a luxury brand that can be considered a household name – Guccio Gucci made sure of that. Offering a wide range of products – from ready-to-wear pieces to handbags, footwear, accessories, and home decoration – Gucci only offers pieces that are both practical and stylish.

Despite its popularity (or perhaps because of it), Gucci still ranks 10th among the most-searched designer brand name pronunciations. To avoid misspeaking:

• Say: “GOO-chee,” putting emphasis on the first syllable while reading the two “Cs” with the “ch” sound
• But don’t say: “Guh-chee” or “Goo-kee”

Can’t find the brand name you’re looking for? Here is the complete list of luxury designer brands that made it to the 40 most searched brand pronunciations on Google:

Top 40 Brand Names You’re Probably Saying Wrong

Rank	Brand Name	Average GLobal Monthly Search Volume	Correct Pronunciation
1	Loewe	43200	Lo-EE-vay
2	Yves Saint Laurent	28600	eeves san lor-RAUN
3	Louis Vuitton	24600	lou-ee VWEE-tah-n
4	Givenchy	14800	jee-VOHN-shee
5	Versace	13900	Ver-sah-CHEH
6	Dior	10500	dee-OAR
7	Jacquemus	11000	ZHAK-moose
8	Chanel	8800	shu-nel
9	Balmain	8900	Bal-mah
10	Gucci	8800	GOO-chee
11	Cartier	7900	Kahr-ti-ay
12	Tag Heuer	5600	Tag hoy-ah
13	Calvin Klein	4800	Kal-vuhn kline
14	Patek Philippe	4700	paa-tek FUH-leep
15	Balenciaga	3900	Balen-see-iaga
16	Louboutin	4000	Loo-boo-tahn
17	Moschino	2540	moss-KEY-no
18	Tory Burch	2600	TAW-ree Burch
19	Bottega Veneta	2300	Bot-teh-ga Ve-neh-ta
20	Michael Kors	1460	Mai-kuhl kawrz
21	Burberry	1460	Beh-beh-ry
22	Miu Miu	1700	mee-OO mee-OO
23	Ralph Lauren	2000	Ralf Lor-in
24	Longines	1340	lon-zheen
25	Lanvin	1600	Loh-vah
26	Goyard	1400	goy-aar
27	Dolce & Gabbana	1000	DOL-chay eh ga-BAN-eh
28	Paco Rabanne	1000	paa-ko Ra-ban
29	Celine	820	se-lin
30	Hugo Boss	800	Hoo-go bos
31	Swarovski	900	swor-off-ski
32	Moncler	800	mon-klehr
33	Coach	900	kohwch
34	Alaïa	680	uh-LAY-aa
35	Kate Spade	680	Kayt spayd
36	BVLGARI	550	BOOL-gah-ree
37	Fendi	510	fen-dee
38	Chopard	540	Shop-arr
39	Salvatore Ferragamo	370	sal-vuh-TOR-eh feh-ruh-GAA-mo
40	DKNY	390	dee-kay-en-wuhy

Get the Brand Names Right

Mispronouncing fashion brands is not uncommon, especially for those that originate from countries like France, Italy, and Germany. Whether you’re learning about them for work or for fun, you can use this guide to get their names right.

Looking for a pre-loved item from some of the brands on this list? Browse our online shop or join our live-stream shopping and enjoy some great deals on your favourite brands.

Methodology and Sources:

We looked into the most mispronounced brand names by finding out which brands have the most searches in the previous year using pronunciation-related search queries like ‘brand name + pronunciation’ and ‘how to pronounce + brand name’.

We got the average global search volume for each brand by adding the monthly average search volumes for all queries.

We collected Ahrefs global search data across the top 100 most popular designer brands around the world, including brands sold by Luxury Promise.