The Naming of Luxury Fashion Brands

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet". -William Shakespeare

Maybe for many articles and things in the world, names might not serve a significant part with respect to the value they deliver. It's just a way to identify, categorise, and communicate the form and essence of the object. In luxury branding, particularly, brand names play a crucial role. For luxury brands, brand identity is more important than positioning in the market. And the brand names help them to create a sense of desirability and exclusivity that evoke emotions, beliefs, and lifestyles associated with luxury products.

Most of the luxury fashion brands are often named after their creator or designer, such as Guccio Gucci, Louis Vuitton, or Christian Dior. But there are a few exceptions also, namely Bottega Veneta, Comme Des Garçons, Acne Studios, A.P.C., Moncler, and Rolex. Do you know what these names stand for? How does it add value to the legacy of the branding? Let us unravel the narrative that underpins it.

Bottega Veneta

In Italian, Bottega Veneta means "Venetian shop." The brand's name pays homage to its origins in the Veneto region of Italy, where Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro founded it in 1966. According to Mr. Zengiaro, the founders didn't know what to name the laboratory, so they thought of small neighbourhood stores of the past, such as laboratories of painters and artists, then Veneto, and ended up naming the brand Bottega Veneta.

Image Courtesy: Bottega Veneta 

This connection to tradition, craftsmanship and artistic skills of the Veneto region adds depth and authenticity to Bottega Veneta’s legacy, enhancing its overall branding narrative.

Comme Des Garcons

Comme Des Garçons translates to "Like the Boys" in French. It is the name of a Japanese fashion label founded by Rei Kawakubo. The label's name was inspired by the song "Tous les garçons et les filles" (All the boys and the girls) by Françoise Hardy. The brand name reflects the philosophy of the founder, that women should not be expected to wear form-fitting clothes or high heels. The founder, instead of using her name, used the idea that can be associated as a rebellion, like Chanel did back in 1910, and connects with the intrinsic value of women. Known for its avant-garde and unconventional designs, the brand's unique name further enhances its legacy.

Brand name and logo

Acne Studios 

ACNE is not about the skin issues; rather, it is an acronym for "Associated Computer Nerd Enterprises," which later changed to "Ambition to Create Novel Expressions." It is a Swedish fashion house that originated in 1996 in Stockholm, meant to be a creative consulting firm that also sold its own products. Andy Warhol's Factory served as an inspiration for the business strategy. As the brand was edging toward bankruptcy, the brand was suggested to focus on jeans and t-shirts, but the founder, Jonny Johansson, didn't want to be just another "t-shirt and jeans" brand and incorporated high-end fashion with its products. The founder liked the idea of "appropriating a difficult word and making it cool." Thus, Johannsson has made the word ‘acne’ become less about spots and more about high fashion. 

Acne Studio Logo inspired from Swedish Phrase "LAGOM"

The logo, an emotionless, straight-faced emoji, was inspired by the Swedish phrase "Lagom," embodying a sense of balance, neutrality, and functionality. The brand's founder and creative director, Jonny Johansson, designed this logo, which symbolised the brand's idea of balance, neutrality, and functionality.

 A.P.C

Similarly, the name A.P.C. is an acronym for Atelier de Production et de Création, which translates to "Production and Creation." The brand's founder, Jean Touitou, underscores the equal significance of production and creation in the brand's identity, hence naming the brand to mirror this ethos.

A.P.C :The brand

Moncler 

Here is another brand that is named after the place, like Bottega Veneta; the origins of the name lie in its very roots: Moncler is, in fact, the abbreviation of Monestier-de-Clermont, a mountain village near Grenoble. 

Moncler Jacket

Rolex

The brand name "Rolex" has many theories related to it. According to the Rolex website, a whimsical tale suggests that a genie whispered the name "Rolex" into the ear of the founder, Hans Wilsdorf, while he was on the upper deck of a horse-drawn omnibus. While some believe it is a combination of the French phrase "horlogerie exquise," which translates to "exquisite watchmaking." Whereas some say the name sounds like the sound a watch makes when being wound. Whatever might be the reason Wilsdorf chose a name that was short, easy to pronounce, and hard to misspell, plus looked clean and sophisticated when printed on watch dials.

Rolex Watch

This brand name might not have any strong creator legacy or attachment to a certain region or place but it has an air of mysteriousness to it that makes it alluring. It's simplicity and elegance in presentation and excellence in craftmanship and design has created a mark for itself.

Now, which brand name story was amusing, interesting or surprising to you. Comment down below!!