Pier Paolo Cito, Associated Press Italian fashion designer Valentino poses in front of his creations during a celebration of his 45th anniversary in fashion this month in Rome.

By LaMont Jones
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The recent deaths of fashion icons Liz Claiborne and Gianfranco Ferre have drawn attention to the reality that many of the most famous and influential designers in the world are in the sunset of their lives.

Pierre Cardin celebrated his 85th birthday July 7. Giorgio Armani turned 73 last Wednesday, Oscar de la Renta marks his 75th on Sunday, and Betsey Johnson and Calvin Klein will hit the big 65 later this year.

Fernanda Calfat, Getty Images Younger designers such as Dana Buchman are more likely to work under the umbrella of larger corporations than establish independent houses. Click photo for larger image.

Handbag queen Judith Leiber turns 86 this year, Hanae Mori is 81, Lilly Pulitzer marks 76, Valentino is 75, and Karl Lagerfeld will be 73.

Among those in the 66-to-69 club are Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera, Bob Mackie, Mary McFadden, Roberto Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood and Issey Miyake.

The death of a designer doesn't necessarily spell the end of the brand. Industry experts say it's unlikely that the name of Ferre, who died in June at the age of 62, will disappear any time soon.

Sometimes a trusted assistant takes the reins, which Francisco Costa did upon Calvin Klein's retirement in 2003 and Donatella Versace did in 1997 after her brother, founder Gianni Versace, was murdered.

Other times, new owners will keep the brand alive long after the designer retires or is no longer connected to the business. A prime example is Ms. Claiborne, who died in June at 78 but had ended involvement with the company in 1989.

With so many key players unlikely to be actively designing within the next decade, the definition of what it means to be at the top of the fashion food chain is likely to change, as well.

The era of massive empires associated with, even built upon, a name and face are probably over, suggested David A. Wolfe, a fashion trend forecaster and creative director of the Doneger Group.

In other words, megabrands that blossomed from a designer's name, face and personality -- the Ralph Laurens and Donna Karans -- will be far less common than they are today.

"The people who have empires, giant names, happened to begin their careers with the maximum window of opportunity for that kind of enterprise," said Mr. Wolfe. "That doesn't seem to exist anymore. I just can't imagine who would be a new Donna Karan."

Tom Julian, a vice president and strategic director of trends for McCann Erickson in New York City, has a similar view. He described three major waves in fashion today, the first being the passing of iconic couture designers such as Valentino and Christian Dior, who "created and conceptualized the industry as we know it."

Michel Euler, Associated Press U.S. fashion designer Marc Jacobs has achieved both critical and commercial success designing Louis Vuitton as well as his own lines. Click photo for larger image.

The second wave, at its peak, is a rewritten script based on "new deals and dynamics," said Mr. Julian. He cited Isaac Mizrahi's collaboration with Target, Mr. Jacobs' design of multiple major collections and Brooks Brothers' recent selection of award-winning designer Thom Browne to do a line in a new program the company has described as "a laboratory for guest designers chosen for their forward-thinking vision and youthful application of fashion trends."

These are examples of how new and younger designers are launching their careers in an economic environment that is different from several decades ago, when "the world was just waking up to high fashion and designer high fashion," said Mr. Wolfe.

"The personalities, the designers in that generation painted themselves into a corner," he added. "They weren't just brands. They were people that we know, like celebrities."

Today, more brands are owned by giant corporations with deep pockets, strong infrastructures and significant access to retail space. Although this phenomenon has launched few designers into the stratosphere occupied by the legends, it can be a boon for a designer who just wants to share a vision and make some money in the process.

Narciso Rodriguez, an award-winning, relatively new designer, is a prime example. He managed to save his financially troubled, upscale label several months ago by selling 50 percent ownership to Liz Claiborne Inc. (which also has ownership in Dana Buchman, Ellen Tracy, Enyce, Kate Spade, Sigrid Olsen, Monet and many other fashion brands).

Mr. Jacobs, who, like Mr. Rodriguez, is in his mid-40s, is a noteworthy exception. He has achieved both critical and commercial success designing Louis Vuitton and his own lines, Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs.

But he wasn't able to build an empire, Mr. Wolfe noted, until he had the clout and money from Louis Vuitton-Moet Hennessey (LVMH) behind him.

Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Rodriguez happen to be among a significant group of designers who have emerged as the next major names, if accolades and impressive sales figures are any indication.

Forget, for a moment, the strong core of A-list designers in their 50s -- Vera Wang, Miuccia Prada, Nicole Miller, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Alexander Julian, Max Azria, Ms. Karan -- and the younger, newer designing sensations such as 26-year-old Zac Posen and 35-year-old Stella McCartney.

Some observers say that the greatest opportunity may be for a core of strong, seasoned designers in their 40s who have earned good reputations but have not yet attained the level of prestige enjoyed by the industry's senior style arbiters. Those ranks include Dana Buchman, Kate Spade, Tracy Reese, Patrick Robinson, Zang Toi, Anna Sui, Todd Oldham, Lanvin's Alber Elbaz, Lafayette 148's Edward Wilkerson and Messrs. Mizrahi, Jacobs and Rodriguez -- all ages 40 to 46.

"Right now, [fashion] sits more in the baby-boomer world, the 40-something designers" Mr. Julian said.

Design competitions created to find and fund new young talent have helped propel many of them to the fore, he noted. Gen Art, the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and the CFDA's Swarovski Perry Ellis Awards are among the most prestigious.

Brand names with a designer's face, young West Coast fashion designers, the Internet, neighborhood boutiques, "Project Runway" contestants -- all have varying degrees of influence and potential impact on the future of fashion, Mr. Julian said.

"Today it's not just about having a name or dressing a celebrity or owning your own store," he said. "It's about having the right combination of things that will reach a larger share of the population in a very different way. [Thirtysomething] Monique Lhuillier is a force unto herself and will go a long, long way into whatever is next."

The latest trend, according to Mr. Julian, is a hard-to-define influence that is "part stylist, part celeb, part image" and epitomized by Paris Hilton.

This shift, Mr. Wolfe said, demonstrates how fashion invariably reflects society "and will adjust and reinvent itself to fit whatever society desires at that time."

"Right now, our society is so dumbed-down, it has become pop culture," he said. "It is so celebrity-driven, good taste is a thing of the past. The climate is right for Paris Hilton."