You've been saying them wrong! The 20 designers Britons don't know how to pronounce... and how they SHOULD be said (Hint: It's actually 'Vur-sah-tcheh')

  • 20 fashion designer brands Brits most commonly mispronounce revealed 
  • Includes labels such as Lanvin, Moschino, Ralph Lauren and Givenchy
  • Etiquette experts Debrett's have advised on correct articulation  

Have you ever found yourself stuck for words when trying to pronounce some of the trickier names in the fashion lexicon? Us too. 

Ahead of London Fashion Week etiquette experts Debrett's has advised on the correct articulation of the 20 key labels Brits often wrong. Don't fear - you'll no longer stumble your way through Azzedine Alaïa, Dries Van Noten or Yves Saint Laurent again.

Based on enquiries the Mayfair-based social skills business received over the last decade, they discovered that luxury French house Lanvin is the most incorrectly pronounced brand. Instead of 'Lan-vin' it should actually be 'Lahn-vahn'.  

Etiquette experts Debrett's have advised on the correct articulation of the 20 key labels Brits often wrong including Versace, which is headed up by Donatella Versace, pictured right with singer Nicki Minaj

Etiquette experts Debrett's have advised on the correct articulation of the 20 key labels Brits often wrong including Versace, which is headed up by Donatella Versace, pictured right with singer Nicki Minaj

This is followed by eccentric Italian label Moschino ('Mos-key-no') and quintessential English Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes ('Geeves & Hawkes').

According to Debrett's, who have recently launched a new Style & Image consultancy, French designer Hermes ('Er-mess') is a name most Brits struggle with. 

Adviser Ines da Silva told FEMAIL: 'Hermès is the one brand which if you're not careful, can really show you up. Amazingly, some people pronounce it exactly as it's written which is a real 'no no', but there's a further subtlety to the word too. 

'Even if you break the word in two, as you should do, it should finish with an 'ess' sound and not a soft 'ez'. This is something that a lot of people in Anglo-Saxon countries are not aware of.' 

French fashion house Lanvin topped the list of incorrectly said names, followed by Italian label Moschino and British tailors Gieves & Hawkes

French fashion house Lanvin topped the list of incorrectly said names, followed by Italian label Moschino and British tailors Gieves & Hawkes

Kim Kardashian approved label Balmain, which is headed up by creative director Olivier Rousteing, is pronounced 'Bahl-mahn'

Kim Kardashian approved label Balmain, which is headed up by creative director Olivier Rousteing, is pronounced 'Bahl-mahn'

Models taking to the catwalk for French house Louis Vuitton, which is pronounced 'Loo-ee Vwee-tton'

Models taking to the catwalk for French house Louis Vuitton, which is pronounced 'Loo-ee Vwee-tton'

Also featured in the top 10 is American fashion designer Ralph Lauren ('Ralph LAUR-en'), handbag extraordinaire Louis Vuitton ('Loo-ee Vwee-tton'), haute couture label Givenchy ('Zjee-von-shee') and French brand Sonia Rykiel ('Sewn-yah Ree-key-el'). 

Kim Kardashian approved label Balmain, which is headed up by creative director Olivier Rousteing, is pronounced 'Bahl-mahn' while luxury Spanish label Loewe is said 'Loh-wev-eh'.

Etiquette expert William Hanson told FEMAIL that if you incorrectly say the name of a famous fashion brand - especially during London Fashion Week - you run the risk of looking uneducated and ignorant. 

'Luxury brands are all around us now and even if we do not frequent the boutiques many of us reference them in conversation,' he said. 'Getting the pronunciation right is key to keeping up the appearance that you are educated, erudite and have a good command of language. 

'Get the phrasing wrong and you may be subject to a few silent raised eyebrows and dropped from society quicker than you can say, "Birkin".'

American fashion designer Ralph Lauren is said 'Ralph LAUR-en'
French brand Sonia Rykiel is pronounced 'Sewn-yah Ree-key-el'

American fashion designer Ralph Lauren, pictured left, is said 'Ralph LAUR-en' while French brand Sonia Rykiel, right, is pronounced 'Sewn-yah Ree-key-el'

A couple who would never dream of saying the name of a fashion house incorrectly is Vogue US editor Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington

A couple who would never dream of saying the name of a fashion house incorrectly is Vogue US editor Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington

Completing the top 20 is Spanish fashion house Balenciaga ('Ba-len-sia-ga'), Miuccia Prada's high-end label Miu Miu ('Mew-mew'), bridal line Marchesa ('Mar-kay-sah'), Japanese company Comme des garcons ('Comb-dey-gah-sohn') and Belgian designer Dries Van Noten ('Drees van know-ten').

Etiquette consultant Diana Mather, from The English Manner, said while it can be embarrassing to mispronounce a label, there are ways to avoid social faux pas. 

'Always ask! It is better to get someone to repeat the name several times than get it wrong,' she said. 

'It shows something about your manners rather than class. It is bad etiquette and bad manners not to learn how to pronounce names properly.'

Tunisian-born couturier Azzedine Alaia ('Azz-eh-deen ah-lie-ah'), haute couture French label Yves Saint Laurent ('Eve-san-lau-ron'), bodycon dress maker Herve Leger ('Air-vay lay-jeh') and Italian brand Versace ('Vur-sah-tcheh') also feature. 

The only English designer featured in the list is London-born Gareth Pugh ('Gareth-pew').

Eccentric Italian label Moschino ('Mos-key-no') is the second most common label Brits mispronounce

Eccentric Italian label Moschino ('Mos-key-no') is the second most common label Brits mispronounce

The only English designer featured in the list is London-born Gareth Pugh ('Gareth-pew')

The only English designer featured in the list is London-born Gareth Pugh ('Gareth-pew')

Debrett's adviser Ines da Silva concluded: 'Ultimately, our aim is always to empower our clients, not only through the way they look, but also through the way they feel. 

'Being in the know of the current fashion landscape, and being confident about how to pronounce brand names is part of the equation. 

'I certainly make sure that this aspect is covered, particularly in the context of our bespoke shopping sessions in London, Milan or Paris. After all, one should be able to talk the talk before walking the walk - and even more so during fashion week when catwalks are the centre of attention. 

'Hopefully through publishing this list we're giving everyone a chance to join in fashion conversations with poise and confidence.'

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