The Brand Names You Should Know How to Pronounce (2023)

We base the love of our clothing on a lot of different categories; quality, price, origin. How about pronunciation difficulty? We’ve gone through years and years of ogling over brands we have no idea how to pronounce. And you know who’s to blame? The internet and rappers.

We see the name on our favorite websites, fuck up the pronunciation in our heads and move on with ourlives. And then, rappers make it even worse by giving their own interpretation of the brand name’s pronunciation, often in jest or to keep their rhyme scheme tight. So before you buy your next piece of clothing, make sure you can say it correctly to that store manager helping you out before you completely embarrass yourself.

Aimé Leon Dore

Pronunciation: Eh-may Lee-on Door

First of all, what does Aimé Leon Dore even mean? According to an END interview with Aimé Leon Dore’s founder Teddy Santis, the name of the brand was originally supposed to be Aimé–the French word for “love.” But because “Aimé” was already trademarked, Santis added Leon Dore. “Leon” translates into Lion, his father’s childhood nickname. “Dore” is the last syllable of “Theodore,” Santis’ birth name. Although none of this information will help when it comes to pronouncing it correctly, it’s nice to know the brand’s name isn’t just a bunch of French words mashed together.

Vetements

Pronunciation: Vet-MAHN

Although Demna Gvasalia is no longer at Vetements, it’s never too late to start pronouncing the brand’s name correctly. Vetements, also the word for “clothing” in French, is not pronounced like “tenements.” It is pronounced like “Vet Mawn.” A good mnemonic device to remember this brand’s pronunciation is to envision a Vet mowing a lawn, in an oversized Vetements hoodie.

Sacai

Japanese pronunciation: Suh-Kah-E; Western pronunciation: Suh-Kai

This is a tricky one because the Western pronunciation of Sacai, “Suck-eye,” rolls of the tongue so well. But seeing how Chitose Abe’s maiden name is Chitose Sakai, Sacai is likely pronounced the same way as her Japanese last name. The Japanese do not pronounce the “I” in ”“Sakai” as “eye.” It is pronounced as “E.” So in Japanese, Sacai is “Suh-Kah-E.”

1017 ALYX 9SM

Pronunciation: Ten-Seventeen-Ah-Leeks-Nine-S-M

Remember that Matthew Williams PR team sent out a press release to make sure you all stop calling it ALYX. First off, Alyx is not pronounced as “Ay-licks.” The brand’s name sounds nothing like a 99 cent store lollipop. It is pronounced “Ah-Leeks,” because no amount of roller coaster buckles can stop this faucet from dripping. Now onto the full name itself, it is “Ten-Seventeen-Ah-Leeks-Nine-S-M. It is not “One-Zero-One-Seven-Ah-Leeks-Nine-S-M.” It is not “One thousand and seventeen-Ah-Leeks-Nine-S-M.” It is not “Ten-One-Seven…”

Comme des Garcons

Pronunciation: comb-day gar-son (soft “n”)

Have you ever been so worried about butchering a brand name when pronouncing it to a store assistant, you just decided not to even ask about it? Yeah, Comme des Garcons has that kind of effect on people.

Balmain

Pronunciation: Ball-mah

Don’t worry about this one because 95 percent of rappers pronounce Balmain wrong. Most Balmain enthusiasts pronounce the French brand as “Ball-Main.” However it’s really produced as “Ball-Mah.” But come on, ain’t no one gonna pronounce that correctly. Shouts out to Kid Cudi for getting it right though.

Givenchy

Pronunciation: jhee-von-SHEE

Founded in France in 1952, this luxury brand is on the tips of many tongues who know anything about clothing, from bloggers to rappers all over. Just don’t be that douche asking for the “give-en-chee” Shark sweater.

Saint Laurent

Pronunciation: San-Lo-Ron

Even after Hedi Silmane dropped “Yves,” the most difficult part to pronounce of the brand’s original name, many still mispronounce the brand now known as Saint Laurent.

Bode

Pronunciation: Boh-Dee

Emily Bode is rising in popularity, so it’s time to start pronouncing her name right before you embarrass yourself when commenting on someone’s patchwork drip. Bode is not pronounced like the word found inside the dictionary. It is “Bow-Dee.” An easy mnemonic device for this brand’s pronunciation is to think about how the prices for Bode are OD.

Suicoke

Pronunciation: Sui-Ko-Ke Western pronunciation: Sui-Coke

Like Sacai, this is another Japanese brand whose name is commonly pronounced in a way that just rolls of the tongue better. The Western pronounciation of these clout sandals is like the fusion of the word “Suicide” and “Coke.” Although “Suicoke” sounds like the name for a wavy ass French Montana mixtape, the Japanese pronounce “Ke” as “Keh.” So it would be “Sui-Ko-Ke.”

Raf Simons

Pronunciation: Răf-Sym-Mons

If you are a fan of ASAP Rocky, you likely know how to pronounce this designer’s name correctly because Rocky got it right when he dropped that banger “RAF.” But for those who pronounce Raf like “Wraith,” or Simons like the name of the American Idol judge, you’ve got it wrong all these years. Please don’t touch my Raf.

Hedi Slimane

Pronunciation: ed-ee slim-ahn

This designer’s name is like the Berenstain Bears vs Berenstein Bears of fashion designers. Many people religiously pronounce Hedi Slimane’s name as “Heidi Sil-mane,” literally rearranging and adding letters to the French designer’s name. But even for those who don’t add random letters to Slimane’s name, they might not realize the “H” in Hedi is silent.

Miuccia Prada

Pronunciation: Mew-cha Prah-da

Most fans of Prada get the latter half of Miuccia Prada’s name correctly. However, many butcher her tongue twister of a first name saying everything from “Mi-uc-sia” to “M-ikea.” If you can correctly pronounce the words Mucinex and Chia Pet properly, you have the ability to pronounce “Mew-Cha.”

Stüssy

Pronunciation: Stoo-see

Nope, it is not Sta-see or Stuss-see.Even though Stussy is now turning 40-years-old, you will always hear one or two people mispronounce the brand’s name.

Arc’teryx

Pronunciation: Ark-tear-icks

Since everyone and their mother is wearing Arc’Teryx jackets these days, it’s important to know how to correctly pronounce the Candian outdoor brand’s name. But first of all, what does Arc’teryx even mean? The name and “dead bird” logo of Arc’teryx is a reference to Archaeopteryx, a bird-like dinosaur from the Jurassic era. The pronunciation for that is “aar-
-kee-aap-tr-uhks.” So naturally, one would think that the pronunciation of Arc’teryx would be similar to that. But the brand’s videos show employees pronouncing it more like “ark-tear-wicks.” A good way to remember that is to think of water when pronouncing the name: Noah’s ark, tears, and rain wicking fabrics.

Bottega Veneta

Pronunciation: Buh-tei-guh-vuh-nei-tuh

The Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta has recently exploded in popularity thanks to its famous Puddle Boots. But no lie, we hear plenty of fashion lovers butcher the brand’s name. Everything from “bot-tea-gah-ven-nee-tah” to “Bodega Vendetta.” Although the latter mispronunciation would be a great title for a New York City-based Marvel comic, it certainly isn’t the correct way to pronounce the brand’s name. The correct pronunciation of Bottega Veneta is pretty simple Italian because the brand’s name literally translates into “Italian Shop.” A good way to remember how to pronounce the first half of the name is to think of how one pronounces the word “botanical.”

Hermès

Pronunciation: Ehr-mez

Perhaps one of the world’s most commonly mispronounced brand names is Hermès. That’s likely due to the number of rappers who have dropped the brand’s name in songs over the years but mispronounced it. Drake, Future, Rick Ross, and even Kanye West have all accidentally kept the “H” when pronouncing the name of the French luxury brand. The “H” in Hermès stays silent. A good way to remember that is if you somehow manage to buy your girl a $10,000 Hermès birkin, she’ll probably look at you in flabbergasted silence.

Dries Van Noten

Pronunciation: Dreeze-van-no-ten

When someone comes up to you and tries to test your fashion knowledge by asking you who’s your favorite member of the Antwerp Six, you have several really hard to pronounce names to choose from. So good luck trying to name Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van Beirendonck, or Ann Demeulemeester. Aside from Marina Yee, Dries Van Noten is a fairly easy name to pronounce. But please, make sure you don’t pronounce his first name like the word “dries.”

Cartier

Pronunciation: Kahr-ti-ay

Although most of us prefer calling Cartier eyeglass frames “Big Cs,” “Woods,” “Straightbacks,” and “Buffs,” it’s important to know how to correctly pronounce the name of the French luxury brand before picking up a pair of Givernys from your local jeweler. Like Hermès, many misprononunce the name Cartier because they do not acknowledge that one letter within the brand’s name is silent. In this case, it’s the letter “R.” So Cartier isn’t pronounced like “kahr-ti-her” but “kahr-ti-ay.”