Debrett’s lifeline to fashionistas

THEY may be some of the most recognisable names in fashion, but many in Britain have no idea how to pronounce the labels in our wardrobes.

A new study by the etiquette experts Debrett’s has identified a long list of mangled pronunciations, especially when it comes to the most famous overseas fashion houses such as Givenchy, Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

But the study also found that some home-grown brands, such as Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes, get a similar treatment from the uninitiated.

Debrett’s has published a list of the top 10 most commonly mispronounced brand names, based on inquiries they have received over the past decade. Top of the list of companies most commonly mangled by the British consumer is the French clothing line Lanvin. Debrett’s revealed that the majority of people pronounce it “lan-vin’” when it should be “lohn-vahn”.

Second was the Italian label Moschino, for which the correct pronunciation is actually “mos-key-no”.

The highest ranking British-based firm on the list was tailor Gieves & Hawkes, which has held a royal warrant since 1809. Unfortunately, some insist on pronouncing it “jeeves and hawkes”, when actually “geeves”, with a hard “g”, is correct.

French brands seem to be the hardest to pronounce with Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Balmain all making the list. But, perhaps surprisingly, the popular American fashion label Ralph Lauren, is also one which is widely mispronounced.

While most people tend to say “ralph lo- ren”, with an emphasis on the final syllable, it should actually be pronounced as “ralph laur- en’”

Debrett’s unveiled its fashion fauxpas to mark the creation of its new Style & Image consultancy. Ines da Silva, Style & Image adviser, said: “Hermes is one brand which if you’re not careful can really show you up. It should finish with an “ess” sound and not a soft “ez”.

“It’s a small but significant detail a lot of people in Anglo-Saxon countries are not aware of.”