They may have become powerhouses of the fashion industry in later in their lives, but many of the most recognizable fashion designers come from far less glamorous beginnings. Here are some of their stories which could be inspiring to anyone new who is trying to dip their feet in this industry!

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For so long I have wanted to be a designer, creating pieces that I can fit into properly. Being taller and curvier, I have always found an issue with how my clothes fit, well, and an issue with being able to go shopping with confidence that I’d find the perfect dress for this event, or the perfect top that won’t shrink after I wash lol! Being inspired by people like Dapper Dan, I knew there was a huge need for me to get creative. My very first project, I made a fur coat to wear for my birthday. I saw a picture of Rihanna with a Blush pink suit and fur to match that inspired me, but while searching online, there were no shops that sold anything close to that. That year, I settled for a pink jumpsuit, but I was determined to make the fur coat. With the help of YouTube, my very first fur coat was created.

First-time author, Farah Liz Pallaro’s book, Fashion.Business.Spirituality, has been featured in Vogue Arabia, Glamour Italy, and The Lifestyle Journal. While some may attribute this success to pure luck, the strength of the core message of this book is undeniable; People, before products and services.

Italian fashion designer Marianna Cimini is a perfect example of 100% made in Italy style. Vogue International Editor Suzy Menkes branded Marianna's collection after an introduction to her work at the July 2014 Who is on Next? Fashion award night.

“The modern, ambitious woman dares to be different, and isn't afraid to go after her dreams.” So says Sachika’s website in boldly boasting their sophisticated and sexy brand of women’s wear. Of course, a log line is easy enough to come up with. But when the words truly reflect the journey, the goods are much more likely deliver, and To-Tam and To-Nya Sachika’s story definitely lives up.

H&M began its tradition of collaborating with high-end designers in 2004 when the brand asked Karl Lagerfeld to create a capsule collection inspired by the man himself. It was an instant success with customers and the collection was sold out within a couple of days worldwide. Since 2004, the brand has collaborated with at least one high end designer each year to create a capsule collection for their customers.

Hey there. Thank you for passing through and reading this. If you don't know who I am, I am anti.clvtch, and I run an instagram page, @anti.clvtch:

At the time of writing this, Virgil Abloh is the most influential person in the world of creatives. His omnipresence and sway in nearly all creative pursuits is rooted in Virgil's unique talents. Born outside of Chicago in 1980, he is an artist, architect, and fashion designer. He received his training as undergraduate in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree in Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

It’s no secret that 22 year old actress Zendaya is a fashion icon, from her crimson red thigh highs at Paris fashion week to her metallic dress at the 2016 Met Gala. Zendaya also recently appeared on the cover of Vogue, where she looked stunning and talked about her new TV show. Zendaya is an amazing actress with a beautiful singing voice that she recently showcased on “All For Us,” which is a collaboration with British singer Labrith for her TV series Euphoria on HBO. But she is also a fashion icon, and now the new global women’s ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger. Tommy Hilfiger released his final collection of TommyxGigi with model Gigi Hadid back in February of 2018 who, for a while, was the face of the brand. Tommy Hilfiger went on to announce that he is collaborating with Zendaya on a capsule collection in October of 2018. The collection was released this spring.

When Tracy Reese took a break from New York Fashion Week last February to focus on making her business more sustainable, she also quietly diversified her design portfolio, creating United Airlines uniforms for the female flight attendants and customers service representatives that will debut 2020.

I am old enough to remember the original Baby Phat. This brand was one of few that catered to curvier figures with denim that stretched across the hips of hippies kids to hip hop lovers, all baring a stitched slender kitten on the back pocket.