Global Brands That Changed The World

There are millions of brands in the market today for almost everything. But only a handful of those can really be called ‘game changers’. The brands that changed the definition of the word ‘luxury’ and ‘high end’, that became one with them.
Let’s take a look at 5 top brands that changed the world-

CHANEL

In our recent ’14 women who changed the world’ article, we talked about Coco Chanel, the self-made woman and founder of the brand ‘Chanel’ that literally changed the world of fashion. What Gabrielle Bonheur ‘Coco’ Chanel started in the early 1900s has now taken the form of one of most sought after global brands and still going strong after over a century.

Of course, a huge contributor to this is Karl Lagerfeld, the iconic designer who was the creative director of Chanel from 1983 to 2019. It was him who brought the brand back to life after it was considered ‘near-dead’. Also, the legendary interlocked CC logo of Chanel? Yes, its credit goes to Lagerfeld too.
At present, Chanel has outlets in over 300 locations worldwide. It deals with quality products ranging from handbags, jewelry, apparels and perfumes among others. Its fragrances are one of the best in the world and that’s a widely accepted fact.

NIKE

The sportswear and footwear with a long history of 55 years, Nike started as Blue Ribbon Sports under Philip Knight and Bill Bowerman. It was in 1971, seven years after its foundation was laid, that the brand’s name was changed to ‘Nike’ after the Greek Goddess of Victory. The same year, its iconic ‘swoosh’ logo was developed by Carolyn Davidson and is now one of the most valuable brand logos in the world with billions of worth of its own.
A global brand through and through, its taglines such as ‘Just Do It’ and ‘There is no finish line’ are a part of its mass appeal across the globe and reflect the brand’s spirit and strength which has allowed it to create its own niche in a world full of brands with hundreds of years of history and legacy.

LOUIS VUITTON

Founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton, a French designer and businessman, it is one of the most iconic brands which have enjoyed mass popularity for over one and a half centuries already! It deals with products ranging from luxury trunks (its initial specialization) and leather shoes to watches, jewelry, accessories, handbags, and sunglasses.
Currently headed by Michel Burke, the brand’s products are sold exclusively in its official stores, numbering over 450 across 50 countries and the official website. Though in the past, the brand was easily available in a number of department stores; things have been switched now to abate counterfeiting, which has been a huge problem for LV given its image as a status symbol.

HERMES

This high end-brand was founded in 1837 in Paris by Thierry Hermes. Specializing in a number of products like accessories, perfume, jewelry, watches, apparels and more, Hermes is known for its attention to detail and unparalleled craftsmanship. A true luxury label, they believe that ‘beauty is a gesture’ and as such, the brand’s emphasis has always been on quality more than quantity.
Its distinctive logo which illustrates a horse-drawn carriage has been in use since the 1950s and reflects on the brand’s history as it initially specialized in high-quality harnesses and bridles for the carriage trade. At present, Hermes has over 300 stores worldwide out of which 211 are directly managed by the company.

SUPREME

The iconic street wear with massive popularity, Supreme was founded by James Jebbia in 1994. It has a total of 12 outlets in major cities across the globe. What has worked for this emerging yet already a game-changer brand is its authenticity and resale value (which can be up to 20 times the original price) owing to the limited releases.