In the three-plus years of writing about men’s style and so many of our influences, we’ve surely made casual references to the athletes, actors, statesmen, and playboys who have inspired us and millions of men to dress, act, and even live better. But in all of the praises we’ve sung of those men, we have yet to dedicate an article to the men who have dressed and designed for Kings, Presidents, and yes…even the lowly soccer legend.

So we got to thinking that, as overdue as this list may be, we wanted to salute the men behind the men, whose names are synonymous with style, class, and even eccentricity in at least one case. We are proud, after more than three years, to give you our choices for the ten most stylish fashion designers of all time.

Tom Ford

The absolute King of American Style, and one of the only people on Earth who get a pass when it comes to wearing sunglasses indoors or at night. The man is always looking his absolute best and still looks 30 at the age of fifty-seven. Good show, old boy.

Giorgio Armani

What Mozart and Beethoven are to Classical music, Armani is to fashion; there simply is no one before or since who has had the indelible influence that the Italian octogenarian has had. His name and style are synonymous, and in the same way Michael Jordan changed the game of basketball, Giorgio Armani changed fashion and culture forever.

Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana

Did they start designing clothes first and then become lovers, or was it the other way around? Either way, the Italian duo make incredible clothes for incredibly slim men but at least look good in the process/

Hedi Slimane

Half Tunisian. Half Italian. Still super French. And no, he’s not the bass player in an early 802 Mod band

Virgil Abloh

A relative youngster and newcomer to the world of fashion, Abloh melds the world of high fashion, hip hop, and pop culture to create a blend never before seen and will surely be a force to reckon with in the years to come.

Ralph Lauren

A double-breasted tuxedo jacket with jeans? Done.

Cristobal Balenciaga

In our never-ending search to find men and women who could double as the next Bond villain, we give you Basque fashion legend Balenciaga, whose icy stare, we assume, could literally shoot lasers or just as easily design a wedding gown for Spanish royalty in the same second.

Gianni Versace

Maybe the most tragic entry on our list Italian style icon Gianni Versace was gunned down at the height of his career, ending the lives of one of Italy’s favorite sons. While the Versace brand lives on, a great shadow still remains where once stood a giant.

Yves Saint Laurent

When we think of mid-century, timeless, classic European style, three letters come to mind: Y. S. L. The man could’ve double for one of his models (and occasionally did,) and epitomized the slim silhouette that so defines European style. If you had to name a designer that looked better on him than on the starved, blank-faced drones schlepping up and down a runway, it’d be Saint Laurent, The Last King of France.