Get acquainted with some of the industry's most defining numerals.

by Gerald Tan

As much as fashion is defined by silhouettes, colours, textures and prints, it's also about numbers. From the digits on price tags that shape your purchasing habits, to the millimetres that determine the length of an impeccably tailored skirt, fashion is governed by a myriad of numerical combinations. Fashion's history is dotted with plenty of them too, with some numbers evoking illusions of grace and grandeur. Here are some significant figures any fashion aficionado should know:

THE NUMBER 1

The monastic dress by Cristóbal Balenciaga Picture: Gerald Tan — **The monastic dress by Cristóbal Balenciaga**
*Picture: Gerald Tan*

The legendary Cristóbal Balenciaga purportedly utilised only one seam to bring his iconic wedding dress to life. Running down the length of the back of this austere-looking dress, it was the finishing touch that attested to Balenciaga's creative prowess and his technical mastery. Completed in 1967, the monastic dress has become one of fashion's most enduring symbols of elegance and ingenuity, thanks in part to a futuristic headpiece inspired by the headgear of Spanish fishermen that Balenciaga crafted for maximum impact.

THE NUMBER FIVE

Is there a number more entrenched in the story of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel than the number five? Chanel presented her collections in her salon on the fifth of May—the fifth month of the year. The number mesmerised and captivated the designer so much, she'd go on to christen a fragrance she specially commissioned after it. In 1921, the Chanel No. 5 was born. And the rest, as they say, is history.

THE NUMBER NINE

Christian Dior was an extremely superstitious designer who surrounded himself with charms and talismans such as a four leaf clover and a sprig of the lily of the valley. He regarded nine as his lucky number, so it came as no surprise that he named his first red lipsticks '9' and '99'. Today, the shade has become a House signature, inspiring various lines of makeup thoughtfully created for the modern woman.

THE NUMBER FORTY

A visionary whose visceral and carnal interpretations of fashion earned him both adulation and notoriety, Alexander McQueen was one of contemporary fashion's most influential figures. His thought-provoking collections touched on topics such as sex and death, while his shows were spectaculars that rewrote the rules of convention. For example, he constructed an asylum-like set and had models trawl its tiled corridors like deranged creatures. McQueen even choreographed a dance between human and machine that became one of fashion's most defining moments. Yet, despite all his success, McQueen was continuously plagued by his inner demons. He took his own life on 11 February 2010. McQueen was 40.

THE NUMBER FIFTY-FOUR

Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi Picture: Gerald Tan — **Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi**
*Picture: Gerald Tan*

That's the number of years Karl Lagerfeld spent at Fendi before his death in 2019—a record that holds extra meaning during a time when the shelf life of a designer at a House is getting shorter and shorter. Hired by the five Fendi sisters to breathe new life into their family business, Lagerfeld immediately went to work transforming the storied Roman brand. He treated fur less like a precious material; instead, Lagerfeld pushed the boundaries of craft by reimagining the ways fur could be used in clothing, and in the process turned Fendi into a global luxury powerhouse

THE NUMBER SEVENTY-ONE

In January 1971, Yves Saint Laurent presented a haute couture collection that polarised the fashion world. Later dubbed the Scandal collection, it was an infamous showing of clothes inspired by '40s wartime fashion. Critics immediately dismissed the collection and labelled it distasteful, but it turned out Saint Laurent had the last laugh. If anything, the saga proved Saint Laurent's knack for creating clothes that spoke to generations of youth. The Scandal went on to become one of contemporary fashion's most influential collections, and its lasting effect can still be seen off the runways and on the streets today.