From Acne and Balmain to Givenchy and Lanvin, fashion vocabulary is littered with names that are difficult to get your tongue around.
Fortunately style experts at Who What Wear have released a guide on how to pronounce some of the most popular designer brands so you will no longer be caught out.
The post breaks down each word into easy-to-say phonetic components so you can practise saying it in manageable chunks before building up your fluency.
Some of the brands, like Rodarte and Acne, are easy to spell but difficult to say. Others, like Proenza Schouler, are more obvious tongue-twisters
Also on the list is Erdem, the label beloved of the Duchess of Cambridge.
Ready to improve your fashion insider knowledge? Scroll down to learn how to pronounce nine of the trickiest brands – and find out a little more about them…
Kardashian mainstay: Kim and Kanye attend an event celebrating Balmain in New York in 2016
Acne
Pronounced: Ak-nay
Loved by It-girls like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, Acne Studios is one of the coolest brands to come out of Stockholm.
While it shares its name with an irritating skin condition, the words are pronounced very differently – often tripping up those who aren’t in the know.
Balmain
Pronounced: Bal-mahh
Under the leadership of creative director Olivier Rousteing, Balmain has become a must-have for celebrities looking for a sexy, edgy look.
Most recently Rousteing, 32, made headlines with the stunning costume wardrobe he designed for Beyoncé’s showstopping Coachella performances.
The label takes its name from French founder Pierre Balmain, who set up the company in 1946, and explains its nasal pronunciation.
Dressing a duchess: Kate Middleton in two Erdem designs in Sweden in January this year
Erdem
Pronounced: Air-dem
A favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge and one of the brands tipped to be behind Meghan Markle’s wedding gown, Erdem certainly has the royal seal of approval.
The brand – which is pronounced slightly different to how it is spelt – comes from the name of its founder, Canadian and Turkish fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu.
Issey Miyake
Pronounced: Iss-ee mee-yah-key
Imported from Japan’s achingly cool fashion scene, Issey Miyake is now an umbrella for more than a dozen clothing, accessories and lifestyle brands.
Like many other labels, it is named after its founder, who celebrated his 80th birthday last week.
Daring to bare: Beyonce made headlines with this Givenchy number at the 2015 Met Gala
Givenchy
Pronounced: Zjee-von-shee
From Jacqueline Kennedy to Princess Grace of Monaco, Hubert Givenchy, who died last month at the age of 81, made a name for himself dressing some of the world’s most elegant women.
Clare Waight Keller took the helm as creative director following the departure of Riccardo Tisci, who exited the French brand in February 2017 after 12 years.
Lanvin
Pronounced: Lah-vahn
Another French name, another nasal-driven pronunciation of a straightforwardly spelt word.
Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, it is the oldest French fashion house still in operation. Amal Clooney and Emma Stone are among its A-list fans.
Blooming lovely: Gigi Hadid walks for Moschino at Milan Fashion Week in September last year
Moschino
Pronounced: Mos-key-no
Known for its playful, vibrant designs, Moschino dazzles the front row with its creative catwalks.
The hard ‘ck’ sound in the middle of the name is often mispronounced as a soft ‘sh’.
The designer brand will also collaborate with H&M on a collection to be released in November.
Proenza Schouler
Pronounced: Pro-en-zuh skool-er
New York-based label Proenza Schouler derives its name from the maiden names of its two founders, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, respectively.
In the 16 years since its launch, the high-end brand has grown into a womenswear and accessories label with a global reach.
Rodarte
Pronounced: Ro-dar-tay
Another name that’s deceptively difficult to pronounce, Rodarte’s last syllable is often missed.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, the brand has won a number of awards since its inception in 2002.