Pronouncing Helmut Lang Correctly: His Journey from Designer to Artist

Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates from Your Next Shoes. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure for more details.

Helmut Lang is a fashion brand created by Austrian fashion designer Helmut Lang in 1986. He was born on March 10, 1956, in Vienna, Austria.

The correct pronunciation of “Helmut Lang” is “HEL-moot Lung,” where “Helmut” is pronounced with an “e” as in “tell” and a “u” like the “oo” in “foot,” and “Lang” is pronounced similar to “lung.”

The Prada Acquisition: A Turning Point

In 1999, Milan-based fashion house Prada acquired 51% of the Helmut Lang company amid a frenzied acquisition spree among the leading players in luxury goods, including Prada’s acquisition of German fashion label Jil Sander.

The Helmut Lang brand was acquired from its founder by fashion label Prada in 2004The Helmut Lang brand was acquired from its founder by fashion label Prada in 2004 (Credit: DW labs Incorporated / Shutterstock)

After alleged disputes with Prada Group’s CEO Patrizio Bertelli, Helmut Lang sold his remaining shares to Prada in October 2004 and left his label in January 2005.

On March 17, 2006, Prada Group announced that, after six loss-making years, Link Theory Holdings (LTH) of Tokyo would acquire the Helmut Lang brand for an estimated €20 million. Prada offloaded the Jil Sander label three weeks earlier to British equity firm Change Capital Partners (CCP).

Designer Helmut LangDesigner Helmut Lang attends the Cartier 100th Anniversary in America Celebration at Cartier Fifth Avenue Mansion on April 30, 2009, in New York City (Credit: PNP / WENN)

A New Chapter: Helmut Lang as an Artist

After leaving his label in 2005, Helmut Lang retired from the fashion industry, transitioned to a career as a practicing artist, and has been based in New York City and on Long Island. His artistic career includes collaborations with notable artists such as Jenny Holzer and Louise Bourgeois.

His art focuses on abstract sculptural forms, extending beyond traditional human body representations. He held his first solo art exhibition, “ALLES GLEICH SCHWER,” at the Kestnergesellschaft in Hannover in 2008 and has since presented solo exhibitions internationally.

Moreover, Lang has engaged in various art projects like “Long Island Diaries” and “The Selective Memory Series,” with excerpts published in several prominent publications, including Purple, BUTT Magazine, Fanzine 137, Visionaire, and The Travel Almanac. This shows his active and multifaceted involvement in the art world following his successful career in fashion design.

Jennifer Lawrence Stuns in Helmut Lang at Vera Wang

On April 27, 2013, Jennifer Lawrence was seen at Vera Wang wearing a Helmut Lang sugar crepe jacket, Steel Trap gold hematite bullet necklace, Leisure Society Byron sunglasses in matte black, and an Alternative Apparel Heather Kimber teeOn April 27, 2013, Jennifer Lawrence was seen at Vera Wang wearing a Helmut Lang sugar crepe jacket, Steel Trap gold hematite bullet necklace, Leisure Society Byron sunglasses in matte black, and an Alternative Apparel Heather Kimber tee (Credit: Cousart-JP / JFXimages / WENN)

In April 2013, Jennifer Lawrence was spotted helping a friend shop for a wedding dress in West Hollywood. Jennifer looked very hipster chic in a black, white, and grey ensemble.

Jennifer Lawrence, showcasing her unique hipster chic style, is spotted outside at the Vera Wang boutique in West Hollywood, helping a friend choose a wedding dressJennifer Lawrence, showcasing her unique hipster chic style, is spotted outside at the Vera Wang boutique in West Hollywood, helping a friend choose a wedding dress on April 27, 2013 (Credit: Cousart-JP / JFXimages / WENN)

Her outfit consisted of a cropped moto jacket worn over a grey tied shirt and a black maxi skirt by HELMUT Helmut Lang. She completed this funky ensemble with a fedora hat, a fringed sling bag, black wayfarers, and a pair of black oxfords.

We love this funky and chic look on Jennifer primarily because it fits well with her quirky and endearingly odd personality. What do you think?

Jennifer Lawrence's ensemble features a cropped moto jacket, a grey tied shirt, and a black HELMUT Helmut Lang maxi skirt, accessorized with a fedora, fringed sling bag, black wayfarers, and black oxfordsJennifer Lawrence’s ensemble features a cropped moto jacket, a grey tied shirt, and a black HELMUT Helmut Lang maxi skirt, accessorized with a fedora, fringed sling bag, black wayfarers, and black oxfords (Credit: Cousart-JP / JFXimages / WENN)

Loving Jennifer’s look? Check out her HELMUT Helmut Lang maxi skirt and let us know if you’d style it exactly like Jennifer:

HELMUT Helmut Lang Kinetic Side Slit Maxi Skirt in BlackHELMUT Helmut Lang Kinetic Side Slit Maxi Skirt in Black, $160.00