Yiannis Evangelides

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Yiannis Evangelides (Greek: Γιάννης Ευαγγελίδης) was a Greek fashion designer. He was born in Cyprus and moved to Athens at 18, where he later married Vasso Kourtidi. He originally planned to be a pianist, but after designing dresses for his wife, he chose fashion design. He worked as a couturier in Athens for about 20 years before World War II. One of his clients was Frederica of Hanover, the future Queen of Greece, whom he called his easiest client; she wore his designs from 1938 to 1945.

His first New York show was in January 1940, featuring pleated gowns in blue and terracotta with short decorative jackets and draped scarves inspired by Greek folk costume. In 1951 Evangelides returned to New York with plans to stay and develop ready-to-wear for the wholesale market, after five years designing for a wholesaler in Capetown, California. In 1954 he joined the Bonwit Teller custom salon, where his dresses were shown alongside imported Paris gowns and noted for tucks and pleats. In 1958 he opened a dress shop on East 57th Street called "Yanni" and launched his first ready-to-wear collection.