The fashion industry is a wonderful, chaotic, competitive, and exciting place to be. And within that industry are fashion icons, primarily among designers, who have become style icons because they set off fashion trends that grabbed an entire country and beyond.
Consider Oscar de la Renta as an example. When he designed female suits and pill box hats, a la First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, an entire nation of women imitated that style for the next four years. Or how about the “little black dress” that Coco Chanel delivered to fashion history in 1926.
And there were females who set fashion trends of their own without iconic designers. Audrey Hepburn, for example, dressed simply, but her accessories made her style – large hats and sunglasses, and ballet slippered feet. And then there was Katherine Hepburn whose iconic style put women in casual pants, a bold new moment for forward thinking females who loved ditching the world of dresses and embraced a culture of early women’s lib.
Whether designers or wearers of their own styles, fashion icons continue to revolutionize the fashion fields into a diverse culture of style. In short, anything goes in today’s world of fashion. So, let’s dig into the world of designers and individual fashion istas who impact fashion today, with special emphasis on LGBTQ+ designers and individual celebrities who are impacting fashion style.
Fashion Icons Among Designers
Here is a listing of fashion icons and their contributions to the industry as a whole.
Gianne Versace
Versace was known for both his female and male dress designs. While he received his inspiration from multiple sources, the result was the use of bold colors, in contrast with the more muted colors of his contemporaries. He designed outfits for Princess Diana, Elton John, Beyonce, lady Gaga, Blake Lively, Kim Kardashian, and many other stars. His designs hit the red carpet a lot. Total glam is how his iconic designs would be described.
Yves Saint Laurent
As the head designer for the House of Dior, he first became internationally known in the late 50’s. Ultimately, he opened his own fashion house. Some of his signature designs include tuxedos for females, safari jackets for both genders of all ages, and the smock top. Ultimately, he designed an entire line of ready-to-wear clothing for gals, and, of course, his line of purses continues to rage in popularity. He was also famous for being one of the first to use black models, like Grace Jones. He was one of Angelina Jolie’s favorites. Grace Jones has also modeled for Kenzo and has been featured on the cover of Vogue magazine.
Victoria Beckham
Here is a singer, songwriter, and actress turned fashion guru. Perhaps best known for her career as a member of the group “Spice Girls,” many don’t know that she has a line of ready-to-wear clothing featured primarily in high-end department stores such as Neiman-Marcus and Bergdorf’s. She is one of the most well-known style icons of the current fashion field.
Tom Ford
When Gucci was facing bankruptcy and extinction, Tom Ford stepped in as its new head. After parting ways with Gucci, he created his own brand, with a line of clothing, cosmetics, and accessories. His style is that of sleek minimalism and elegant yet simple. Princess Diana and First Lady Michelle Obama wore on of his designs when she visited the Queen of England in 2011. Others who have worn his creations are Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Depp, and Daniel Craig (for his four final episodes of James Bond). The Tom Ford brand was purchased by Estee Lauder in 2022.
Valentino
The Valentino line of female fashion has enjoyed huge popularity for years and has been responsible for a number of designs from first ladies starting with Jackie Kennedy. His styles have been influenced, back and forth, between the 30’s and 40’s and often a flair for elegant simplicity as evidenced by his dress creation for Julia Roberts at the 2001 Oscars.
Calvin Klein
Klein launched his fir design company in 1968 with one of his best friends. His design style collection is more for casual and career dresses and outfits, definitely not the red carpet evening dress category. He is probably best known for his signature tight fitting jeans, launched in 1974, that grossed over $200,000 in its first week of sales. Definitely on the style icons of the 20th century. He went on to develop other products that became style trends, such as fragrances.
Style Icons of the 21st Century
The 21st century has seen a major shift in style to one of self-expression, and many who are considered major influencers are not those who rely on icons in the industry but who have developed their own signature character of dress and accessorizing. And because each of them is a person with a large following, their styles are copied by that following and emerge as trademarks for society as a whole. There are rarely any rules or patterns for these icons – they choose what they like and what is right for them – femininity, masculinity, or unisex. And they set trends.
Style Influencers
Of course, there have been these influencers throughout style history, from glam to casual – Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Princess Diana, Michelle Obama, and all other celebrities who style of dress and hair style was the subject of huge media coverage, thus influencing how the average person chose and chooses to dress. And these icons continue to inspire both general society and designers who take note of what has become most popular, from street dress to what is worn on special occasions.
Let’s have a look at some of the most contemporary icons and influencers and their impact.
Rihanna
Born in Barbados, Rihanna has influence far beyond her roots and her music. She is rather famous for pairing high fashion with street wear. She now has her own fashion line, Fenty, with a focus on inclusivity for all genders and orientations. In Rihanna’s world, there are no rules for beauty.
Harry Styles
Here is a gender-fluid pioneer who blurs the lines between femininity and masculinity in style. His hair styles are another signature feature of his unisex “planet.” He has graced the red carpet and magazine covers to influence others to break from stereotypical notions of appropriate and express themselves through clothing.
Moving beyond Rihanna and Styles, there are so many others who are influencing how our culture views dress. And each one is a bit of a character actor in the process. They are constantly creating and re-creating their styles to fit the moment – whether it’s to pose on the red carpet or to walk their dogs on the streets.
- Beyonce: this talented artist may be known for her glam and pushing the boundaries of style, but she has worn a host of styles for the moment, with ease and grace.
- Princess Diana: an icon who demonstrated class whether she wore an elegant designer original before the queen and at affairs of state, or a common shirt and jeans as she visited children in Africa. Always a princess but always one whose style fit the moment.
- Billy Porter: as an actor and singer, he has also pushed the boundaries with his red carpet appearances. Who will ever forget his tuxedo dress at the Oscars. Flamboyant and meshing gender styles – that’s his message.
- Zendaya: both diverse and sophisticated in her style, this woman has broken down the racial barriers in the fashion business.
- Jaden Smith: This musician and actor has crushed the normal gender barriers of dress and added sustainability and eco-consciousness to the mix.
Fashion Icons – Anything Goes!
Here’s the thing about the times we live in now. We have icons in fashion – both in design and as trend setters in their own right. We can follow someone like Marc Jacobs, for example, and see the full versatility of fashion that has hit home for everyone, from the posh and glam to the grunge streetwear – styles that have rocked the fashion planet and show that virtually “anything goes” for contemporary dress. Whether its and actress showing the latest fashion at the Academy Awards or walking her dog in the latest torn jeans and bulky unisex top, it’s all good.
How will the future look back upon this era of fashion? Of course, it will entertain the nostalgia of the classics worn by Audrey Hepburn and the revivals of them over the years. It will scour The New York Times for the latest fashion trends over the years. And New York may very well still be the one center of the fashion business.
But things have a way of evolving. There are up and comers on the horizon who will take fashion well beyond where it stands today. The concepts of blending genders and identities are more than just on the horizon now. They are rising to a full sunlit sky and bringing equality, diversity, and tolerance with them. Long live fashion, and long live the convergence of dress to meet the demands of society.
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