Fashion icons throughout history
Everyone has a fashion icon who inspires them. Today, I am sharing four of mine—women whose style has shaped my love for fashion and continues to influence trends around the world.
Princess Diana
Princess Diana remains the ultimate style icon, seamlessly blending royal elegance with modern sensibilities. She revolutionized casual dressing with oversized sweatshirts, bright bike shorts, and chunky sneakers, making off-duty looks effortlessly chic.
Her “Revenge Dress” (1994)—an off-the-shoulder black silk gown by Christina Stambolian—became legendary after King Charles publicly admitted to infidelity, proving Diana’s poise and power even through fashion.
She also mastered power dressing in the 1980s and 90s, wearing structured suits and blazers by designers like Catherine Walker and Versace, exuding authority while maintaining femininity.
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn epitomizes timeless elegance, celebrated for her minimalist “less is more” approach. Her decades-long collaboration with Hubert de Givenchy redefined femininity in the 1950s and 60s, favoring a lean, gamine silhouette over voluminous trends.
Her iconic Little Black Dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), paired with oversized sunglasses and a pearl necklace, remains one of the most recognized outfits in film history. The Sabrina Gown (1954), a white floral ballgown with a detachable train, cemented her status as a global style trailblazer.
Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin’s effortless style blended casual English charm with Parisian chic. She embraced simplicity and functionality, proving that true style doesn’t follow trends.
Before Hermès immortalized the Birkin bag, Jane carried a humble wicker market basket everywhere—from groceries to the Cannes red carpet—embodying her natural, unpretentious aesthetic.
Her everyday wardrobe often featured flared or straight-leg jeans, classic white T-shirts, and oversized men’s shirts. She also infused a bohemian flair into her looks with mini-dresses, peasant blouses, crochet tops, and delicate layered jewelry.
Coco Chanel
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel transformed 20th-century fashion, liberating women from corsets and introducing modern minimalism. Her style—characterized by a monochrome palette of black, white, and beige, clean lines, and masculine touches like trousers and stripes—remains foundational in contemporary wardrobes.
Chanel’s innovations, such as the 2.55 chain-strap bag (1955), empowered women with both style and practicality. She popularized artificial pearls and statement jewelry, emphasizing that accessories should enhance an outfit, not flaunt wealth. Her mantra endures: “Fashion fades, style remains.”
