32 Fashion Icons Who Inspired The Biggest Trends Throughout The Ages

It’s impossible to think of Audrey Hepburn without picturing her memorable performance in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Her doe eyes, elegant silhouette, and classic Givenchy little black dress captured the hearts of many, confirming her place as not only a film legend but also a timeless fashion icon. Naturally, Hepburn’s signature look, consisting of cigarette trousers, boat-neck tops, and simple shift dresses, earned her an induction into the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame.

What most people probably don’t know is that, besides being First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was one of the most legendary style icons of the 20th century. With tailored suits, pillbox hats, and minimalist silhouettes, she perfectly blended American and European aesthetics, ultimately modernizing White House fashion. In later years, Onassis epitomized the jet-set look with trench coats, scarves, and oversized sunglasses. Today, her clean, simple style continues to inspire designers and fashion lovers alike.

When revisiting some of Diana’s classic looks, it’s easy to see why she was nicknamed the “People’s Princess”. She perfectly blended royal glamor with modern fashion to create her own signature, relatable style, which she used to connect with the people and places she visited when fulfilling her duties. You can probably guess that her iconic ‘revenge’ dress, power suits, and sleek evening gowns became some of the most unforgettable looks in pop culture history.

With her voluminous hair, smoky eyeliner, and alluring clothing choices, it should come as no surprise to learn that Brigitte Bardot is one of the most recognizable fashion icons of the 1950s and 1960s. She’s often credited with shaping the sexual revolution and influencing many generations of women with her sensual, effortless style.

With an acting and singing career spanning nearly seven decades, it’s no surprise that Marlene Dietrich was a major style icon during her prime. She didn’t shy away from reinventing her image or experimenting with androgynous fashion that hardly anyone else was wearing back then. Dietrich’s fearless, super-refined style influenced designers for decades, even paving the way for menswear-inspired looks for women.

Widely recognized as the ‘Italian Marilyn Monroe’, Sophia Loren is one of the last surviving film icons from the Golden Age of Hollywood. With her winged eyeliner, opulent jewelry, and form-fitting dresses, she was often treated as a muse by renowned designers such as Giorgio Armani, Balenciaga, Valentino, and Schuberth. Much like Marilyn Monroe, Loren’s signature look had the perfect balance of sophistication and drama, and continues to influence fashion today.

Elizabeth Taylor was more than just a skilled actress; she was one of Hollywood’s most unforgettable style icons. Famous for her picture-perfect hair, striking gowns, and opulent jewelry collection, Taylor truly embodied Hollywood glamor with her captivating beauty and lavish lifestyle.

Interestingly enough, Audrey Hepburn and Katharine Hepburn had no direct relation, but both women challenged societal fashion norms, way before such forward-thinking became widely accepted. In the ‘30s and ‘40s, when she wasn’t smashing records as an actress, Katharine was breaking the style mold by trading Hollywood glitz for a more relaxed way of dressing. She pioneered wearing pants, tailored suits, and button-down shirts before they became mainstream.

Very few stars revolutionized Hollywood style much like Marilyn Monroe. Known for her bold, feminine aesthetic and sensuality, she’s responsible for some of cinema’s most iconic fashion moments. From Monroe’s unforgettable white halter dress in The Seven Year Itch to her figure-hugging red carpet looks, it’s not surprising that her signature style continues to inspire Hollywood glamor today.

Long before Grace Kelly became a real-life princess, she was already an award-winning actress known for her refined image. She favored quiet luxury when it came to her styling, often opting for tailored dresses with classic lines, colors, and silhouettes, giving her an overall regal presence. Kelly’s induction into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame totally secured her place as a timeless fashion icon.

Instead of following fashion trends, Dolly Parton has stayed true to her fun and daring signature style. When asked about her look, she said, “ There was this one woman (in a Sears catalog), I thought she was beautiful and, you know, she had the peroxide hair, and she had it all piled up on her head and had red fingernails and red lipstick and, you know, wore her powder. And I just thought she was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen.” As it turns out, she pretty much described the inspiration behind her unforgettable personal aesthetic.

Much like Marlene Dietrich, Twiggy became a ‘60s style icon thanks to her signature androgynous look. Defining the mod aesthetic with her boyish styling and slim frame, she completely deviated from the Hollywood ideal at the time, which was a curvy and voluptuous silhouette. Ultimately, Twiggy turned youth-driven fashion into a global craze.

Without a doubt, Josephine Baker lit up the ‘20s with her liberated style. On stage, she dazzled audiences with her showy costumes made up of fringed flapper gowns and extravagant headpieces. But away from the spotlight, she leaned more towards an androgynous style, opting for menswear pieces like tailored suits and top hats.

Much like her music and songwriting, Stevie Nicks’ signature style gives off a dreamy and free-spirited vibe. From flowy chiffon dresses and romantic blouses to high-waisted jeans and fringed shawls, she has created her own unique aesthetic and firmly established herself as a fashion icon throughout her career.

As one of Old Hollywood’s most popular Asian American actresses, Anna May Wong not only broke barriers in the film industry but also made waves with her unique beauty and aesthetic. Voted the “world’s best-dressed woman” by the Mayfair Mannequin Society of New York in 1934, her style perfectly blended Asian influences with modern Western fashion.

Professional attire probably isn’t a clothing choice that most of us would consider glamorous, but somehow, during her prime, Lauren Bacall transformed office pieces into effortless evening wear. She often combined pencil skirts and pleated trousers with silk blouses and sharp blazers to create her signature seductive style, which is still referenced in Hollywood today.

Not only did actress Jane Birkin inspire the legendary Hermès Birkin bag, but she also greatly influenced fashion in the 1960s and 1970s. Known for her relaxed, casual dressing and signature basket bag, Birkin always found a way to make a simple t-shirt and a pair of jeans look sophisticated and chic.

One simply can’t compile a list of style icons without mentioning Coco Chanel, the talented French designer who dominated the Parisian fashion industry for nearly six decades. Known for her signature creations, such as the Chanel suit, Coco’s relaxed yet refined designs inspired women in the 20th century to ditch their uncomfortable corsets, bulky petticoats, and complicated fits.

While Michelle Obama isn’t the only First Lady to make this list, her influence on American fashion is in a league of its own. During her tenure, Michelle Obama’s style effortlessly combined high-end luxury with everyday brands, not only emphasizing her elegance but also her relatability. Still recognized for her grace and tasteful aesthetic, it’s no wonder she has become a global fashion icon.

Pretty well known as one of the most famous androgynous models, it’s easy to see why Grace Jones took the Paris fashion by storm in the ‘70s. Thanks to her bold features, dramatic makeup, and sculptural silhouette, she made the perfect muse for renowned designers such as Jean-Paul Goude. Jones’ fearless image redefined pop culture glamor and totally established her as a long-term influence on androgynous fashion.

Between her bohemian looks and disco diva glam, Cher truly rocked the fashion world in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and her influence didn’t end there. With the help of costume designer Bob Macke in the 1980s and 1990s, she turned wearing futuristic outfits and sheer bodysuits into a much-loved trend. Today, Cher’s style continues to influence designers and celebrities alike.

Nobody makes as many audacious fashion choices as Lady Gaga. From avant-garde costumes to dresses made out of meat, her looks not only shock and provoke, but also tell stories and perfectly merge fashion with art. While working with top brand houses like Alexander McQueen and Versace, Gaga has firmly established herself as not just an amazing performer but also an all-time fashion icon.

Rihanna’s influence isn’t just limited to music, but also extends into the fashion world; she’s basically a trendsetter. The singer-turned-business mogul effortlessly switches up her look, constantly pushing boundaries by combining couture with streetwear and other unexpected styling choices. Between her edgy style and headline-grabbing red carpet looks, it’s no surprise that she’s earned the title of pop and fashion legend.

Best known for her classic elegance and versatile style, Ella Macpherson is widely recognized as a style icon. Between her tailored outfits, sophisticated color palette, and laid-back glamor, it doesn’t come as a surprise that she received the Elle Style Icon award in 2006, further nailing down her reputation as a fashion legend.

With blazers, fur-trimmed coats, and wide-leg trousers as some of her go-to pieces, Bianca Jagger undeniably brought the ‘70s to life with her distinctive style. Throughout her decades-long career as a socialite and human rights activist, she has been a long-time muse for many designers and artists like Yves Saint Laurent and Andy Warhol.

Cindy Crawford is undoubtedly one of the most popular supermodels of the ‘80s and ‘90s, but her influence didn’t just end there. Naturally, she also took the fashion scene by storm. Between her fitted Red Carpet looks and effortless off-duty pairings of simple T-shirts with high-waisted jeans, it’s pretty expected that her sexy and feminine signature style made waves in the industry.

If you’ve ever watched the Met Gala red carpet, then you’re probably familiar with Anna Wintour, the driving force behind fashion’s biggest night. As former editor-in-chief of US Vogue, she helped shape the fashion industry as we know it today, pretty much locking in her status as a major style expert. In addition to all her impressive accolades, she’s also recognized for her signature pageboy bob, dark sunglasses, and tailored outfits.

There’s a good chance that most of us immediately picture Carrie Bradshaw whenever anyone mentions Sarah Jessica Parker, and this is largely because of the character’s significant influence on fashion. But what most people probably don’t know is that Parker is a style icon in her own right. Now at 61 years old, she’s known for her refined, sophisticated look, which is a far cry from the eclectic and daring style we associate with Bradshaw onscreen.

Kelly Rutherford will forever be associated with her Gossip Girl character Lily van der Woodsen, which isn’t surprising since her elegant style on the show was pretty memorable. Much like her character, Rutherford’s own style is sophisticated, tasteful, and attainable, but still quite exciting. Currently gaining attention as a fashion icon, she regularly pairs classic brands like Chanel with more contemporary ones like Sézane.

As part of the biggest girl group in the ‘90s, Victoria Beckham certainly made latex look cool. Fast forward to today, she’s ditched the ultra-tight stage costumes and body-con outfits for clean tailoring, polished suits, and sleek dresses. As a well-respected designer and creative director of her own label, Beckham has become one of the 21st century’s most influential trendsetters.

Very few people could pull off the waifish look quite like Kate Moss in the ‘90s. She popularized size zero fashion and defined the laid-back, ultra-slim aesthetic of the era. Thanks to her iconic Calvin Klein Campaigns and her signature off-runway look, which was a mix of skinny jeans, vintage tees, and ankle boots, she became a popular fashion icon at the time.

Nicole Kidman has never been one to shy away from daring styling, and in recent years, her risk-taking approach to fashion has made dressing her a designer’s dream. Often spotted in cutouts, dramatic colors, and unusual patterns, she has set the bar high for Red Carpet dressing and even been described as one of fashion’s biggest risk-takers.