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Style Icons

Questions and answers on the people whose clothes changed what everyone else wore: who they were, the looks they made famous, the designers behind them, and why we still copy them. For the screen characters, see our best outfits series.

the idea

What makes a style icon?

Consistency, influence and a signature.

audrey

Audrey Hepburn

Givenchy, ballet flats and the LBD.

jackie

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Pillbox hats to big sunglasses.

grace

Grace Kelly

Hollywood, Monaco and the Kelly bag.

marilyn

Marilyn Monroe

The white dress and Chanel No. 5.

diana

Princess Diana

The wedding dress, the revenge dress, the Lady Dior.

jane

Jane Birkin

The basket bag that became the Birkin.

bianca

Bianca Jagger

The white suit and Studio 54.

kate

Kate Moss

Slip dresses, skinny jeans and Glastonbury.

carolyn

Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

The face of 1990s minimalism.

iris

Iris Apfel

More is more.

bowie

David Bowie

Ziggy, Kansai Yamamoto and gender play.

rihanna

Rihanna

The fashion icon who became a founder.

bollywood

Bollywood style icons

Rekha, Zeenat, Sridevi, Madhuri.

menswear

Menswear style icons

Cary Grant, Steve McQueen, Agnelli.

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