Why some people’s clothes outlive the people themselves.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
What is a style icon?
Someone whose way of dressing is so recognisable and so widely copied that it outlasts their moment. You can describe an icon’s look in a few words (Audrey’s black dress and flats, Jackie’s sunglasses, Diana’s sweatshirt and cycling shorts) and people will picture it immediately, sometimes decades later.
How is an icon different from a trendsetter?
A trendsetter starts something that spreads and then fades. An icon has a consistent signature that stays true to who they are, even as fashion changes around them. Icons often wear the same few things again and again, which is precisely why the look becomes theirs.
Do icons need designers?
Many of the greatest had a long partnership with one: Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy, Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint Laurent, Jacqueline Kennedy and Oleg Cassini. The designer gave them a wardrobe; they gave the designer a face the world wanted to copy. See muses and brand ambassadors.
Can there still be style icons?
Yes, but it is harder. Celebrities now work with stylists and paid brand contracts, and social media rewards a new look every day rather than a signature. The icons who emerge today, like Rihanna, tend to be the ones who take risks and clearly choose for themselves.
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