Published: 24th Apr 2020
Whether you’re flaunting a look straight from the catwalk, or adopting a rock chick image, style is a personal statement that can stand the test of time. There are numerous iconic images which will never be forgotten, and many fashion houses still draw inspiration from them decades later.
Fashions evolve and we all look for the next “big thing”, but a truly iconic image is exactly that: a well-known depiction that is remembered for years. There are plenty of examples all around the world (e.g. the black and white photograph of New York workers sitting on a girder having lunch, with their feet dangling more than 250 metres above Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center), and these iconic images have been replicated many times. With a focus on notable females, let Models Direct highlight five of the most fashionable stars that many to this day still look up to. They may even motivate and inspire would-be models to modify their style and book their first modelling job.
1. Marilyn Monroe. We had to include her, right? Not only was she the first woman on the front cover of Playboy, Marilyn was arguably the most famous person on screen at the height of her popularity. Curvaceous, seductive, cheeky and slightly vulnerable, Marilyn’s “white dress pose” is the perfect example of an evergreen image that is the definition of iconic.
2. Audrey Hepburn. Always immaculately dressed, Audrey was ahead of her time and was the most sophisticated of actresses. Rarely looking anything other than chic, her style was unique, and she was perhaps the chicest lady ever to grace the silver screen. Hats, shoes, jewellery…they all worked to perfection, and she had thousands of women copying her style, and millions others wanting to be her.
3. Debbie Harry. Before she became the lead singer of Blondie – one of the most successful US bands of all time – Debbie was a Playboy bunny and then was lauded as the ultimate in rock chic. She had the skinny jeans and logoed T-shirt look nailed down, and forged a new fashion sense all by herself. To many, Debbie Harry is the epitome of individualism and she’ll be regarded as one of the original 70s fashion icons.
4. Lauren Bacall. Before her 12-year marriage to Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall gained global attention for her mesmerising looks and faultless fashion sense. She also had a distinctive voice – not to mention wavy hairstyle – and she was named the 20th-greatest female star in Hollywood history by the American Film Institute.
5. Princess Diana. Princess Di was, at the time, the most photographed woman on Earth. Her images ranged from important royal occasions, leisurely home time with Charles and the children, and charity work abroad. One thing remained constant, though: her style was effortless and she always looked her fantastic best.
Honourable mentions: Naomi Campbell, Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Coco Chanel, Sophia Loren, Madonna, Kate Moss, Meghan Markle.
