The Style Section: Fashion Icons

Fashion icons. Who do you think of when you hear those two words? The term “fashion icon” can put labels on many different people across the globe, and you will find that many of them are women. Fashion has been a vital part of society throughout the world’s existence. Trends are often rapidly evolving and gaining traction, leading to many of us not being able to keep up. However, the fashion industry that we know today would not be the same without by a large number of extremely powerful and influential women in fashion throughout the last century.

Let’s go back to the 1920s, with extremely influential women such as Coco Chanel and Marilyn Monroe rising to fame. The creator and namesake of the Chanel brand, French fashion designer and businesswoman Coco Chanel, played a major role in popularising sporty, casual chic as the norm for feminine style after World War I. Marilyn Monroe on the other hand, popularised the idea of curve-accentuating, body-flaunting designs including naked dresses. This fashion era was a reflection of people’s luxurious lifestyles and liberated minds. Women’s clothes saw a fashion revolution with the advent of bras, higher hemlines, new and intriguing patterns, and smaller corsets. Trends such as headbands have been seen arising again this year, with many women and girls across the world adding headbands to spice up their outfits.

Come the 1950s, shoulder lines became more softened, corset waists became smaller, and rounded hips with long skirts became popular. During the 60s, fashionistas such as Priscilla Presley created trends of Beehive hairstyles while the movie star, Audrey Hepburn wore more styles that were
minimalist, chic and elegant compared to the bright coloured pattern clothing that was trending at the time. These fashion trends can be seen making a comeback in brands such as Prada, showcasing a variety of ‘50s silhouettes and A line white skirts on the Fall 2023 runway.

1980s fashion trends consisted of shoulder pads, leg warmers, electric and neon colours, fishnets, and other fashion fads. Mullets and high mohawks were popular hairstyles during this decade, which was arguably the most daring in modern fashion history. If you scroll through TikTok, Pinterest or Instagram, you’ll notice particular parts of Princess Diana’s wardrobe has become popular amongst Gen Z. The sporty, laidback, gym-attire outfits from the ’80s and ’90s have maintained relevance even years after Diana’s death. The outfits include an oversized sweatshirt, cycle shorts, chunky sneakers, sunglasses, vintage earrings and a designer bag. It is a smooth fusion of glamour, athleisure, and streetwear in one ensemble.

The 1990s brought about slip dresses, bomber jackets plaid flannel skirts, baby tees and thick headbands. Many of these fashion items are making their way back into the closets of many people, if they ever left them in the first place! The 90s were perhaps one of the most influential times of fashion ever, with these pieces still being relevant and stylish today. Kate Moss, who entered towards the end of the “supermodel era”, became well-known in the early 1990s as a part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her partnerships with Calvin Klein elevated her to the rank of a style icon. She is well-known for both her role in size zero fashion and her waifish body. The fashion industry popularised the ‘heroin chic’ look greatly during the 90s, featuring angular bone structures, pale complexions, dark bags under the eyes, and slender frames. The appearance was a response to the models’ “healthy” and refined appearance. Fashion did change a lot with the millennium with 2000s fashion bringing lots of low waisted jeans, denim mini skirts and icons such as Paris Hilton becoming inspiration for outfits for many women across the world.

The fashion business has seen significant changes over time, including variations in hues, styles, and individual items of clothing. The most powerful women, however, have remained constant over time, unlike the trends. These ladies are remarkable as they have shaped the industry we know today.

Harper M, Year 8