Here at Luscious, we feel the need to pay homage to the best dressed of all time – the ones who in their own Luscious way have always gotten it right.

From memorable muses to show-stopping screen sirens, street chic fashion mavericks to feminine fashicons, high society swans to the idiosyncratic one-of-a-kind eccentrics. We have found them all in all their stylish glory.

We'll be adding more icons over time, but you might want to check out who's made our Luscious Lists in the meantime.

Enjoy!

Photo: One of our favourites, society hostess and fashionista, Babe Paley. Learn more about Babe Paleyhere.

Diana Vreeland defined style for nearly half a century as Fashion Editor of Harper’s Bazaar (US) and later Editor-in-Chief at Vogue (US).

Known for her impeccable taste and appreciation of the Avant Garde, she was not only responsible for bringing animal print into style but also invented the word “pizzazz” – the only word appropriate to define dazzling style.

With her heavily rouged cheekbones, mile-long lashes and red lacquer everywhere - Diana loved to also play with splashy accessories such as exotic jewellery and scarves worn as turbans.

Diana wore her blue-black hair slicked back with lacquer, and believed that a good hairline & finely manicured hands were the hallmarks of elegance.

To pay homage to this style doyenne and her mark on fashion, continue her pusuit for the perfect shade of red.

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David Bowie and Iman are a testament to style icons. They are truly fascinating because of their fashion flamboyancy. Iman is a fashion-pioneer who paved the way for many African-American models in America.

Blessed with an amazing exquisiteness, Somalian-born Iman is the ultimate supermodel and the ideal woman - smart, entrepreneurial, chic, beautiful and ambitious.

Bowie has also contributed to the fashion world with he and his alter egos (most notably Ziggy Stardust) creating an androgynous look and style that mixed rock with chic!

His ever-evolving looks have been an inspiration to both men and women with a style, elegance, creativity and sophistication that is perfectly complemented by his beautiful wife.

While Bowie’s wardrobe has in the past consisted of everything from fringing, sequins and jumpsuits to perfectly tailored jackets and ties; Iman is the ultimate glamour goddess – her streamline figure a coat hanger for couture.

They met after their hairdresser set them up on a blind date in 1990.

Ah the fate of the fashion world.

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This couple are the epitome of cool.

Without  fail they dress to please no one but themselves – inspiring all of us with their quirky fashions along the way. Johnny Depp has long been recognised in fashion circles for his eclectic and eccentric fashion choices, not to mention creating one of the biggest male trends of the 90s by teaming wide leg denim jeans with boots (with Kate Moss holding his hand).

But in 1998 when he began dating French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis, it became double the fabulousness!

Paradis’ style influences have over the years varied from 1920s monochrome flapper to fancy French tailoring.

And let’s not forget she had the Bohemian look out about town well before S. Miller.

This couple are constantly daring, without ever even trying. They are always a highlight on any red carpet soiree and the perfect example that our fashion soul mates are out there, waiting for us. 

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Headstrong Hepburn revolutionised women’s wear and took it to a man’s world. Her pantsuits scandalised 1930s Hollywood and were seen as controversial, shocking and according to some, even immoral. According to us, however, they are simply magnificent.

Thanks to Hepburn, women were given another wardrobe option other than cleavage, curves and spangled frocks. "Stockings are the invention of the Devil," roared the feisty actress and refused to wear them.

Her invention of man-style dressing for women did more than just revolutionise the dressing of the day, she became a role model for independent women, proving you could be confident and individual with your style.

According to urban-fashion legend, when Ms Hepburn was on the set of Bringing Up Baby (co-starring another Luscious lister, Cary Grant), the film in which she debuted her signature pants, studio heads insisted that she wear a skirt. In pure lady-like fashion, she strolled around the set in her underwear until they gave her pants back.

Bravo Ms Hepburn. To you we bow!

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As Mrs Kennedy she gave us the bags, and the hair, and the First-Lady Fashion; and then as Mrs Onassis she gave us the sunglasses, the head scarves and the kaftans. She is the all-time trendsetter.

Dresses and pillbox hats saw her a first-rate First Lady. Matching gloves in pastel hues and geometric shifts became her trademarks.

Later it was her gypsy skirts and white jeans that became the epitome of Jackie O style.

Ultimately, the real style of Jackie O is not what she wore, but how she wore it: matchy-matchy single colour schemes, paired down glamour, always groomed, teaming Dior or Givenchy bottom-halves with T-shirts and priceless jewels.

She left us with a legacy. Thank you Jackie O. 

More from Wikipedia, the Arlington National Cemetary website, a short bio from the White House about first ladies, and the full bio from The National First Ladies' Library.

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A well-accomplished fashion chameleon, this material girl had had our praises for decades.

When you’re the highest grossing female recording artist and actually pass Elvis Presley in most top 10 hits in history, your legacy more or less writes itself.

But Madonna has left us women a legacy of another kind by constantly taking us to fashion’s borderline: it’s as if she knows what is going to be in fashion, and so takes two steps ahead.

She owned the hipster set in the 80s and had us all wearing lace tops with skirts pulled over Capri pants or fishnets. Not to mention the bleached hair, oversized crucifix, heavy makeup, fingerless gloves and Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra.

 
Then came her incarnation as a leotard clad disco diva, combining buff and bling. You cannot copy Madge, only admire her – and remember that whether on stage or on the street, Madonna’s best fashion accessory is her confidence, inspiring all of us to dress-up.

Learn more from the official Madonna website, Wikipedia and IMDB.

Watch clips from the official Madonna YouTube channel: Madonna.

Or fill the gaps in your collection here. 

Watch one of her recent hits, Give it 2 Me:

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Supermodel-turned chanteuse-turned-French First Lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has become a style sensation. Her serene comportment and old world elegance has made her a first rate First Lady and fashion icon. Her signature sleek silhouette in skirt suits generates Parisian chic combined with catwalk couture.

Hailing from Turin, she also incorporates a distinctive Italian passion, though is habitually dressed in Dior to show allegiance to her husband’s homeland.

She has also done for the ballet flat as SJP did for the skyscraper heel, with her feet perpetually shod in flats whether she is wearing a trench coat or a ball gown.

Her style is never showy or gaudy – her nails are never manicured on account of playing her guitar. Whether she is foraying into philanthropy, political causes or a meeting with the royals she is demure and elegant and yet fantastically chic!

Learn more about Carla through Wikipedia, her official website as First Lady, or her musical website.

Buy Carla Bruni CDs or download MP3 files here. Or go back in time to watch her in supermodel mode in the 1995 documentary about Isaac Mizrahi, "Unzipped".

Or watch her sing Quelqu'un m'a dit via YouTube:

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Her tastes may have been unorthodox, her style uncompromising and her expenses legendary, but her flamboyant style and fetish for hats made stylist, muse and taste-maker Isabella Blow one of the most saluted icons of style and forces of fashion.

As a muse to milliner Phillip Treacy and designer Alexander McQueen, Blow always dressed inventively and eccentrically – catching the attention of Andy Warhol when she arrived at a party wearing mismatched shoes. 

Working as an assistant for Anna Wintour, her boss once stated that Isabella was not too good at getting to the office before eleven, “but then she would arrive dressed as a maharajah…she made life much more interesting”.

Never leaving the house without her signature red lipstick on, Blow was her own creation in a world of fashion followers – she is said to not have owned one pair of flats or jeans.

Read this quick summary of her life, Vogue's "Who's Who" entry, and Philip Treacy: "When Philip Met Isabella" by Philip Treacy, Isabella Blow and Hamish Bowles.

Watch this Isabella Blow Tribute below, or on YouTube.

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Don't miss our other Style Leader sections:

Luscious lists

Frocking up: What wear when

Eco fashion

Know your fashion history

Handbag heaven

Foot fetish

Design: Luscious inside and out

Fashion police

Photo: Jonathan Becker