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.

Actress, model and brand ambassador, Aishwarya Rai, has been called many lovely things, including being one of the world’s “most beautiful women”, “100 most influential people” and “the face of Indian cinema”.

Madame Tussaud’s has done a wax figure of her, tulip growers names a special tulip after her, “Time” magazine has put her on the cover, and L’Oreal chose her to be a global brand ambassador (alongside Andie Macdowell, Eva Longoria and Penelope Cruz), as well as Longines.

The multilingual, multi-award-winning, former architecture student and Miss World winner (in 1994) gained another title in 2007 by marrying fellow Bollywood actor, Abhishek Bachchan. They have consequently been called a “supercouple” by the media.

She supports multiple causes, including the Eye Bank Association and Pulse Polio (established in 1994 to eradicate Polio in India), a special school for underprivilged girls in the Daulatpur village in Uttar Pradesh, and the Commonwealth Games.

We think she’s a fabulous representation of style, elegance and beauty, and India is lucky to have her.

See our Aishwarya Rai photo gallery.

Browse through these books and DVDs relating to Aishwarya Rai on Amazon, including Bride and Prejudice, the Hollywood-meets-Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice.

  

Following in his footsteps Coppola has collaborated with Louis Vuitton designing a small range of accessories to fill the gaps in her own classic, quaint wardrobe. 

 

Suzy Menkes is fashion's authority. As fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, the only daily newspaper with a global reach, her reports on the international collections are read around the world.

She has even been honoured for her contributions in receiving her Knight of the Order from the Legion of Honor.

Menkes was honoured in front the biggest names in the fashion industry including Christian Lacroix, Issey Miyake, Paul Smith, Azzedine Alaia and Sonia Rykiel.  

Us women owe much of our fashion style to it's true godmother Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

Not only did she liberate women from dresses and skirts by designing ladies pants (once only allowed to be worn by men); her iconic string of pearls became a historic image of timeless styling to the point that even fake pearls were socially acceptable.

Without Coco, we may not have discovered the potential of the little black dress, the soft jacket, the ‘it’ bag, the scent of jasmine in a bottle, and even the sun tan – which became an instant fashion trend after Chanel and the sun collaborated while she was on holidays.

Her style is flawless elegance and continues to inspire women to believe that they can wear clothes according to their own personal preference and style which was perhaps the greatest fashion influence she left for us all.

The personification of class – her style will never date.

To read more about Coco's influence on the world of fashion, read more of Anna B's articles in "Know your fashion history" including an article on her famous pearls and how to purchase her stunningly decorated memoirs.

Or watch the gorgeous Audrey Tatou depict Coco's life in the beautiful film "Coco avant Chanel"

Dita Von Teese wows the world with her glam burlesque act, but she is far from your average pole dancer.

Her most recent projects include creating a lingerie line for Wonderbra and representing Cointreau liqueur. She continues to take the fashion world by storm, one glamorous gown and giant martini glass at a time!

Visit Dita's official website, follow her on Twitter or watch Dita talk about clothing and seduction in this YouTube video.

See more photos on our Luscious Facebook page, as well as Anna's piece about Dita's eyewear choices in our Frocking up: What Wear When section.

 

In April 1977, legendary New York nightclub Studio 54 opened with a guest list that included Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Debbie Harry and Mick Jagger.

Mick's wife Bianca was also in attendance and it was here that she chose to host her 30th birthday party a month later.

She arrived on a white horse…she put Studio 54 on the map…and she cemented her position as a style icon. 

With plunging necklines, powerful menswear separates, and bold, dramatic style, Bianca Jagger became just as famous for her rockin’ style as her rocker husband.

The Nicaraguan beauty is best known for her one shoulder tops and dresses (many created by her friend Halston), hooded and Grecian dresses, furs, sequins, turbans, chokers, stunning hats, silk kaftans and of course the legendary Yves Saint Laurent suits.

Bianca is the epitome of 70s elegance and celebrity.

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She caught our eye in Harry Potter, but now she is making serious waves in the fashion world. It’s true, we absolutely adore Emma Watson.

Not only is she the face of Burberry Prorsum collection (with her equally eye catching brother), but she has just released an organic cotton fashion line with People Tree in the UK!

This range of organic casual wear for both men and women are continuing the latest trend for fashion designers to ‘go green’ and use organic fibres as well as create ranges under fair trade agreements.

Did we mention the range is absolutely adorable as well? It features simple but sweet items from daisy chain print tees to oxford cricket jumpers.

By using organic materials this range is not only luxuriously soft, but you can wear them with a clear conscience that they were made in fair working conditions.

We’ve been waiting for Emma Watson to create her own line since she first stepped onto the red carpet to promote the Harry Potter series all those years ago.

Emma has slowly been shaping herself as a fashion identity in her own right and it seems this is only the beginning of her impact on the fashion industry.

With her classic style and stunning beauty, she has made the transition away from her iconic role of ‘Hermione’ with maturity beyond her years.

Although she has just started studying Literature at Brown University in America, she has been quoted as saying that she has a great interest in the fashion world and see’s it as a form of art.

Let’s hope with this natural affection for fashion that there will be more design collaboration from Emma Watson in the future!
 
Take a look at her catalogue on the People Tree website to order your own piece or learn more about eco fashion on our Style Leader > Eco fashion section.

Visit Emma's official website.

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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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