Kate Moss - the 1990s fashion icon
Clothes Show London has revealed the definitive style icons of the 20th Century - with a series of fashion celebrities proving their enduring legacy. The poll has discovered the enduring fashion icons for each decade from the 1940s to the turn of the century.
Surprisingly, Kate Moss is the only fashion favourite winner who is a full-time model - with the public identifying favourites drawn from the world’s of music and film; illustrating how the boundaries between fashion and popular culture have frequently been blurred.
Kate Moss was voted the resounding style icon of the 1990s with 62.5% of the vote. She was followed by Linda Evangelista with 12.5%, Erin O’Connor with 12.5% and Victoria Beckham with 6.3%. It is fitting that Erin O’Connor was voted within the top five most popular style icons of the 1990s as Erin is one of Clothes Show’s very own finds - having been spotted by a model scout when she went on a school trip to Clothes Show Live in 1995.
Madonna's classic 1980s 'Material Girl' look dominated the decade that divides fashion, the 80s, with 75% of the vote. Taking second place for the 80s was Princess Diana with 12.5%, followed by Joan Collins with 6.3% and Jane Fonda with 6.2%.
Blondie singer Debbie Harry stole the 1970s vote with 43.5% with ever-inventive rock chameleon David Bowie taking second place with 25%. Bianca Jagger claimed third place with 12.5% and Diana Ross came fourth with 6.3%.
Bridget Bardot triumphed in the hugely-influential 1960s era taking 41.2% of the vote, followed by The Beatles with 17.6%, Edie Sedgwick with 17.6% and Twiggy with 11.8%.
Audrey Hepburn was crowned the 1950s ultimate style icon with 58.8% followed by Grace Kelly with 29.4%. James Dean came third with 5.9% and Ave Gardner rounded off the top four with 5.9%.
German-Born American actress and singer Marlene Dietrich was the last century’s figure-head style icon. Her exotic looks and glamour in films such as ‘Shanghai Express’ provided a blueprint for the style icons of today. She was voted the earliest fashion icon taking 53.3% of the vote, beating Fred & Ginger into second place with 26.7%. Lauren Bacall and David Niven came joint third with 6.7%.
Overall, women dominated the survey, with fashion-conscious males such as David Beckham, John Lennon and James Dean polling minor votes.
"This survey paints a fascinating picture of who Britain considers to be the great fashion icons of the last century," comments Gavin Brown, Managing Director of Haymarket Exhibitions. "Each a muse to the other - the development of the British fashion industry goes hand in hand with the ever changing styles of the icons of the past century. As fashion continues to be an enduring passion in people's everyday lives, it will be interesting to see which current-day star will claim the noughties as their own."
We wonder who will top the list for the 00s. Our money is on Sienna Miller or Nicole Richie, they get our vote anyway!