1. Venus Williams
Being one of the greatest tennis players of all time has perks. For
Venus Williams, the freedom to express her fashion sensibility on the
court is one of them. Yet Williams' unconventional tennis outfits have
stirred much debate. She and her sister Serena were first known for
wearing brightly colored gear and beaded hair. They defied convention,
trading in traditional white tennis skirts for brighter colors and
modern silhouettes -- not without criticism. Venus even had to forfeit a
match due to a runaway hair bead. Venus' flamboyant designs continue to
evolve, especially in designs from her collection, "Eleven."
2. Grace Jones
Mixing feminine and masculine styles was de rigueur for Grace Jones from
the '70s to today. As a direct contrast to the hyper-feminine
"Charlie's Angels" look that dominated the late '70s, Jones embraced
androgyny, becoming a muse to artist Andy Warhol. He photographed her
extensively, making her image as noteworthy as her music. Jones had
several pop dance hits and was a regular nightclub Studio 54 with her
wild, square-cut hair and angular padded jackets. During the '80s, she
inspired the cross-dressing movement and wore memorable body murals on
her 5'10'' frame. Jones continues to act, produce and record music.
3. Marilyn Manson
Rocker and iconoclast Marilyn Manson pushes pop culture buttons with his
dramatic, twisted fashion sensibility. Pale white foundation, colored
contacts, black lipstick and bondage costumes reigned supreme in
performances with his eponymous band. Often criticized as a negative
influence on youth culture because of his satanic lyrics and attire,
Manson maintains a cult following, even within the fashion community.
Japanese fashion designer Yoshiki featured Manson in a 2011 runway show,
“Asia Girls Explosion." Manson "is the fashion icon in rock’n'roll,"
said the designer.
4. Twiggy
Lesley "Twiggy" Lawson is the famous, saucer-eyed model of the '60s who
was the first to make thin in. (No, it wasn't Ms. Moss!) Today, the
model, actress and "America's Next Top Model" guest judge has garnered
one more feather for her cap: inspiring a generation of women, now in
their 60s and 70s, to stay stylish as they age -- aka, the "Twiggy
Effect."
5. Alexander McQueen
Was
Alexander McQueen an artist or a designer? Many have debated the
fashion designer's dark world of women's apparel and accessories.
McQueen evolved the notion of what is beautiful, through disturbing and
breath-taking imagery in his collections that all began with one simple
concept and then moved into a storyboard of designs that turned into his
garments. The Met's 2011 exhibition "Savage Beauty" illuminated his
creative process, explaining his cultural references and showcasing the
couture he displayed in dramatically artistic runway shows that were
more performance art than catwalk. McQueen designed clothing until his
death in 2010.
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