Famous People Who Changed The Fashion World In The 20th Century

Named International Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council in 2016, fashion model Gigi Hadid has made several appearances on international Vogue magazine covers. The daughter of a former model, she began her career as a toddler. She made her mark in her teenage yeaars and continues to be a popular model.

German-American model and TV host, Heidi Klum has been featured on the cover of French, Portuguese, German, and Spanish Vogue magazines. She was the first German model to become a Victoria's Secret Angel. After a successful modeling career, she became a TV host in the 2000s. She is actively involved in philanthropic endeavors. 

Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and founder of the Chanel brand. She is credited with replacing the corseted silhouette as the feminine standard of style with a sporty, casual chic. Her work as a designer redefined the fashionable woman in the era post World War I. She also played a vital role in revolutionizing jewelry, handbags, and fragrance.

Kate Moss, one of the highest-paid supermodels of the 1990s, was one of the pioneers of the “heroin chic” trend. Featured on TIME 100, she was known for her collaboration with Calvin Klein and her size-zero figure. She owns a clothing range and is a fashion editor for British Vogue.

One of the highest-earning models according to Forbes, Miranda Kerr was the first Victoria's Secret model from Australia. Known for her attractive physique, she is often named in the sexiest women in the world lists by several magazines. She has used her fame and beauty to launch a brand of skincare products called KORA Organics.

An internationally recognized fashion designer and style icon, Victoria Beckham is widely regarded as one of the most powerful women in the UK. She was appointed an OBE for services to the fashion industry in the 2017 New Year Honours. Also a popular singer, she was part of the best-selling female group of all time, Spice Girls.

Christie Brinkley is an American actress, model, and entrepreneur. Widely regarded as one of the most attractive women ever, Brinkley has been featured on more than 500 magazine covers and was the face of CoverGirl for 25 years! Apart from being an inspiration to aspiring models worldwide, Christie Brinkley has also touched the lives of many through her philanthropic activities.

Kate Spade was an American entrepreneur and fashion designer. Spade is credited with founding Kate Spade New York, a popular luxury fashion design house, which competes with the likes of Michael Kors. Kate Spade is also credited with creating stylish and affordable handbags that caused quite a revolution in the fashion world.

Fashion designer and businessman Ralph Lauren is the founder of the Ralph Lauren Corporation, a global multibillion-dollar fashion enterprise. Beginning his career as a salesman for a tie company, he went on to launch his own fashion lines and established himself as a popular name in the fashion industry within years. He is known to be a generous philanthropist.

Iman is a Somali fashion model, entrepreneur, and actress. At the peak of her fashion modeling career, Iman served as a muse for influential designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Gianni Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent. Also known for her philanthropic activities, Iman is involved in several charitable endeavors. She is closely associated with the non-profit organization, Children's Defense Fund.

A model who was active during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gia Carangi was considered by many to be one of the first supermodels. She was featured on the covers of multiple fashion magazines, including editions of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She also worked with various famous designers. She died of AIDS at the young age of 26.

Virgil Abloh is not just a designer but also a qualified architect. He has been a DJ, too. Apart from heading Louis Vuitton's menswear collection as its artistic director, he also became the first Black designer to lead a major fashion brand. He has also launched the luxury streetwear label Off-White.

Christian Dior was a French fashion designer. He is credited with founding Christian Dior, one of the world's top fashion houses, which is currently owned by Groupe Arnault. At the time of its founding, the clothes designed by Christian Dior revolutionized women's dress. The brand also re-established Paris as the fashion hub of the world after World War II.

Tom Ford is an American fashion designer. During his time as the creative director at Gucci, Ford saved the fashion house from near bankruptcy and turned it into a powerhouse. In 2006, he established his eponymous luxury brand and has since been referred to as a style icon and fashion icon; he was named in All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons list.

Thomas Jacob Hilfiger, better known as Tommy Hilfiger, is a legendary fashion designer who has gained worldwide fame with his eponymous fashion line. He had begun his career with the fashion chain People's Place. His brand is now owned by Phillips-Van Heusen, though he remains its chief designer.

Designer Halston began his career designing hats for American milliner Lilly Daché. He is primarily remembered for pioneering cashmere, or Ultrasued, in the mid-1970s. Known for his party-loving personality, he popularized the halter dress for women. He was also known for his homosexual relationship with Victor Hugo.

British fashion designer, Dame Vivienne Westwood, is credited for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. She attended a course on jewelry at the University of Westminster but left before graduating. She worked as a teacher for a while before turning to fashion designing. She eventually opened four boutiques in London.

Known for designing tight-fitting signature jeans, the award-winning American designer is the co-founder of the New York-headquartered fashion brand 'Calvin Klein Inc'. Calvin Klein featured in The International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame. Father of noted television producer, Marci Klein, Calvin has funded Democratic Party candidates and made financial contributions to the Political Action Committee.

Model Christy Turlington is best known for being part of Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign. Named to Time 100, she has worked with Maybelline and Versace, too. Her cover of British Vogue inspired George Michael's video Freedom. She owns the non-profit Every Mother Counts, which works for safe pregnancy and childbirth.

Regarded as the epitome of supermodel, Gisele Bündchen is credited with bringing an end to the heroin chic era of modeling and ushering in a healthy look with curves. She pioneered and popularized the horse walk and is considered the only remaining supermodel. 

Model, actress, and author, Paulina Porizkova, became the first woman from Central Europe to be featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 1984. She began modeling as a teenager and became a top model in Paris during the early 1980s. She eventually began acting as well. Also a writer, she has written a few books.

Amber Valletta is an American actress and supermodel. After starting her career as a fashion model, Valletta went on to become the face of popular brands like Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Versace, and Louis Vuitton, which elevated her status to supermodel. She then started focusing on acting and appeared in films like Raising Helen, Transporter 2, and My Sexiest Year. 

Linda Evangelista is a Canadian fashion model. Considered one of the most influential and accomplished models of all time, Evangelista holds the record for making the most number of appearances on Vogue Italia's cover. Also an activist, Linda Evangelista works towards promoting breast cancer and HIV/AIDS research and awareness. She is also a supporter of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Beginning her career as an editor for Vogue, American fashion designer Vera Wang began to work independently at the age of forty, designing wedding dresses, evening gowns and figure skating costumes for her celebrity patrons, eventually opening retail stores in several big cities across the world. Also a successful figure skater, she competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Yves Saint Laurent was a French fashion designer who founded his eponymous fashion label in 1961. Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most popular and influential fashion designers, Saint Laurent is credited with helping women all over the world find confidence by looking both elegant and comfortable at the same time. His life and career inspired many films.

When French-Egyptian fashion designer Christian Louboutin entered the fashion scene in Paris, he designed women’s shoes but eventually also launched a men’s collection, too. He is known for his signature stilettoes with red soles. He later also ventured into leather goods and bags. He is openly homosexual.

The quintessential action heroine of Hollywood, Milla Jovovich was rightly called the reigning queen of kick-butt by VH1 in 2006. Milla Jovovich is synonymous with the Resident Evil film series as the series revolves around its central character Alice, played by Milla. The Resident Evil film franchise is the highest-grossing movie series to be adapted from video games.

Janice Dickinson was touted as the world’s first supermodel in the 1970s and the 1980s. She also appeared as a judge on America's Next Top Model. She later launched a modeling agency, which was featured on the reality show The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency. She has also authored three memoirs.

Carla Bruni is an Italian-French fashion model and singer-songwriter. She gained international recognition after marrying the then president of France Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008. Also known for her political activities, philanthropy, and charity work, Bruni established the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation in 2009; the foundation helps promote access to knowledge for all. She also supports organizations, such as PETA.

English model, actress, and media personality Kelly Brook has done modeling work in both UK and USA. She gained international fame with her role in the NBC sitcom One Big Happy. Regarded as a sex symbol and style icon, she has appeared in the FHM 100 Sexiest countdown multiple times. Also a businesswoman, she owns a bar in London.

Italian-born French fashion designer Pierre Cardin revolutionized unisex fashion with his geometric designs. His wine merchant father wanted him to study architecture, but Cardin deviated to fashion instead, starting his career as a men’s tailor. He introduced the Space Age look and also licensed his name out to other products.