The relationship between celebrities and fashion trends is very intertwined with many well-known personalities either setting the trends with their unique style, or making existing designs more mainstream as fans flock to emulate the look. There are many ways in which celebrities have influenced fashion over the years – here is a look at some examples.

 

  1. Awards’ Ceremonies

 

Without a doubt, the red carpet at the annual awards’ ceremonies – most notably the Oscars and Golden Globes – is a particularly important place for fashion trendsetting. While the runway might be where the year’s haute couture is revealed, the red carpet is where these trends are made more accessible to the general public. Here are some memorable red-carpet outfits from the past few decades.

 

  • Audrey Hepburn entrenched her place as a Hollywood icon at the 1954 Oscars when she wore the tiny-wasted Givenchy number.
  • Back when she was still married to Tom Cruise in 1997, Nicole Kidman stole the limelight in her satin Christian Dior dress.
  • Very few can forget the revealing Elie Saab gown worn by actress, Halle Berry, at the Oscars in 2002.
  • One of the biggest Hollywood trendsetters, Angelina Jolie made a splash at the 2004 Academy Awards in a gorgeous silk Marc Bouwer gown.
  • Another fashion icon is Amal Clooney who made an impression with a Dior Haute Couture dress in 2015.
  • And of course, Jennifer Lopez is always a memorable fashionista – following her famous Versace Grammy Awards gown in 2000, she continued to set trends with the Marchesa dress in 2007.

 

  1. Celebs turned Fashion Designers

 

Recognising the immense power they wield in the world of fashion, many celebrities have tried their hand at creating their own fashion line…some with more success than others. The clothing lines are often incredibly high-end, but while many people might not be able to afford the actual label, there will often be knock-offs created and trends influenced. Here are some notable celebrity-cum-fashion designers.

 

  • Victoria Beckham: probably the most successful of the group, Posh Spice has created an enviable clothing line that has become a permanent fixture at the New York Fashion Week.
  • Nicole Richie: From daughter of a singer… to reality television star… to fashion designer, Nicole Richie has made a name for herself. At 2008 she debuted her jewellery collection, expanding into clothing and footwear in 2010 and then launching her women’s line, Winter Kate.
  • Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen: from beloved television stars on Full House, the twins eventually found their calling in fashion, launching luxury label, The Row, in 2006 and Elizabeth & James the following year.
  • Gwen Stefani: having made her own outfits as a singer with No Doubt, Stefani launched her successful fashion line L.A.M.B.
  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: launched in 1999, Diddy’s fashion line, Sean John, is available exclusively at Macy’s.
  • Jay Z: before becoming Mr Beyonce, the musical legend co-founded a clothing label, RocaWear, with Damon Dash in 1999.

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  1. Royals

 

The British royal family are unmatched in their ability to set trends with clothing labels selling out of particular items within minutes after a royal adorns them. This isn’t necessarily restricted to the British royal family – think Grace Kelly – the power of the British press has made them a lot more visible. Although this influence goes back centuries to the days of Queen Victoria, the ‘Diana effect’, ‘Kate effect’ and ‘Meghan effect’ are some of the more notable royal influencers. The wedding dresses worn by these women have been replicated globally, setting the trend for latest in bridal style.

 

  • Diana: The Queen of the Hearts was also the princess of fashion with her unique style resonating with women throughout the 1980s and 90s. in 1985 she wore one of the queen’s necklaces as a headpiece and her gorgeous Victor Edelstein gown – which she wore for a spin on the dance floor with John Travolta – is an iconic piece.
  • Kate Middleton: Following in the footsteps of her mother-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge has consistently influenced fashion lines. Some iconic outfits include her dark green empire waist Jenny Packham gown worn at the BAFTAS, and her black-and-blue print LK Bennett worn at the Natural History Museum.
  • Meghan Markle: the new royal on the block is also a phenomenon on fashion influencing with items she wears immediately selling out. A white coat by Canadian Brand Line worn at her engagement announcement was so popular the site crashed soon afterwards. The coat was renamed, ‘The Meghan’.

  1. Social Media

 

The rise of social media has brought with it fashion influencers across the globe as they share their selfies on Instagram and other image-sharing sites. Some trendsetters are existing celebrities, others have become fashion celebrities through the social media platform. Here are some the top social media fashion influencers at the moment.

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  • Kim Kardashian: using their reality television fame, the Kardashians know how to manipulate the public for personal gain. For her bachelorette party, Kim wore a Balmain dress by designer, Olivier Rousteing, and she posted images of the dress with the designer leading up to the event.
  • Kylie Jenner: the youngest Kardashian has built an empire on social media with millions of followers checking out her every outfit. When she wore a pink min dress for a party, the search for ‘pink dresses’ shot up by 107% in 2 days.
  • Chiara Ferragni: a mega-influencer of fashion, this fashionista has 15 million social media followers and her outfit posts immediately drive up sales.
  • Rihanna: the most powerful fashion influencer of 2017, Queen Ri has created many new looks such as the fuchsia Saint Laurent bubble dress.
  • Ariana Grande: with 130 million Instagram followers, Ariana Grande ha a massive impact on brand sales, particularly Reebok, Burberry and Vera Wang.
  • Blake Lively: the actress and style icon effectively popularised statement suiting during a recent promotional tour. She knows how to effectively use social media to get sales’ results.