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With the legendary YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) passing on to the great fashion runway in the sky, I got to thinking which are names that inspire awe in the world of fashion, who rules the roost and who is the most influential? That, and I finally saw the Devil Wears Prada so my interest in the fashion industry was piqued.

While I could not find a definitive top ten list like the one Forbes compiles I found a pretty good compilation by Time here, which named Rose Marie Bravo, of Burberrys as number one among women in fashion, followed by Miucchia Prada and then Anna Vintour editor in chief of Vogue. The list also includes the Olsen twins whose line of ‘tween’ clothing marketed thru Walmart is a runaway success. The list also names Delphine Arnault, board member of Louis Vuitton and Donna Karan, whose label DKNY is one of the most visible and recognizable fashion names anywhere.

This list puts Dolce and Gabbana at the top of their top ten list. Admittedly, D&G is an iconic symbol of the fashion industry, spawning much imitation, the sincerest form of flattery. The list puts daughter of musician Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney at No.2. In this list she is rated above Valentino whose name is almost synonymous with romance in women’s clothing and Giorgio Armani who is an institution and a multi-billion dollar brand all rolled in one.

Then this list of the top ten fashion designers puts Valentino right at the top, because “he knows how to make a woman look like a goddess”, dubbing him the King of Elegance. At number 2 on this list is designer Tom Ford, the award winning designer who earlier trained as an actor. Next named is Donatella Versace, whose name is tantamount to luxury and who is known for her sexy yet elegant designs. The list also names Alexander McQueen, Betsey Johnson and Ralph Lauren in the list.

IMHO, some of the instantly recognizable names in the fashion world that greatly influenced the fashion scene would have to include the late master YSL, Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, Coco Chanel, Cavalli, Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs and a bunch of others. Can you think of any names that can be considered trendsetters in their own right?

Tags: Clothes, Rich List, people //