Tracing the evolution of fashion’s most iconic pieces

Browsing through countless archival images and scrolling through an endless number of reels to discover some of the most iconic fashion pieces brought to life by the artistic prowess of legendary designers can be like overdosing on any art form: going to art gallery after art gallery, visiting museum after museum; watching thriller after thriller. A lot of what you ingest is derivative; some of it is staid, some just plain silly. But every once in a while, you come across something that, in its clarity, power and viral ubiquity, knocks you flat. That’s the high; the thing that keeps people coming back time and again. 

Naturally then, one of the essential promises of fashion is one of transformation; offering a chance to reinvent, redefine, and reimagine oneself, it always pushes and challenges the status quo.

Discover the classics of fashion: pieces that have transcended eras, shaping the very fabric of style while leaving an indelible mark on how we perceive both clothes and self-expression.

THE DIOR BAR: FORM, FUNCTION & LEGACY

It was in the post-World War era when Christian Dior caused a furor by turning convention on its head when he introduced the Bar jacket—an architectural masterpiece crafted in diaphanous silk shantung in a smoky ivory shade, padded at the hipline to create the illusion of proportion without any internal boning.

Deemed “The New Look” and named after a bar at the Plaza Athénée in Paris, which he visited often, it caused worldwide protests. “Christian Dior, go home” and “Banish Monsieur Dior” read the protest placards when the founder of the French maison visited Chicago in 1947. Since then, the Bar jacket has risen astronomically in status, with celebrities—from Yseult, Rihanna and Charlize Theron, to Natalie Portman and Sonam Kapoor—donning it at red carpet events.

Also, Artistic Director Maria Grazia Chiuri has continued to reinvigorate the iconic shape since she took the reins in 2016. In fact, at the recently concluded Paris Fashion Week, she gave the Bar jacket a new insouciance by adding frills at the neck and ruffs at the cuff, allowing the wearer to adapt her look at will.

THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS: CHANEL’S TOTEM OF LIBERATION 

A fashion revolution took place in the 1920s when Coco Chanel transformed the Little Black Dress (or LBD), once a uniform of the working class, into a status symbol of liberation. Fashioned from a humble crêpe de Chine fabric and cut at the mid-calf, it featured long, narrow sleeves and a low waist.

It drove French designer Paul Poiret to despair and famously remarking, “What has Chanel invented? Deluxe poverty.” He sneered that her clients resembled “little undernourished telegraph clerks.” During the Great Depression, the LBD became the outfit of choice for an entire generation of women and is now an essential piece in every woman’s wardrobe. Who could forget Audrey Hepburn making it iconic in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Or Sophia Loren’s pleated version at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival?

Or when Karl Lagerfeld created iterations of it in tweed, wool and sequins during his 36-year tenure at Chanel? From Victoria Beckham and Charlize Theron to British royals like Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, the LBD has travelled the world. Now, with bated breath, we await Mathieu Blazy’s take on it in October this year.

THE VERSACE CHAIN-MAIL: OF TOUGHNESS & SEDUCTION

In 1982, when Gianni Versace unleashed the first version of his metal mesh dress, inspired by the toughness of the butcher’s gloves, it became pliable enough to fit the body like an embrace of curves. After his death, when Donatella Versace took over the reins, she seamlessly straddled the brand between seduction and armorial strength, when she brought back the chainmail dress in 2017 by draping gold-bedecked, thigh-slit, seductive versions of it on iconic ’90s supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni Sarkozy and Cindy Crawford.

Since then, it’s seen its way onto the red carpet and Versace runways. Even Michelle Obama wore a corseted version to her last state dinner as the First Lady in 2016, further cementing the chain-mail’s place in fashion history.

THE PRADA CARDIGAN: CREATURE OF COMFORT

Miuccia Prada performs a sartorial humblebrag like no one else. The four-buttoned cardigan, fashion’s quiet-power garment, was introduced in look three of her debut Autumn/Winter 1988 collection.

Unbeknownst to all, it would go on to become a global signature. Nearly four decades later, the Prada cardigan continues to make waves on runways, infiltrating the wardrobes of celebrities and buyers alike in a variety of iterations—from argyle patterns and stripes to sequins, embroidery and belted, zipped or draped styles. It’s no wonder it keeps topping our wishlists time and again.

THE BURBERRY TRENCH COAT: BRITAIN’S BAROMETER

Originally designed by Thomas Burberry during World War I, the foundation of the Burberry trench coat lies in the gabardine fabric, patented by the brand in 1879 for its weatherproof properties.

Under Christopher Bailey, the trench coat was transformed into a global classic, and now, with Daniel Lee at the helm of the 169-year-old brand, the legacy has moved a step further. Lee has reimagined the iconic piece by turning it inside out to expose its lining and showcase the bold new electric blue Prorsum knight logo, deconstructing it into backless dresses lined with feathers or embroidered with patchworks.

From Humphrey Bogart wearing a double-breasted version in Casablanca to Meryl Streep donning an ankle-length avatar in Kramer vs. Kramer, Britain’s—and arguably, the world’s—most famous outerwear has gained cinematic success.

THE HERMÈS BIRKIN: FASHION’S UNATTAINABLE COOL

The most valuable bag of our time was actually conceived in an aeroplane when, in 1984, Jean-Louis Dumas saw French actor Jane Birkin struggle to find her belongings, which she had accidentally dropped out of her wicker bag. A conversation about the struggle to find a practical yet stylish handbag led to the conception of the Birkin bag—featuring a spacious rectangular shape, a burnished flap and saddle stitching.

Over the years, the Birkin has attained cult status for its exclusivity. It’s been handcrafted in every single colour of the Pantone spectrum—from raspberry, electric blue and grape to pink martini—and a myriad of animal skins.

From a famous cameo in Sex and the City to its artistic iterations via Yves Klein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pierre Hardy and David David, the Birkin continues to embody not just a vision of the past, present and future, but also a sense of hedonistic indolence, elevating it to a level of unattainable cool.

THE LOUBOUTIN RED: THE HUE BEHIND THE HERITAGE

Legend has it that in the 1990s, Christian Louboutin was refining a shoe prototype when his eyes fell upon his assistant applying red nail polish. In a moment of inspiration, he grabbed the polish and, in a masterstroke, applied it to the sole of the shoe.

And just like that, the iconic red sole was born. Over the decades, Louboutin’s red soles have come to symbolise the pleasures of casual chic, their cult status extending far beyond the ateliers where they are painstakingly crafted. Worn by celebrities on the biggest red carpets—and reimagined with spikes, Swarovski crystals, jacquards and raffia—their influence is undeniable.

Who can forget the iconic collaboration with Sabyasachi Mukherjee or their eerie reinterpretations, this year, by John Galliano at Maison Margiela, where they look not fluffy but dangerous? These “red bottoms,” as Cardi B once called them, continue to spark the envy and enthusiasm of countless fans from across the globe.

This piece originally appeared in the April-May’25 print edition of HELLO! India