f2_1432718104 — Catherine Deneuve with Yves Saint-Laurent

What purpose does a muse serve a fashion designer? Is she an actual source of inspiration for an entire collection or is it just the friendship between a designer and a celebrity that manifests through a number of creations? Whatever it is, we know that some of the most iconic fashion designers have had iconic muses who have helped shape their oeuvre of work.

Here are a few iconic designer muse pairs who have left an indelible mark in the history of fashion:

Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint-Laurent: Catherine and Saint Laurent’s friendship started when Deneuve was just 22 and was invited by the Queen of England to a royal event. YSL created a stunning dress for her and what followed is history. Saint Laurent designed the costumes for Deneuve for her cult classic ‘Belle Du Jour’ and since then he designed costumes for her films such as ‘La Sirène du Mississipi’, ‘La Chamade’, ‘Liza’, and ‘The Hunger’.

f3_1432718107 — Catherine Deneuve with Yves Saint-Laurent

lpotuhdtyu67n-6tynuyy7rym — Audrey in a Givenchy creation

f7_1432718152 — Audrey in Givenchy creations

Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy: Calling them a match made in heaven won’t be an exaggeration. The opening scene of the cult classic ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ where Audrey wore the iconic black dress specially designed by Givenchy is now considered an important part of fashion and fashion history. Though Givenchy eventually acquired the status of world-renowned designer, he did not stop designing for his friend Audrey. She wore his chiffon T-length skirts and ultra-modern gowns for all major events.

f6_1432718117 — Tilda Swinton and Haider Ackermann

Tilda Swinton and Haider Ackermann: What brought Haider and Tilda together was their attraction to the abstract. Being unconventional has been Tilda’s defining genre and Ackermann’s flowy silhouettes have earned him critical reviews and a spot on Chanel’s next-creative-director radar. Both are good friends and Tilda has worn Haider at Cannes, Golden Globes and a number of high-profile events.

f4_1432718110 — Jane Birkin and the iconic Birkin bag

Hermes and Jane Birkin: If anyone epitomizes the designer-muse relation, it is Hermes and Jane Birkin. Hermes created a bag dedicated to its ultimate muse, British actress Jane Birkin. With a waiting list that goes into months, the Hermes Birkin bag has now become a legend and a symbol of one’s social status. It even played its own role in a Bollywood film – remember ‘Bagwati’ in ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’?

e8_1432717745 — Nicola Formichetti and Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga and Nicola Formichetti: Nicola Formichetti wears many hats; he is the artistic director of Diesel, the fashion director of Vogue Hommes Japan, and a frequent collaborator with music icon Lady Gaga. Be it Lady Gaga’s controversial meat dress or her spiked mohawk, everything insane yet fascinating about Gaga so far has been created by Nicola.

This piece for originally published on Fashion101.in