The Peacock Magazine takes a look at some noteworthy stylistic alliances
By Manish Mishra
Some designer-muse partnerships have been legendary, where the two have sublimated and inspired each other, resulting in an array of anthropologically significant looks over decades. What starts as a casual dressing or a sourcing meeting for a red-carpet look or a film results in a long-term creative alliance nourished by mutual love for the arts, respect for each other and shared values. In fashion, designers often use the word ‘muse’ loosely while discussing their inspiration behind the collection. However, very few designers can actually boast of having real muses, who’ve inspired them and, in turn, they’ve added their own creative energy into the muse’s body of work. It’s hard to picture Audrey Hepburn without thinking of Hubert de Givenchy’s little black dress (LBD), and one often takes the two names in the same breath. The Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) actor and the French couturier embarked on a journey together, resulting in a panoply of significant looks in fashion history. From her little black dresses to her tailored pieces, Givenchy fashioned Audrey into a timeless style icon who continues to inspire several generations of cinephiles even today. Another great example is of French actor Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint Laurent, the couturier dressed her in Belle de Jour (1967) and even for her private appearances. Yves may have passed away, but Catherine’s YSL wardrobe continues to inspire the present-day brand’s artistic directors like Anthony Vaccarello. Here’s looking at some historical designer-celebrity friendships that stood the test of time and evolved into creating some inspiring looks…
Coco Chanel–Salvador Dali
When Salvador Dalí moved to Paris in 1926, Chanel was already an established couturier. Dalí already had some experience in the fashion industry, having collaborated with Elsa Schiaparelli. But Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel sparked Dali’s interest in stage costume design, high jewellery, and other elements that reconciled art with fashion. The two had distinctive personalities–while Dalí was known to be eccentric, Chanel was modern and impossibly chic. Their friendship reportedly blossomed into a love affair. In the late 1930s, Chanel invited Dalí to Villa La Pausa, her country house in the South of France. She even offered him a studio and a workplace where he could bring his art to life. It was during his stay at Villa La Pausa that Dalí created his work ‘Endless Enigma’. Chanel, being an ardent patron of theatre and having designed costumes for ballets, operas, plays, and films, introduced Dalí to these applied art forms. In 1939, he collaborated with Chanel for the Bacchanale ballet. Chanel assisted him in creating exceptional costumes. Moreover, Chanel’s influence is apparent in Dalí’s The Essence of Dalí, whose bottle mimicked the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle. However, he placed a pair of eyes and a moustache, resembling his own, in order to change it up a bit. The friendship between Salvador Dalí and Coco Chanel is one of the most iconic in the history of fashion and art.
Audrey Hepburn–Hubert de Givenchy
Givenchy had only recently opened his maison, and Audrey’s first major movie was yet to be released, and at this critical time, the duo discovered each other. And this partnership sparkled in seven films, from 1954 to 1987. He designed the white dress she wore when she won her Best Actress Oscar in 1954 (for Roman Holiday). The dress is today deemed one of the best Oscar dresses in history, and it went up for auction in 2011, selling for £84,000. In 2016, the Gemeente Museum in The Hague had an entire retrospective devoted to his work for the actress, called ‘To Audrey, With Love’. In the show, Hepburn was quoted as saying of the relationship: “Givenchy’s clothes are the only ones I feel myself in. He is more than a designer. He is a creator of personality.” In return, she made him synonymous with a specific kind of elegance that could be both boyish and laidback, embodied in the idea of the little black dress. When Audrey embraced his creations on screen, as she did in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Sabrina, she lent them her own unique personality, thus making them memorable. Not surprisingly, she became the face of Givenchy’s perfume, L’Interdit, in 1957. She is said to have once described him as her ‘best friend,’ and he said that he saw her as a ‘sister’. Hepburn always stayed partial to his designs for her films and other public appearances as well. Even her wedding outfit was created by Givenchy, which she wore to marry her second husband, Andrea Dotti, in 1969. Until she died in 1993, she stayed loyal to Givenchy’s designs above other couturiers of the era.
Yves Saint Laurent–Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve and Yves Saint Laurent’s life-long friendship ignited when they worked together for Luis Buñuel’s film Belle de Jour in 1966, where he dressed her provocatively in leather trench coats and sensual lingerie. Some of the emblematic looks from this film, reminiscent of the ’60s mod style prevalent in France at that time, still continue to inspire an array of international designers. The relationship lasted until the death of the designer in 2008 and included several films such as La Sirène du Mississipi (François Truffaut, 1969), La Chamade (Alain Cavalier, 1968), Liza (Marco Ferreri, 1972) and The Hunger (Tony Scott, 1983). Her artistic partnership with Saint Laurent, defined by a mutual respect for each other, cemented a muse-artist partnership that would go on for over thirty years and which is reflected in the on-and off-screen clothes he designed for her. This alliance entrenched her as the chicest symbol of France within the fashion sphere. In January 2019, a couture collection formerly owned by Catherine Deneuve and designed by the late Yves Saint Laurent fetched $1million (£785,887) at the auction house Christie’s. The French actress was a muse to the designer as well as a close friend for 40 years (she read a poem at his funeral in 2008), and many of the pieces in the collection date back to the 1960s and 1970s when Laurent sent shockwaves in the fashion industry by introducing the Le Smoking female tuxedo suit. Therefore, unsurprisingly, the Smoking black wool jacket and trousers that the designer made for Deneuve for her to wear at the YSL 20th anniversary celebration in 1982 set a new world auction record for any of the designer’s Smoking range at €20,000 (£17,440).
Karl Lagerfeld–Princess Caroline of Hanover
Princess Caroline of Hanover was born on 23 January 1957 and is the eldest child of Rainier III, the former Prince of Monaco, and his wife, Princess Grace, also known as Grace Kelly. Princess Caroline has always harboured a penchant for fashion and the arts and met the “Kaiser” when she was in her teens. While she rarely spoke to the press, she did speak at length about her first meeting with Lagerfeld when she was sixteen-and-a-half years old and met him at his beautiful Art Déco apartment at Place Saint-Sulpice in 1973. Back then, she was still in high school, and she was in a group with the fashion photographer Chris von Wangenheim, and they ended up at Lagerfeld’s apartment. The princess quietly observed a photo shoot for American Vogue. The princess said in another interview that she wore Chloé clothes designed by Lagerfeld and that she was ecstatic even though she was still a tad shy at that young age. Photographer Mary Russel, who was part of Lagerfeld’s circle, said in an interview that frequently, they were shooting dresses for Chloé–the group was very small–Lagerfeld, his partner Jacques de Bascher, Yves Saint Laurent, the Princess and Russel. According to Russel, Lagerfeld and the Princess soon developed a close and personal bond. They shared a lot in common, not only did they share the same sense of humour, but they were passionate about literature, music and classical and contemporary dance. Lagerfeld and the Princess not only had a strong friendship, but she became one of his muses, and he dressed her for many occasions, for example, both royal engagements and also further formal and more casual occasions. She also attended his fashion shows in the front row. When Lagerfeld moved to Chanel, Princess Caroline started to wear more and more Chanel. This meant that she shifted from Dior, a legacy of her mother, who had close ties with the Maison.
Donatella Versace–Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid has often opened and closed runway shows for Donatella Versace. Such is the friendship and camaraderie between the two that Donatella even went on to feature Gigi in a flurry of Versace campaigns. Google their photos, and you’d see them partying and schmoozing. Gigi Hadid posted a tribute to Donatella Versace after she stepped down as Creative Director of Versace, highlighting her support and the impact the designer had on her career, which began with Versace about a decade ago. Hadid credits Versace with giving her a major runway and campaign start, calling her support instrumental in shaping her career. The tribute highlights their long-standing professional and personal connection. Gigi posted on her Instagram, “Working with Versace in the era of Donatella will forever be one of the greatest highlights of my career. What is more of a life’s honour is saying that I know and love this Super Woman. There is warmth, strength, gentleness, humour, generosity, encouragement, loyalty, and magic to @donatella_versace that I feel so lucky to have experienced from this boss and icon. To say her support for me, 10 years ago, changed the course of my career would be an understatement. She was the first person to put me on a big, high-fashion runway—then put me in the campaign that season. Looking back at each memory since- more fittings, shoots, shows, carpets, campaigns, and dinners at Donatella’s than I can include.. I’m reminded of how her belief in me a decade ago made me see myself in ways I hadn’t before. I became a woman working for this woman. Some of the moments I’ve felt the most empowered, confident, and beautiful are because of her. I’ll never forget that. DV–You know I love you so much. Thank you for everything and for all you have given the world. I will always cherish my time wearing your creations, but the memories continue:) x x 4ever your girl”
Azzedine Alaia–Naomi Campbell
Supermodel Naomi Campbell affectionately called Alaïa “Papa”. He was not just a father figure to her but also a mentor. He’d take her under his wings as a teenager and guide her through her career while providing a supportive, familial environment. Their relationship was a bond of mutual trust and love, characterised by their shared mischievous nature and Alaïa’s unwavering protection of her. She lived in his Paris home, and they shared a close bond characterised by him correcting her on how to wear his designs, taking her to museums and introducing her to art and culture. Campbell has stated that Alaïa protected her from predators in the fashion industry, guiding her through her fledgling career. He treated her like a daughter and made her feel safe and cared for. Their relationship was also one of love and conflict, as they would famously “fight” like a father and daughter. For example, Campbell would sneak out to go clubbing, and Alaïa would find her and, before taking her home, would fix the way she was wearing his clothes. Campbell remains a staunch supporter of Alaïa’s work and legacy. She often wears his designs to public events and has spoken extensively about his profound impact on her life and career, even after his passing in 2017.
Christian Dior–Marlene Dietrich
Couturier Christian Dior and French screen goddess Marlene Dietrich shared a close friendship. Dietrich was a Dior loyalist and also a muse of the house, who insisted on wearing only Dior for her films, famously stating, “No Dior, no Dietrich”. Dietrich attended his shows and was a fixture at his Paris home, and their connection was recently honoured in Dior’s 2024 collections by the newly appointed Artistic Director, Jonathan Anderson. Dietrich was said to have been introduced to Dior by a mutual friend, Jean Cocteau. She played a stellar role in spotlighting his work through her films, most notably by demanding his designs for Alfred Hitchcock’s Stage Fright, as shown in a newsreel of her visiting Dior’s atelier to discuss her wardrobe for the film. Their friendship extended beyond their professional collaboration; Dietrich was a guest at Dior’s country home, where she would spend weekends when in Paris for his shows. The deep bond between Dior and Dietrich was a source of inspiration for the house of Dior, which paid tribute to her and their friendship in recent collections. Most notably, the pre-Fall 2024 collection drew heavily on her signature androgynous style and her unique connection between Paris and New York, two cities that were significant in both their lives.
Harry Styles–Alessandro Michele
Singer and actor Harry Styles and Alessandro Michele (Artistic Director at Valentino) have a close friendship built on a shared love for fashion, which began when Michele was Gucci’s Creative Director and Styles was starting his solo career. Their bond evolved into a professional collaboration, most notably with the Gucci HA HA HA capsule collection, which derived inspiration from their personal conversations and shared style. The friendship is characterised by mutual support, creative exchange, and a deep personal connection that began with Styles’ memorable appearance in a “fabulous fake fur coat” that caught Michele’s attention. The friendship is deeply rooted in their similar aesthetic, which celebrates 1970s-inspired flamboyant styles. Michele considered Styles a key source of inspiration, and Styles called Michele his style icon. Their close relationship led to their collaborative Gucci “HA HA HA” collection. The name is a nod to their shared WhatsApp sign-off, “hahaha,” and their initials. They have been loyal supporters of one another’s work, with Styles frequently wearing Gucci looks designed by Michele and Michele being inspired by Styles. Michele has described their interactions as authentic and not just a business transaction, emphasising that their connection is personal and rooted in their shared passion for fashion and art.
Miuccia Prada–Manuela Pavesi
Miuccia Prada and Manuela Pavesi harboured a close and personal friendship of over 40 years that reconciled professional collaboration with female bonding, underscored by their shared sense of style and influence on the fashion world. They met in their 20s, and their bond was so strong that Pavesi became Prada’s close collaborator, fashion coordinator, and “right hand”, playing a key role in shaping the brand’s aesthetic. Their friendship was steeped in a mutual appreciation for fashion and a habit of dressing alike, with Prada herself saying Pavesi was her friend for 40 years at her funeral. The two dynamic ladies met in their mid-twenties when they were reportedly wearing the identical Yves Saint Laurent outfit. Pavesi served as Miuccia Prada’s collaborator and eventually the fashion coordinator for Prada until she died in 2015. Moreover, she played a crucial role in lending shape and meaning to the brand’s overall aesthetic.
Nicolas Ghesquiere–Grace Coddington
World-renowned stylist Grace Coddington may skip fashion weeks, but one can always spot her sitting front row at all of Nicolas Ghesquière’s Louis Vuitton shows. Over the years, the pair have shared their world canvas on a panoply of creative projects, starting with a 2012 mini collection of Balenciaga bags and scarves adorned with Coddington’s illustrations of her beloved cats modelling Ghesquière’s runway looks. Their collaboration continued at Louis Vuitton, where Ghesquière has served as Artistic Director of women’s collections since 2013. For the French fashion house’s 2019 cruise collection, Coddington designed bags and small leather goods embossed with “catograms”: classic LV logos merged with drawings of her ultra fluffy Persians. The duo also worked on Louis Vuitton Travels With Grace Coddington, a capsule collection—with more cats, of course.