A matter of fashion

the long version

When it comes to fashion, the term "icon" is almost invariably associated with a person: a man or, more often, a woman whose style has left a mark on the collective imagination. And yet, there are also objects that have the same extraordinary evocative power, items of clothing or accessories which, in different ways, have revolutionized the history of fashion. The birth of the Burberry trench coat, flat pumps or Givenchy's little black dress were milestones after which nothing was ever the same. Each designer, label or fast-fashion manufacturer has had to come to terms with fashion icons' existence, by quoting or revisiting them, or simply by copying creations that have now become classics. Some of these are even known by their original name, like the Kelly bag and Borsalino hats. Others, over the years, have also gained sociopolitical connotations (Levi's jeans, for example, which were once workwear, became a symbol of the Sixties youth revolution), while others, such as Hermès scarves and Chanel No.5 perfume, continue to be status symbols.