WOMEN
Misty Copeland
The principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre is a force both on stage and on the red carpet. She wowed this year in Hervé Léger and might just land a spot on our list of Ones to Watch in 2016.
Amal Clooney
All eyes have been on Mrs. Clooney this year and she has not disappointed us one bit, clad in pieces from Stella McCartney, Giambattista Valli, Tome, Maison Martin Margiela and more. She’s serving up beauty and brains which always deserves an applause.
Rihanna
The Bajan songstress continued her fashionable reign and we love her for her effortless, high-fashion looks, whether on Instagram or the red carpet. Giorgio Armani, Dior, Discount Universe, and Jeremy Scott have all been in her arsenal this year and we can’t wait to see which collaborations the superstar has up and on her sleeve for the remainder of 2016.
Mellody Hobson
Hobson is an inspiration both on and off the red carpet, as the president of Ariel Investments and the current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dreamworks Animation. This year, she dominated in Valentino, though Peter Pilotto and Naeem Khan are also on her list of favorite designers.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
We named the British actress as one of our six fashionistas to look out for this year and it seems we were right! She’s donned Prada, Narciso Rodriguez, and Louis Vuitton this year and we cannot wait to see which high-fashion designer she tries on next.
Fan Bingbing
Fan Bingbing has long been one of my personal favorites and this year the industry took notice. She wears couture like we wear boyfriend jeans with Ralph & Russo, Christopher Bu, and Stephane Rolland among the brands she slipped into in 2015.
FKA Twigs
The British songstress and songwriter is a risk taker and champion for London-based brands including McQueen and Christopher Kane.
Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned of Qatar
The Sheikha is literally revered worldwide because of her role as a philanthropist, as well as for her fashion choices which include wares by Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, and more.
MEN
Iké Udé
This was my first time hearing of the artist, but a quick Google search made it clear that he is a fashion powerhouse. Bold prints, expert tailoring, and a flair for vintage mark his unforgettable style and he owns almost 400 pairs of shoes. I’d definitely love a peek into his closet one day.
Russell Wilson
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback is new to the fashion game, but has been causing some buzz for sure. This might be in large part to his relationship with songstress and style maven Ciara, but we’ll have to see what else Wilson serves up on the red carpet this year.
Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne of Public School
The design duo are known for their artful and cool spin on black and white and had a pretty big year, announcing their collaboration with the Jordan brand as well as stepping into the creative helm at DKNY.
Thoughts on who made the list?
