Zimbio Launches "100 Most Influential People in Fashion" Mega Feature

SILICON VALLEY, CA -- December 19, 2008 -- When David Bowie started wearing white suits again, the fashion world took notice and white suits hit the runways in Milan seemingly overnight. When Janie Bryant, award-winning costume designer, so stylishly decked out the cast of HBO's Deadwood, it inspired Vera Wang's 2006 spring line (Michael Kors and Prada also cite Bryant's work on Mad Men as influence for their 2008 fall collection and resort line, respectively). And you can almost trace the moment the grunge movement hit full stride to the debut of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video on MTV. Where would be be if it weren't for Louise Brooks, Coco Chanel, or Levi Strauss? And what would fashion criticism look like if it weren't for Richard "Best & Worst Dressed" Blackwell to keep us all in check?

Fashion, like art, is a balance of influence and creativity. Cause and effect. Or rather: Cause and affect.

We (the editors of Zimbio.com) have spent the last several months researching, debating, writing, and debating more trying to hone an admittedly ambitious list of the 100 most influential people to make an impact on the way we dress and the way people think about fashion. Some people on the list probably wouldn't even consider themselves fashionable. Others might argue they're not ranked high enough. Such is the nature of definitives.

We think this list is solid, insightful, provocative, informative and entertaining. Hope you do, too.

Check out the story here.