There are product designers all over the world who must be dreaming of creating a long-lasting design icon, something that will ensure their place in the creative industry’s hall of fame. These are items that remain in the memories of those who appreciate style, form and function long after the original products have been removed from the shelves. Some of the classic styles and designs of the past seem to live on forever and none more so than some of the items that have come out of the fashion and jewellery sectors.

Imagine how many new products are created everyday in the design studios of manufacturers every day. Hundreds of new toys, electrical appliances, clothes, vehicles and all kinds of smaller items go on sales every week. You would think that the chance of a designer creating something that would eclipse all that has gone before it to be fairly slim. Staying at the top of the consumer’s product wishlist is tremendously difficult and, what was yesterday’s favourite product, is often quickly replaced by a new pretender for the top crown, especially in these days of rapid technology advances.

But there are some hit products that seem to retain their design status and remain highly desirable long after their original design first hit the market. Products like the Volkswagen Beetle, a Charles Eames office chair, the Rolex Oyster watch or the Moka coffee pot designed in 1933 by Bialetti. All are instantly recognizable and originals are now worth far more than their original selling price.

The world of fashion is also no stranger to iconic design and the list of revered garments and items is growing all the time as trends change and new styles are brought to the public’s attention. Anything that lasts longer than a few years must have something special about it and styles that keep returning to find a place in the wardrobes of the fashion conscience can be worth substantial sums, especially if they originated from a highly regarded designer.

In the world of shoes that are some iconic designs whose original names have now been accepted as general terms to describe a whole category of shoes types, like brogues, Oxfords, Mary Janes, Chelsea boots and Go-go boots.

For some designers it takes just one specific design to rocket them to stardom and long lasting fame. The French designer Sonia Rykiel is one such person whose desire for more suitable fashions while she was pregnant in 1962 led to her setting about designing her own garments. One of the items she wanted was a more suitable sweater, so she designed her own version, which became known as the Poor Boy Sweater, made the cover of top fashion magazines and is now known the world over. The first design led to numerous variations, not just as maternity garments, and a skinny version of Rykiel’s sweaters became one of the fashion icons of the sixties. The poorboy name comes from the tight fit of the sweater, which gives the impression that the wearer was not able to afford a full-sized sweater. The poorboy is more suited to slim bodies and became popular again in the 1990’s when it was paired with other tight-fitting clothes like tight jeans and baby doll dresses.

Elsa Schiaparelli is another designer whose period of fame goes back even further. This Italian designer was also a knitwear specialist originally but later became know for some iconic hat designs. At her time of influence, in the 1920’s and 1930’s, her designs, which were influenced by some of the Surrealist creative geniuses of the time like Salvador Dali, were viewed to be very strange and leading edge. One of her designs, a skirt that resembled a pair of shorts, shocked the crowds at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in 1931.

Some her most sought after designs now include her 1950’s wool felt hats, her evening dress that featured a lobster design drawn by Dali and famously worn by Wallis Simpson and also the unusual “shoe hat” that she designed for Dali’s wife in 1933.

Perhaps a more mainstream design icon is the instantly recognisable design of Burberry items featuring the well-known Burberry plaid. So popular has this design become that its iconic status has almost become tainted through over exposure. The Burberry fashion empire dates back over 150 years to when Thomas Burberry setup in Basingstoke of all places and first came to prominence after designing material for a waterproof outer garment called the Gabardine. Another famous coat came later when Burberry was commissioned by the British services to amend an existing design for use in warfare. This became known as the iconic Trench Coat. The company’s trademark check design became so popular in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s that it was almost harmful to the Burberry brand. So you see that fashion icons are not always beneficial.

Author Bio: Robin Kittler spends his time as a fashion journalist for Rokit vintage clothing who collect and supply a range of vintage womens clothing and vintage dresses

Category: Womens Interest
Keywords: clothing, vintage, retro, dresses, fashion