1. Venus Williams
Being one of the greatest tennis players of all time has perks. For Venus Williams, the freedom to express her fashion sensibility on the court is one of them. Yet Williams' unconventional tennis outfits have stirred much debate. She and her sister Serena were first known for wearing brightly colored gear and beaded hair. They defied convention, trading in traditional white tennis skirts for brighter colors and modern silhouettes -- not without criticism. Venus even had to forfeit a match due to a runaway hair bead. Venus' flamboyant designs continue to evolve, especially in designs from her collection, "Eleven."
2. Grace Jones
Mixing feminine and masculine styles was de rigueur for Grace Jones from the '70s to today. As a direct contrast to the hyper-feminine "Charlie's Angels" look that dominated the late '70s, Jones embraced androgyny, becoming a muse to artist Andy Warhol. He photographed her extensively, making her image as noteworthy as her music. Jones had several pop dance hits and was a regular nightclub Studio 54 with her wild, square-cut hair and angular padded jackets. During the '80s, she inspired the cross-dressing movement and wore memorable body murals on her 5'10'' frame. Jones continues to act, produce and record music.
3. Marilyn Manson
Rocker and iconoclast Marilyn Manson pushes pop culture buttons with his dramatic, twisted fashion sensibility. Pale white foundation, colored contacts, black lipstick and bondage costumes reigned supreme in performances with his eponymous band. Often criticized as a negative influence on youth culture because of his satanic lyrics and attire, Manson maintains a cult following, even within the fashion community. Japanese fashion designer Yoshiki featured Manson in a 2011 runway show, “Asia Girls Explosion." Manson "is the fashion icon in rock’n'roll," said the designer.
4. Twiggy
Lesley "Twiggy" Lawson is the famous, saucer-eyed model of the '60s who was the first to make thin in. (No, it wasn't Ms. Moss!) Today, the model, actress and "America's Next Top Model" guest judge has garnered one more feather for her cap: inspiring a generation of women, now in their 60s and 70s, to stay stylish as they age -- aka, the "Twiggy Effect."
5. Alexander McQueen
Was Alexander McQueen an artist or a designer? Many have debated the fashion designer's dark world of women's apparel and accessories. McQueen evolved the notion of what is beautiful, through disturbing and breath-taking imagery in his collections that all began with one simple concept and then moved into a storyboard of designs that turned into his garments. The Met's 2011 exhibition "Savage Beauty" illuminated his creative process, explaining his cultural references and showcasing the couture he displayed in dramatically artistic runway shows that were more performance art than catwalk. McQueen designed clothing until his death in 2010.
Getty Images
