7 Classic Fashion Pieces Named After Style Icons

One of the most famous namesake bags in recent years is undoubtedly the Mulberry Alexa. Made as a tribute to Alexa Chung after she was spotted carrying the men's briefcase-style Mulberry Elkington, the then creative director Emma Hill wanted a bag that captured the model's low-key, tomboyish sense of style. It was an immediate success, helping Mulberry beat the recession; when the bag launched in 2010, it was reported that the label's sales rose by 79 per cent internationally. Though Mulberry no longer stocks the Alexa, it has remained one of the It bags of its time.

Manolo Blahnik has said that Brigitte Bardot is one of his greatest inspirations. Both sophisticated and sexy, his signature BB pumps take their name from the French actress' initials. Blahnik's original court shoes, with their thin, high heels, were popular in the 1970s, and were worn by celebrities like Marianne Faithfull and Bianca Jagger. Reintroduced in 2009 as the BB, the style was an antithesis of other shoes of the time. BB courts, from £495, Manolo Blahnik

The Lady Dior bag was originally released in 1994 as the 'Chouchou', meaning 'favourite'. The next year the First Lady of France, Madame Bernadette Chirac, gave Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, this design from Dior and it quickly became one of the most famous bags of the era. Princess Diana was rarely seen without the bag, which subsequently gained the moniker the 'Lady D' or 'Lady Di'. In 1996, Dior renamed the accessory the Lady Dior, in tribute to the Princess. Lady Dior bag, from £2,050, Dior

For more than 100 years, the panther has been an icon of Cartier, worn by strong women such as the Duchess of Windsor and Maria Felix. Far from being inspired by the big cat itself, the collection was actually a tribute to Louis Cartier's lover, Jeanne Toussaint. A friend of Coco Chanel's, Toussaint met Cartier at the beginning of the 20th century and became the creative director of jewellery for the house in 1933. Her fierce determination led her to become known as 'the Panthère', an emblem that would become a symbol of powerful femininity. The Panthère collection, available in store and online, Cartier

In 1983, Jean-Louis Dumas, who had recently taken the helm of his great-grandfather's leather-goods company, found himself sitting next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. This chance encounter would go on to launch one of the most iconic handbags of all time: the Hermès Birkin. Available in a varity of materials, colours and sizes, the Birkin has been carried by everyone from the Duchess of Cambridge to Victoria Beckham and Lady Gaga, and has increased in value by 500 per cent since it was first created. Birkin has even stated that the handbag is now more famous than she is. The Birkin bag, available in stores only, Hermès

During Bottega Veneta's spring/summer 2017 show, Lauren Hutton graced the catwalk carrying her elegant namesake clutch in Gigolo Red. The Lauren 1980, £1,575, Bottega Veneta

Salvatore Ferragamo designed for actresses including Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren, earning the nickname the "shoemaker to the stars", yet some of his most noteworthy pieces were for Audrey Hepburn. Standout pieces from their winning combination are her loafers in Funny Face and her slingbacks in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The collaboration culminated in the 'Audrey' pumps, flat ballet-style shoes with a single strap, reflecting Hepburn's background in dance. The Audrey ballet pumps, about £435, Salvatore Ferragamo