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Style Icon: Charlize Theron

There’s only so much you can do, but if somebody doesn’t give you a chance there is nothing you can do.

- Charlize Theron

This South African beauty has been on almost every best-dressed and most beautiful list known to man. Crystal clear blue-green eyes, blonde hair and a statuesque frame made to show off the work of the world’s best designers, Charlize Theron is the embodiment of the Hollywood dream. Today, Theron is one of the most highly acclaimed actresses of our time with a body of work up-and-coming actresses can only dream about. She is also a new mother to a beautiful baby boy she recently adopted. Prior to her acting career taking off, Theron started off as a model and then won a scholarship to study ballet at the prestigious Joffrey School in New York. She had aspirations to become a professional ballerina before an injury to both knees changed her future. It was at her mother’s suggestion then that she give the film industry a try, and as they say the rest is history.

After starring in a string of successful movies in the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Theron shocked audiences with her turn as Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 film Monster. It was one time that her beauty nearly cost her a role, and she had to fight to win the lead because producers and directors thought she was too attractive for the part. It was her unbelievable transformation into this woman and her superior acting ability in a film with an extremely difficult subject matter that garnered Theron her very first Oscar nomination. She had swept the 2004 award season, so when Oscar night arrived everyone was sure she would be taking home acting’s most prestigious award. They were also tuned in to see what she would wear on the red carpet. Theron did not disappoint, emerging fresh off a Brazilian vacation in an exquisite champagne-hued Gucci dress.

In all of its simplicity, from the silhouette to the front slit to the delicate beading to the beautiful open-back, the dress was one to be worn by someone at a very big moment in their lives. She was the picture of happiness on a night that turned out to be one of the most important in her career, and when she took the stage to accept her award no one deserved it more.

Proving to be the style chameleon we have come to know today, the following year she turned up on the red carpet at the Golden Globes with a drastically different look. Having gone from blonde hair to black for a film role, Theron played with her new style by making new, darker wardrobe choices as well. The iridescent fabric of her mermaid Christian Dior gown glowed and its navy blue color was the perfect compliment to her dark hair, which looks absolutely fabulous on her. Several years later, this is still one of her best looks.

Growing up in South Africa, Theron knew of the devastation that affected the country she called home. As she grew into a Hollywood megastar she created the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) in 2007 to support African youth in their fight against HIV/AIDS. The epidemic in Africa has been horrifying and Theron is working to do her part to help through education and providing free mobile health clinics. In only five years Theron, who is also a UN Ambassador of Peace and the CTAOP have been able to help thousands of young men and women learn more about this disease, how to prevent them and how to treat them. While the primary focus has been on South Africa, the CTAOP seeks to provide more support to the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, as they are the ones most susceptible to the disease.

Charlize Theron will always be known as one of the most talented women to walk the Earth. With grace and an unshakable sense of character and resolve she has paved the way for all young women with a dream. She is an icon who has worked with some of the best the film industry has to offer and who fights for the future of the youth in her homeland. She sees in them a bright future if we are able to get a handle on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and where there is a bright future there is hope that anything is possible. Theron is living proof of that.

Style Icon: Audrey Hepburn

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

                                        -       Audrey Hepburn

From the first moment she appeared on movie screens all those years ago, Audrey Hepburn was immediately dubbed an icon. With a look so different from her fellow actresses at the time, Hepburn gave the world a new idea of what beautiful could be and continues to be ranked as one of the most beautiful women in history. Her film career is illustrious and filled with movies that we have all fallen in love with. She has played characters ranging from a princess in Roman Holiday to the lovely Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady to her most memorable role as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. But Hepburn is equally remembered for her (at the time) unconventional beauty, her talent and her commitment to humanitarian work, which she devoted most of her time to later in her life.

Hepburn’s style was and has continued to be a sought after look. In comparison to actresses at the time like Marilyn Monroe and Lana Turner, Hepburn was very slight in figure and had very gamine features. She was not thought of as a bombshell, but a more refined, poised and elegant beauty. With dark hair, large brown eyes and her thick eyebrows, Hepburn was immediately noticeable in the sea of blonde-haired starlets of her time.

On film, Hepburn’s most memorable look comes in the form of the black dress designed by her good friend Hubert Givenchy  from the opening scenes of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Styled with thick strands of pearls, gloves and dark sunglasses it has long remained the iconic look people think of when Hepburn comes to mind. Equally impressive were the black pants and turtleneck sweater she wore in Funny Face. Those pants started a black ankle pant movement in fashion, one that has continued. We all remember just a few years ago when The GAP used the clip of her dancing in that film, set to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” none the less, to promote the reimagining of their skinny black pant. While some criticized the posthumous use of Hepburn’s image, GAP’s decision further proves the impact she had and still has on the fashion world. In the words of their creative director at the time, “Who better to showcase them than actress Audrey Hepburn—an iconic woman famous for dressing with sophistication and classic style?”

 When Hepburn finally began to step back from making films, her own wartime struggles as a child prompted her to increase her involvement with UNICEF. She had been a supporter of UNICEF since 1954 but it was during this time that she traveled to Africa, South America and other areas  of the developing world where people were living in difficult conditions. She often talked about the eye-opening trips she made as a Goodwill Ambassador and what she learned about the devastatingly neglected parts of the world that UNICEF was helping.  Hepburn felt that some of the most important work she did was not done in front of a camera, but away from it when she did her humanitarian work.

Shortly after returning from Somalia in late 1992, Hepburn was diagnosed with a rare form of abdominal cancer. After an initial surgery it was discovered that the cancer was inoperable, and Hepburn and her family traveled back to her home in Switzerland so she could spend her final weeks in peace. On January 20, 1993, Audrey Hepburn succumbed to her illness. Her loss was one that was felt the world over, not only by her family but also by the people she had worked with and befriended, and to the millions of fans she had gained through her films, her style and her nature as a human being.  A year later her sons Sean and Luca started The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund to continue their mother’s humanitarian work.                            

All of our style icons are icons in their own way, but every one of these women has had one thing in common, and it is their unfailing ability to impact the world. Audrey Hepburn is the most notable example of this. Twenty years after her death she is still a source of inspiration, still someone women and men see as an example of what a good person is. Hepburn never allowed her talent and fame to overshadow who she was as a human being. Helping underprivileged children was equally as important to her as winning an award for one of her acting roles, if not more so. She was graceful, ladylike, intelligent and timeless. Above all, she lived a full life. Hardly anything is more iconic than that.                                                                           

Style Icon: Iman

She is a Somalian bombshell who has graced the fashion world since the late seventies and is one half of one of the most iconic celebrity couples in the world. Serving as a muse to some of the most well known designers including Halston and Yves Saint Laurent, it is hard to find a style icon to match Iman’s stature. She began her career as a model after being discovered while studying at the University of Nairobi, and she has successfully transformed her good fortune from modeling into a business.

A statuesque beauty standing at five foot ten, Iman is usually one of the first people who draws the eyes of fashion watchers at any event she attends. Her relationships with designers, her great sense of style and her enviable figure guarantee us that she will show up in something fabulous. At the launch of the IMAN Home collection in 2010, she was the picture of casual chic in a simple black jumpsuit. Her satin purple heels just barely peeking out beneath the hem of the jumpsuit made the outfit pop and offered just a bit of color to the otherwise monochromatic look. Since she was launching her home collection which consisted of fabulous prints and rich colors she did not want to take away from what she worked so hard to develop. She wanted her new collection to be the centerpiece but still have a style moment for herself.

In 2011 while attending the DKMS Gala honoring musician Rihanna and Michael Clinton of Hearst Publications, she wowed on the red carpet in a floor length hot pink Jason Wu gown. The dress is made of a beautiful chiffon material and boasts a classic silhouette but the bold color stood out when paired with a matching clutch and turquoise earrings.  Also on trend was her new chin length bob and trademark smoky eyes-nude lip combination. It is clear that Iman knows how to dress appropriately and fashionably for any occasion.

Iman’s most beautiful characteristic is her ability to see beauty in all forms and finding a way to showcase that beauty. Using her own modeling experiences, she developed IMAN COSMETICS, which is just one branch of her ever-growing brand. Iman has made no secret of how difficult it had been for makeup artists to match a foundation to her deep skin tone when she modeled. Her makeup line, now a premiere brand for women of several ethnicities has become home to several go-to products for women all over the world.

Aside from her modeling career and her lifestyle brand Iman is well known for her philanthropic work. Drawing on her childhood as a refugee in East Africa she serves as an ambassador for Save the Children, focusing on relief efforts in that region. She also works with Raise Hope for Congo through the Enough Project to bring awareness to the violence against women and young girls in the Congo. Iman understands the importance of bringing to the forefront the atrocities that they face in that region and is working with several organizations to put them to an end.

She started as a girl attending school in East Africa and Iman became a world-class model. She built herself a life, a career and a business while raising her children and caring for her twenty-year marriage. Her huge heart and astounding style make her a woman we can all learn from. She did not dream of becoming a model or a businesswoman but those were the blessings life gave to her, and she has used them to make a better world for the next generation of women.

Style Icon: Beyoncé Knowles

There is much to be said for Beyoncé. Mentioning that she has sixteen Grammy Awards, three sold-out world tours and four number one albums is a good place to start but it hardly begins to touch on the woman behind all the success. One of the biggest stars of our generation, Beyoncé began her journey to stardom as a young girl and spent twenty years becoming the presence we see in magazines and on our television screens; the fierce, fearless, powerful woman we see on the stage. Just like there is no denying her beauty both inside and out, there is no shortage of proof that she is one of the most humble superstars in recent history. There is also no denying her immense talent.  That she is only thirty years old lets the world know she has only just begun.

Whether she is performing or spending a casual day in New York City with her husband and her daughter, she is always chic. In past interviews Beyoncé has said that she likes to dress up every day because it makes her feel good. That is a rule all women can learn to live by: don’t dress based on how others perceive you, dress because it makes you feel good. And if there is one word to describe Beyoncé’s style, that word is bold. Crystal-studded platforms? Check. Tailored red tuxedo jacket? Definitely. Her daily outfits are usually casual and on trend, but there is always that unexpected punch that sends fashion lovers into a frenzy.

One of Beyoncé’s most memorable style moments came on the red carpet of the 2005 Oscars. It is an unwritten fashion rule that one should keep away from velvet of any sort on the red carpet. But on a night where she was given the honor of performing three of the five songs nominated for Best Original Song with very dramatic costume changes, she opted to start off the night on a high note. In a strapless vintage Atelier Versace gown, she let the velvet beauty be the star of the show by keeping her daring accessories to a minimum. Her performances on the show were the talk of the town the next day, but no one could stop buzzing about her dress.  Of course, a conversation about her best red carpet moments would not be complete without mentioning the gorgeous orange Lanvin gown she wore to the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards to announce to the world that she was expecting her first child. Loose and flowing, it immediately sparked interest as out of character for her usual style but her simple, wordless announcement kept that dress on everyone’s mind for months to come.

While Beyoncé is undoubtedly a beautiful woman, her best feature would be her smile. Great style is great style, that goes without question but a smile can be a woman’s greatest accessory because it conveys confidence. She is all about projecting confidence from the inside, out. Similar to our other icons, Beyoncé has been and continues to be involved with several charities, one of the most notable being Feed America. In 2010 after spending time with addicts as part of her research for her role as Etta James, she opened the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at Phoenix House in Brooklyn with her mother. She wanted to create a place where women recovering from addiction could learn new skills that they could use to find work and not be judged because of their past.

Beyoncé has made a career of groundbreaking live performances, powerful anthems and advocating female empowerment. Her strong sense of self and outstanding work ethic  make her unstoppable, which attributes to her desire to be the best. She is a giving, talented and timeless woman, and is living proof that hard work, perseverance and fierce determination are the keys to helping you get whatever it is you want out of life.

                                         Style Icon Spotlight:

                       Celebrating Mom, the Original Style Icon

Mother’s Day is  a day of celebration for many families and this year it is even more so for the Dareen Hakim Collection. Almost seven months ago Dareen welcomed her little girl, Mila into her life. When you see Dareen with both her daughter and her mother, it is a beautiful picture of three generations of women who will all learn from and love each other beyond words.

For many women, our mothers were the ones who taught us the joy of getting dressed up and looking our best. To most little girls nothing was better than your mother allowing you to play with her make up or in her jewelry box, and no matter how humorous we looked with bright red lips and blue eyeshadow our mothers told us we were gorgeous. As we got older, mom taught us how to walk in high heels and how to carry ourselves as strong, smart women. It is the most difficult and yet the most rewarding job in the world to be a mother.

To celebrate this Mother’s Day and in honor of Dareen’s first with Mila, here is a look at some of our favorite stylish mothers. Whether cheering on soccer games, strolling through the park, dressing up for Halloween or simply spending a day with their families these women embrace motherhood and all it has to offer. And there is no doubt their little ones are on the fast-track to being style icons themselves like Dareen and Mila who, at seven-months-old is rocking leg warmers and Chuck Taylors. She’s our own trendsetter!

We hope you enjoy looking through this post at some of our favorite Style Icon moms, and we would also like to wish our darlings a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Victoria Beckham

Mom to Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper Beckham

Beyoncé Knowles

Mom to Blue Ivy Carter

Gwen Stefani

Mom to Kingston & Zuma Rossdale

Jessica Alba

Mom to Honor & Haven Warren

Jennifer Lopez

Mom to Max & Emme Muniz

Heidi Klum

Mom to Leni, Henry, Johan & Lou Samuel

Kimora Lee Simmons

Mom to Ming Lee & Aoki Lee Simmons and Kenzo Lee Hounsou

                                            Style Icon: Jennifer Lopez

Jenny from the Block. J-Lo.

The nicknames are endless but they all reflect on the one and only Jennifer Lopez, one of Hollywood’s most inspiring success stories. She started her career as a dancer, dancing her way into the hearts of those who tuned into In Living Color during the 90s before pursuing her passion for acting. Lopez shined in small roles opposite Hollywood heavyweights before her big break came in 1997 when she landed the role of slain tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla Perez. Her real and relatable portrayal of the popular musician put the industry on notice that they had a real talent on their hands. Fast-forward more than ten years and Lopez is one of the most powerful actress-singer-entrepreneurs in the world, celebrated by her fans and peers alike. Yet, despite all of the things that have changed with Lopez’s life since she got her start in entertainment, one thing that has continued to get better as the years go by is her personal style.

Her style is very easily identifiable: glamorous, bold and ladylike. Lopez knows how to accentuate the figure she was blessed with and has always celebrated women with curves. One moment that stands out in her extensive style history is the gold Marchesa she wore to the 2009 Golden Globes. Just about a year after giving birth to her twins Lopez wowed all in attendance in the figure-flattering sensation. Her hair was kept simple, her jewelry was minimal but she knew she did not need to do anything over the top to solidify her spot on the best-dressed lists for the night. Lopez also stole the spotlight last summer while attending the BAFTA Brits to Watch event. Everyone in attendance was waiting for their chance to meet Prince William and Duchess Catherine, but before that Lopez’s green Emilio Pucci dress was all anyone could talk about.

Most recently, after her show stopping appearance at this year’s Academy Awards (where she wore two gowns by acclaimed Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad) she was spotted in a lime green Michael Kors dress that made headlines. Not one to shy away from body-skimming and colorful clothes, Lopez was right on trend with this neon colored dress and contrasting hot pink heels. As she did with the gold Marchesa, she kept her hair and accessories to a minimum to truly let her brilliantly bright outfit shine.

Right about the time that she became a mother, Lopez and her sister Lynda started The Maribel Foundation. Like the Icons before her, Lopez discovered an overwhelming need to help those less privileged. Growing up in The Bronx, she was well aware of the sacrifices many families had to endure to get through day-to-day life. Through her foundation, she is spearheading the fight to provide healthcare and nutrition to women and children less fortunate all around the world. To her, it does not matter if they can pay for it as long as they have access to it.

There is no denying that Lopez is one of the world’s biggest and most recognizable superstars. She has fought her hardships in the public eye but retains the admirable strength, beauty and determination people have come to expect from her. She believes in learning from your mistakes. In doing so herself Lopez has become more than a style icon, she has cultivated a life and a career far beyond her wildest dreams and she has earned her place among the most influential women of our generation.