Anna Dello Russo

collage, self-made; images via The Fashion Spot

Helmut Newton dubs her a fashion maniac. Tommy Ton worships her existence. Everyone else just unknowingly become ardent spectators of her dedication to become a walking piece of art. Of Italian descent, she currently champions Vogue Nippon and articulates her unyielding passion for sartorial things with monthly editorials that she styles; the undertone of it being prominently avant-garde elegance. Anna was quoted to have said,

"It's true, clothes are like a disease for me. I collect them, maybe I'll wear them just once but I have to own them. I have 4000 pair of shoes. My entire house is a closet, I even invaded part of the kitchen and the basement . When you enter my house is like going into Barneys because everything is tagged and enveloped in a maniacal way. My true weakness is jewelry because I think that it makes a difference in an outfit. And since I come from the south of Italy when I was a little kid I used to look upon Barese women and I wanted to wear jewelry like them."

The Italian has lived vicariously through the fashion industry and she never escaped her series of repercussions. She is not everyone's cup of tea. To me, there is nothing in this world that can stifle her passion in forming visual art through clothing-- she is a fashion catalyst, the epitome of an icon (who else wears 6" vertiginous heels in their 50's and can still walk like a seasoned runway model?) and she probably holds the rightful throne in the Iconic Women in Fashion hall-of-fame (at least, in mine.)