Try to whittle down the fashion moments that defined the year, and you’ll likely begin to think of the people who also defined the year in fashion.

There was Michelle Yeoh, this year’s Best Actress Oscar winner, who wore angelic white Dior to accept her historic award in March. Yeoh was the first Best Actress winner of Asian descent, making her win a watershed moment for diversity, and she looked suitably regal for the occasion.

There was Rihanna, who revealed her second pregnancy on stage at February’s Super Bowl in red Loewe under a matching Alaïa puffer jacket—three months before she attended the 2023 Met Gala, in a white Valentino camellia dress that made a perfectly outré homage to the late Karl Lagerfeld.

It would be remiss to overlook Gwyneth Paltrow, too. The actor and entrepreneur’s unexpectedly cinematic court case was almost less talked-about than the outfits she wore to attend it, from velvet power-suits to black platform Prada boots that signalled the dawn of the divisive ‘quiet luxury’ era.

It’s now the time of the year when annual best-dressed lists are compiled, and here is ours. 

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Michelle Yeoh 

The 2023 awards season feels like a lifetime ago, but Michelle Yeoh’s impeccable string of outfits can’t be forgotten. The Everything, Everywhere All at Once actor picked daring Schiaparelli and glistening Armani Privé for the red carpet circuit, which culminated in an ethereal white fringe Dior dress for her Best Actress win at the Oscars. Later in the year, she partnered with Balenciaga on several ensembles (see above). Yeoh’s acting abilities and martial arts prowess makes her a multi-talented force—and as proven this year, dressing well is just another of her skills.

Cate Blanchett

Blanchett has topped best-dressed lists for years on end, but was confirmed as a sustainable fashion hero in 2023. The Tár actress recycled a frayed Margiela gown last worn at the 2015 Oscars for the BAFTAs in February, while at the Oscars, she picked a light-blue silk Louis Vuitton number that was a never-before-seen archive piece (above). In October, she attended the final Alexander McQueen show by outgoing designer Sarah Burton and wore an old gown from the brand that was re-worked into a pantsuit, in a standout moment for fashion circularity. Even when she looks undeniably sleek, Blanchett’s style has purpose.

Taylor Russell

Every now and then, a star comes along who is truly fearless when it comes to dressing up. In 2023, that’s Canadian actor Taylor Russell, who made waves with her outfits last year (Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, et al.), and has maintained the momentum this year; take her cast-iron coat at the Loewe spring/summer 2024 show in Paris, or hooded Alexander McQueen dresses inspired by the designer’s autumn/winter ’98/’99 ‘Joan’ show. Russell knows her references, and as she proved this year, is committed to creating memorable fashion moments. 

Margot Robbie

There’d be no proper discussion of fashion in 2023 without mentioning Margot Robbie’s Barbie whirlwind. To promote the blockbuster epic, Robbie inhabited the titular character off-screen on red carpets around the world. Labels like Schiaparelli and Versace were enlisted as well as emerging brands like Dilara Findikoglu, to bring ‘Barbiecore’ to life in the best way—just before the buzzy fashion craze surrounding the film came to an end. 

Rihanna 

2023 kicked off with a tour-de-force style moment from Rihanna: the reveal of her second pregnancy at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, while clad in red Alaïa and a custom Loewe chest plate (above). After that unforgettable visual, the mogul and singer somehow one-upped the widely publicised pregnancy style she nailed when expecting her first child, Riot, in the rest of the year. Of many great looks, her custom sheer Alaïa dress at the Oscars and the white Valentino camellia dress at the Met Gala—an homage to Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel’s most famous motif—are the first that come to mind. 

Erykah Badu 

Iconic neo-soul singer Erykah Badu provides the perfect argument for dancing to the beat of your own drum when it comes to style. Her trademark broad-brim hat appears in most of her looks—whether sitting front-row at Thom Browne next to Doja Cat and Janet Jackson, or in ice blue at Bottega Veneta—but her use of fashion to spark intrigue renders her an undeniably cool fashion force; take her shaggy white Met Gala look by Marni, where her face was obstructed by tassels. Fashion-wise, 2023 was easily one of Badu’s best years yet. 

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh is a star who refuses to be put in a box. Her intrepid fashion choices are a testament to this—from her love of diaphanous tulle skirts to her endorsements of new-gen fashion forces like Robert Wun and Harris Reed, even wearing the latter designer’s very first Nina Ricci dress before his debut show at the brand, or Valentino to promote Oppenheimer (above). Owning your authenticity has never looked so good. 

Pamela Anderson 

For many, the most refreshing thing about Pamela Anderson’s approach to fashion this year was her authenticity and self-acceptance, abandoning the myriad pressures involved in dressing up to do things on her own terms. The streak began at Paris Fashion Week, when she attended The Row, Vivienne Westwood (above), and Victoria Beckham in self-styled outfits with minimal makeup, causing an online sensation for her approach to pared-back style. 

Isabelle Huppert

Just like the film roles she picks, Isabelle Huppert’s fashion choices are dark, striking, and sophisticated. This year the French actress has remained a disciple of Balenciaga, even walking in its autumn/winter ’23/’24 couture show and choosing its outré looks for the red carpet. At the Cannes Film Festival, she wore one of the brand’s pointed-shoulder sheer dresses while in Venice, she donned custom silver Balenciaga and dripped in glittery tassels (above). Huppert’s is the kind of unmissable, intrepid style we never tire of. 

Jennifer Lawrence 

Aside from ‘Barbiecore’, ‘quiet luxury’ is a fashion term that’s ruled 2023, and few nailed it like Jennifer Lawrence. A tactful embrace of brands that embody the trend, like The Row, Stella McCartney, and Dior, in her everyday wardrobe saw the actress skyrocket to the top of many best-dressed lists. In addition to her off-duty style, she took the classic aesthetic to the red carpet; case in point, her minimalist red Dior gown and corresponding cape at Cannes (above). 

Gwyneth Paltrow

Few could forget the widely publicised case involving actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, who was sued in relation to a ski accident and appeared in court in March. Aside from the serious situation at hand, her courtroom style choices—from Prada boots to a velvet suit on the day she successfully pled ‘not guilty’—became an unexpected online sensation, timing with the ‘quiet luxury’ phenomenon. Long-time Paltrow fans, however, will know her approach to clean-cut luxury is nothing new. 

Hari Nef

While much of the Barbie spotlight was on Margot Robbie this year, the efforts of other cast members in nailing their promo style can’t be underestimated. Not least, the style choices of Hari Nef; the actress and model was unmissable on and off the red carpet this year. A particular standout was the spellbinding finale dress from Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu’s autumn/winter ’23/’24 collection, adorned with real knives and forks—the kind of dress only a true fashion hero could pull off. It’s Hari’s world, and we’re just living in it. 

Beyoncé 

In terms of on-stage style, the year belonged to Beyoncé. Over the course of her Renaissance world tour, the performer raised the bar for performance garb, calling on the world’s most influential designers to craft her custom looks (who wouldn’t do it for Beyoncé?). Ever the perfectionist—Virgos will be Virgos, after all—Beyoncé even ensured some looks corresponded with the cities where she was performing. Take the custom Marc Jacobs dress in New York, the designer’s home city, or pieces exclusively made by Black designers in honour of the Juneteenth holiday. Just as she does with the act of performance, Beyoncé and stylist Julia Sarr-Jamois raised the bar tenfold for concert attire. 

Kylie Jenner 

The fashion influence of the Kardashian-Jenner family can feel inescapable, but 2023 saw a wardrobe reinvention for Kylie Jenner. The mogul kicked off the year with a (controversial) bang—attending Schiaparelli haute couture spring/summer 2023 wearing the faux-lion’s head gown that hadn’t even appeared on the runway yet—and has since served up style wins from in-the-know labels like Haider Ackermann and Dilara Findikoglu. Jenner’s stylists, Mackenzie and Alexandra Grandquist, have been a big part of her fashion domination this year. 

Troye Sivan

If you’re picked to walk a Miu Miu show and you’re not technically a ‘model’, chances are you’re someone with style worth paying attention to. Troye Sivan had that honour this year—for the brand’s spring/summer 2024 show, wearing board shorts and boat shoes that coincidentally tied in with his Australian heritage—but there were style wins elsewhere. Outfits like head-to-toe leather at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party and white cropped Loewe to attend the brand’s most recent runway show were a testament to his intrepid approach to dressing up. 

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