There are few designers that have influenced the way we think about fashion as a culture. However, the handful that have managed to mold society's image of fashion made a lasting impression on the pages of magazines and looks both on the runways and in the streets. Here are three examples of fashion icons who have shaped both the cuts of our dresses and the way we think about them:

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren has managed to revolutionize a style referred to as the “All-American Look.” The Bronx native started off working after school just to earn money to buy suits. After attending college for 2 years and serving in the United States Army, he began to sell neckties under the name “Polo.” He later expanded, and the brand took off in the early 1990s when Polo Ralph Lauren became a publicly traded company and one of the most successful fashion lines in history.

Coco Chanel

Born Gabrielle B. Chanel, this French designer had a modernist perspective and masculine inspired threads. Chanel has managed to build an empire of haute-couture that spanned the 20th century and is still one of the most influential fashion lines today. She has dressed the likes of icons Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe and popularized one of the most quintessential pieces in a woman’s closet, the little black dress. Chanel has built a reputation for timeless, classic elegance and truly is the definition of fashion.

Style icons Domenico Dolce (left) and Stefano Gabbana

Since 1985, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have managed to turn the fashion world upside down with their daring use of color, print, and all-around design. D&G have managed to build an empire spanning from luxurious gowns, swimwear, eyewear, and accessories, and their work has become the paramount of high-end fashion.

-- Mairys