Meet the Muses Behind the Spring 2016 Collections

Catwalking/Getty Images, Pietro D'Aprano/Getty Images, Atelier Binder/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Steffi Lee
Oct 07, 2015 @ 3:00 pm

For an industry that heavily emphasizes novelty and "the next big thing", fashion is also surprisingly nostalgic. Proof of this? Look no further than the spring/summer 2016 collections. Many designers were inspired by past decades—even centuries—and the iconic women who defined that time period. We highlighted our favorite muses of the season, below, along with how their personal styles were interpreted for the runway.

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1 of 12 Atelier Binder/ullstein bild via Getty Images

Annemarie Schwarzenbach

Who: A Swiss writer and photographer from the early 1900s with a distinctive androgynous style.

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2 of 12 Pietro D'Aprano/Getty Images, Catwalking/Getty Images (2)

Inspired by Annemarie Schwarzenbach 

Runway looks from Blumarine 

3 of 12 Getty Images/Universal Images Group

Emilie Flöge 

Who: An Austrian businesswoman in the late 1800s and early 1900s, who was most famous for her romantic relationship with painter Gustav Klimt.

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4 of 12 Fernando Leon/Getty Images (3)

Inspired by Emilie Flöge 

Runway looks from Delpozo

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5 of 12 Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Nina Simone 

Who: An iconic American singer and civil rights activist.

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6 of 12 Catwalking/Getty Images (3)

Inspired by Nina Simone 

Runway looks from Derek Lam 

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7 of 12 Gordon Rynders/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Ava Gardner 

Who: An American actress who defines Old Hollywood glamour.

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8 of 12 Catwalking/Getty Images, Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images, Edward James/WireImage

Inspired by Ava Gardner 

Runway looks from Oscar de la Renta 

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9 of 12 Jean-Claude Deutsch/Georges Melet/Paris Match via Getty Images

Gala Dalí

Who: The wife and muse to Salvador Dalí who had a colorful and eclectic wardrobe. 

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10 of 12 Daniele Oberrauchd/Imaxtree (3)

Inspired by Gala Dalí

Runway looks from Rochas 

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11 of 12 PICOT/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Romy Schneider 

Who: The legendary French and German actress who epitomized cool-girl chic.

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12 of 12 Daniele Oberrauchd/Imaxtree (3)

Inspired by Romy Schneider 

Runway looks from Nina Ricci 

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