Before there was a generation of internet cool girls dictating what we should wear, drink, eat, and where we should be doing it, there was a string of It girls paving the trend-setting path for the influencers of 2026.
From models to singers, actresses, and socialites, the 1980s produced some of the most prominent influencers of fashion, film, and art, whose names are still iconic to this day.
The era of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin', the decade of decadence, was spilling over with a type of glamour that the modern day struggles to replicate. As we lament the loss of Studio 54 and the rest of the halcyon days, we're taking a look back at the It girls of the 80s…
© Getty ImagesMadonna
Perhaps the most famous of the bunch, singer Madonna, now 67, rose to fame as a talented 24-year-old, oozing charisma and coolness.
She released her first studio album, 'Madonna', in July 1983, months after her debut single, 'Everybody', hit the airwaves in October 1892.
However, it was her second album, 'Like a Virgin', released in 1984, that catapulted her to international fame and landed her her first major tour and global pop icon status.
She defined more than musical boundaries during her heyday, reinventing her style constantly and championing sexual liberation. Madonna defined the fashion of the decade and inspired many with her defiant attitude toward gender norms and female empowerment.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyBrooke Shields
Born in 1965, Brooke Shields found fame as an actress and model during her teenage years. Her star skyrocketed when she appeared in the leading role in the 1980s romantic film The Blue Lagoon, opposite Christopher Atkins.
She became a pop culture icon after she graced the cover of Vogue the same year her film was released, and by the age of 15, she was already the face of Calvin Klein Jeans.
Famed for both her starring roles and her undeniable beauty, she was dubbed "The '80s Look" on the cover of Time magazine in 1981, for her eyebrows and her glossy hair.
© Getty ImagesGrace Jones
Known for redefining pop culture norms, Grace Jones, now 77, is a Jamaican-born model, singer, and actress who earned a reputation during the 1980s for her avant-garde fashion, androgynous style, and music that blended reggae and disco.
She rose to fame initially at age 22 as a fashion model in Paris before cementing herself as a genre-disrupting musician at 29 years old.
In 1985, Grace became a household name when she was cast as Bond girl May Day in A View to a Kill, alongside Roger Moore.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetPrincess Diana
The Princess of Wales was a style icon during the 1980s, when she was Prince Charles' wife and a mother to Princes William and Harry. Under the watchful eye of the public, she defined fashion trends and made cycling shorts cool.
Hitting the mark with each and every outfit, from casual chic to effortlessly elegant ball gowns and the infamous revenge dress, the late royal always looked her best in whatever she wore.
After her death in 1997, many of her outfits and clothing choices lived on, appearing across the decades in drips and drabs as people attempt to emulate her trendy wardrobe.
© Getty ImagesHeather Locklear
As Dynasty's Sammy Jo Carrington, Heather Locklear captured the hearts of America and then the world, with her signature feathered blonde hair and enviable sense of style.
Cementing herself as one of the most famous 80s It girls, the American actress was often dubbed the blonde bombshell of her era and oozed powerhouse vixen dressing both on-screen and off.
She also starred as Amanda Woodward on Melrose Place, for which she earned four consecutive Golden Globe nominations and was named one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People twice.
© WireImageKoo Stark
Kathleen Norris 'Koo' Stark became the ultimate British It girl during her scandalous 18-month relationship with the former prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Her roles in adult films made her an unfavourable choice for a royal at the time and caused a tabloid frenzy before the then-prince went on to meet his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
She was a prominent American actress, photographer and model at the time and a glamorous fixture on London's thriving social scene.
© Sygma via Getty ImagesChristie Brinkley
One of the big five supermodels of her generation, alongside Cindy Crawford and Elle Macpherson, Christie Brinkley was a fashion It girl of the highest degree.
Famed for her striking beauty, plethora of high fashion campaigns and over 500 cover shoots, Christie was a trailblazer and trendsetter, influencing what the generation wore and how they wore it.
She cemented herself as an It girl after a 25-year contract as the face of CoverGirl and a record-setting three consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers.
