Britains Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge speaks to people during a visit to the Summerfield Community Centre, in the Winson Green area of Birmingham.

Geoff Pugh / Pool / Reuters

Who set the style trends in 2011? Was it Justin Bieber and his new ‘do? No doubt, Kate Middleton’s wedding dress will be remembered forever but has her style since then been as historic? And really, is Nicki Minaj a shion icon or a shion disaster? You be the judge

If you were hoping that the Duchess of Cambridge would embrace her new shion role with a bit more risk-taking, you’re not alone. Of course, this is only year one for the queen-consort-to-be, who kicked it all off with a wedding dress that had bridal boutiques around the globe prepped for a rush of copycat orders. Knowing that every one of her sartorial choices gets parsed and scrutinized, the Duchess smartly mixes high street and designer brands, leaning heavily toward British shion. Canadian labels Erdem and Smythe got a huge boost, however, when she wore them during her visit here; she has also single-headedly given the millinery world a much-needed shot in the arm. Hats off to her!– A.V.

With her mop of fiery red hair and a predilection for long, billowing gowns by the likes of Chanel, Valentino and Givenchy, English chanteuse Florence Welch was one of the most stylish figures of the music world and beyond in 2011. Her hypnotic performance at the Oscars apparently hit the right note with Karl Lagerfeld, who invited her to take the stage at the Chanel spring 2012 show. For it, she emerged out of a giant shell. Talk about an entrance. –T.G.

Bradley who? The star ofDriveandThe Ides of Marchmay have been robbed of the official title, butCanadian-born Ryan Goslingis the iest man alive in our hearts. His abs inCrazy, Stupid, Loveaside, this man can wear a suit, especially sharp-cut, slim-fit Italian ones. Even when he strays out of trousers-and-jacket territory, he kills it: Take the Ferragamo pajama shirt, white slacks and brogues he wore with modern verve at Cannes earlier this year. IfIdesco-star George Clooney is the new Cary Grant, is Gosling the new George Clooney? –T.G.

His disastrous designer debut in Paris this year may leave some questioning whether Kanye West can dress women, but his own personal sense of style is beyond dispute. It takes some serious swagger to pour oneself into a custom Givenchy leather skirt and leggings to perform at Madison Square Garden – and make it work. Ditto for the Céline tunic he donned during his two-hour solo set at Coachella earlier this year. Considering all the women’s-wear labels that West has been rocking lately, there may, in ct, be nicki minajhope for his label yet. –T.G.

This year’s It girls were actually girls: Flaxen-haired siblings Dakota and Elle Fanning have both a string of hit movies (Twilight,Super 8,The Runaways) and the devout following of designers under their sweet, age-appropriate belts. Marc Jacobs used both teens in his ll fragrance and shion campaigns, while Elle played muse to Rodarte sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Who says that kids these days are underachievers? –T.G.

After her comedic star turn inEasy Alast year, Emma Stone set her sights on turning it out on the red carpet in 2011. Her appearances inTheHelpandCrazy, Stupid, Loveoffered more than enough opportunities for her to demonstrate that her style game is as sharp as her wit. In particular, the girl loves colour: Her hair shifted from blonde to red to brunette, while her choice of dress quickly followed suit. That peachy Calvin Klein at the Golden Globes, the pink and red peplumed Giambattista Valli for a movie premiere and the balletic red Lanvin gown for the Baftas all proved that she’s packing more than just a good punchline. –T.G.

Let’s all take a moment to mourn Justin Bieber’s side-swept mop. Moment over! Indeed, the most imitated haircut since Jennifer Aniston’s 1990s shag had outgrown its charm, leaving Bieber no choice but to bid rewell to his signature coif. He tested several looks through 2011, from soft bangs to gelled spikes straight from the school of boy-band styling. The Biebs’s most recent cut suggests a streamlined side fringe that obviates the need to constantly flip his hair away from his eyes. His neck is thanking him.– A.V.

As head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde holds one of the most important financial positions in the world. But while the euro-zone crisis is obviously a r more pressing concern than her wardrobe, she takes on the latter with polish and poise. Recently, Lagarde revealed to the Financial Times Magazine that her preferred labels include Chanel and Ventilo. But it’s not just what she wears; it’s the way she marries a crisp men’s shirt with a striking strand of pearls or shows proper respect for an impeccably tailored skirt suit that makes her stand out. Then there’s her recherché platinum coif. Yes, she dresses the part.– A.V.

The most incongruous aspect of Nicki Minaj and Anna Wintour being seatmates at the Oscar de la Renta spring/summer 2011 show was the ct that the hip-hop artist appeared to be sporting a stuffed animal tiger on her head – not exactly Vogue-worthy. Then again, Minaj’s ensembles throughout the year came so close to eyesore status that she desensitized everyone to her Barbie-on-steroids style. In October, Minaj appeared on the cover of W magazine as an ethereal Dadaist beauty, proving she’s not a one-trick My Little Pony. So all bets are on whether she returns to haute hallucinogenic or tries something a little more, dare we say, dainty.– A.V.

Daphne Guinness is no stranger to style-icon status. But 2011 was a profile-raiser for the brewery heiress, who co-curated an exhibition of her wardrobe at the Fashion Institute of Technology and collaborated with M.A.C. Cosmetics on a recent capsule collection. In shion terms, Guinness exists in the rarefied 0.001 per cent, so showcasing her wardrobe to the public and lending her eye to a global makeup brand means she is herself ever so slightly accessible. This is exciting because Guinness is not just a voracious consumer of shion; she also has finely focused taste – always provocative, never vulgar. Few will come close to accumulating her wearable treasures; but this year, her admirers could get closer to her. And for them, that’s better than bathing in beer.– A.V.

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