Diana Vreeland
It's only fitting that a woman with such a dramatic flair for all things stylish should have a three-act career in fashion. Paris-born, New York City-raised Diana Vreeland had just that, beginning in 1936 when an editor at Harper's Bazaar handpicked her to work for the magazine. As a columnist and fashion editor, Vreeland set about injecting personality into the previously monotonous fashion pages, famously saying, "Never fear being vulgar, only boring." She made an extravagant name for herself, but after more than two decades it became clear that she wouldn't be rising higher up the editorial ranks at Harper's Bazaar. So it was on to act two as Vreeland went to work at Vogue in 1963, serving as the magazine's editor in chief. There she spent years successfully creating trends with artfully executed — but exorbitantly costly — photo spreads. The magazine eventually fired her in 1971 in an effort to save money. While initially upset, Vreeland recovered in time for her final act. In 1971, she became a consultant at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She carried on at the Institute until her health began to fail her and she was forced to retire. However, Vreeland is still remembered as a fashion legend, long after her final curtain.