![Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Women Inductees Who Inspired Fashion Through the Years [PHOTOS]](https://wwd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cher-mjb-rrhof.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1 "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Women Inductees Who Inspired Fashion Through the Years [PHOTOS]")
Fashion has long been inspired by the voices of rock and roll, R&B and hip hop, making the combination a perfect match. While the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has not always recognized the influence women singers, song writers and musicians have had on these musical genres, most if not all remain on fashion’s radar. Among the first women inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 was Aretha Franklin, who favored dresses designed by Arnold Scassi; Diana Ross, as a member of The Supremes in 1988, wore designs by American couturier James Galanos among others.
Fashion’s music muses have inspired us for decades.
In the ’80s Deborah Harry put a young unknown named Stephen Sprouse on the map; Patti Smith performed and walked the runway at Ann Demeulemeester’s fall 2006 show; and Janet Jackson made her return to fashion’s front row at Thom Browne’s spring 2023 show in Paris and at Christian Siriano’s 15th anniversary spring 2024 show. Inducted in 2023, Missy Elliott has been collaborating with Adidas for many years, maintaining the brand’s coolness.
Other famous names like Janis Joplin and Joan Jett, have perfected their rock and roll personas wearing bell bottoms, T-shirts and denim. And this year’s inductees are no different. From her debut in the 1960s to the present, Dionne Warwick has embodied traditional luxury. Queen of hip hop soul Mary J. Blige, a 2024 inductee, made her runway debut in 1997 alongside Tommy Hilfiger and in 2009 with designer Catherine Malandrino. Cher, a Bob Mackie muse, joins the ranks as well. A chameleon of fashion similar to Madonna, who was inducted in 2008, she continues to inspire the global fashion scene.
Here, see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame women inductees who inspired fashion through the years.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1986.
Aretha Franklin, Arnold Scassi and guest arrive at the Clive Davis Grammy Party in New York on March 1, 1994. Aretha is wearing a gown designed by Arnold Scassi. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1986.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Tony Palmieri Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1988 – The Supremes
James Galanos and Diana Ross in a gown from Galanos attend the Martha Phillips and Lynn Manulis honor their favorite designers dinner at Le Cirque restaurant in New York on November 11, 1983. The Supremes Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1988.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1995.
Janis Joplin Performing Live at Boston Music Hall on February 9, 1969.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1997
Joni Mitchell (L) and John Guerin attend the wedding of songwriter Jimmy Webb and Patsy Sullivan at an Ojai, California, ranch owned by Jim Messina on July 13, 1974.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1998
Cass Elliot of the Mama’s and the Papa’s attends a preview screening of “Chinatown” at the headquarters of the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, California, on June 19, 1974.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Pierre Schermann Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 1999
Dusty Springfield attends an event at the Gulf + Western Building in New York City on September 26, 1976.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Guy DeLort Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2000
Bonnie Raitt (L) attends the Kennedy Center Honors and reception at the White House in Washington, D.C., on December 3, 1978.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2005
Stella McCartney (L) and Chrissie Hynde attend the Accessories Council’s 2008 ACE Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Kyle Ericksen Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2006
Deborah Harry in a Stephen Sprouse’s day-glo camouflage with Stephen Sprouse at the Joffrey Ballet Party at Roseland Ballroom on October 27, 1987.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2007
Patti Smith performs at Ann Demeulemeester’s fall 2006 menswear runway show at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Ted Dayton/WWD Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2008
Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier participate in a benefit event for amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, on September 24, 1992.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: WWD Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2013
Donna Summer attends an awards ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on December 27, 1979.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Guy DeLort Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2014
Linda Ronstadt (2nd from R) attends an event in honor of Mexico’s first lady at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 1977.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2015
Joan Jett arrives at Rock Award show in Los Angeles wearing a Sex Pistols t-shirt, leather jacket and blue jeans with studded belt.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Pierre Schermann Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2017
Musician and activist Joan Baez performing for people turning in their draft cards during an anti-war demonstration in Central Park on April 3, 1968, one day before Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: WWD Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2019
Janet Jackson and Christian Siriano at the Christian Siriano Spring 2024 Ready To Wear Fashion Show at the Pierre Hotel on September 8, 2023 in New York
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Roman Salicki/WWD Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2019
Stevie Nicks performs onstage at the Roxy in Los Angeles, California, on December 28, 1981.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Marissa Roth/WWD Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2020
Whitney and Cissy Houston attending Clive Davis’s occasionally annual pre-Grammy party held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 24, 1987 in Los Angeles.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: WWD Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2021
Charlotte Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Kathy Valentine, Gina Schock (on drums), and Jane Wiedelin of the Go-Go’s perform onstage at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 19, 1982.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2021
Carole King (C) attends the opening of the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California, on September 19, 1973.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Ken Abbinante Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2021
Tina Turner performs in Los Vegas during the Magic Tradeshow event line up on September 30, 1982.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Kyle Ericksen Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2022
Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox of Eurythmics appear onstage in t-shirts by Katherine Hamnett during the Fashion Aid Charity event at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, on November 5, 1985.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2022
Dolly Parton attends an event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California, on January 16, 1978.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Dustin Pittman Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2022
Portraits of singer and song writer Carly Simon at her home in the Hamptons on
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Donato Sardella Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2023
Sheryl Crow (C) performs during the sixth annual Race to Erase MS benefit, sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger, at the Century Plaza Hotel in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on November 14, 1997.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2023
Missy Elliot (L) wearing and Adidas jacket poses with Christina Aguilera at the 2003 Motorola Party in Los Angeles.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: John Calabrese Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2023
Singer Chaka Khan performs at Lane Bryant’s promotional fashion show at the Puck Building in New York City on June 18,1997.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2023
William Elliott (L) and Dionne Warwick attend the 44th Academy Awards in Los Angeles in 1972.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Steve Eichner Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2024
Mary J. Blige (L) and Catherine Malandrino on the runway at the Malandrino + FFAWN resort 2011 show at the Museum of Modern Art.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – 2024
Cher attends an event at the Plitt Theater in Los Angeles, California, on December 19, 1984.
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Women Inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Who Inspired Fashion
Image Credit: Stephen Lovejoy Cher in a Bob Mackie gown on the runway during the Jane Fonda Benefit Fashion Show in Beverly Hills on May 22, 1979.
