Designers honour Grace Kelly's cool, classic style from actress to princess

LOS ANGELES - In a scene from 1956's "High Society," Grace Kelly wears a white halter swimsuit and pushes a model sailboat into a swimming pool, her head cocked to the side, eyes shining.

It's a serene moment and one that captures the patrician beauty of the Oscar-winning actress-turned-princess, who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco that year and left Hollywood to become Princess Grace of Monaco.

With her swept-back blond waves, splash of lipstick, model-perfect face and demure stature, Kelly was a muse to couture houses such as Dior and Givenchy. Kelly died in 1982 at age 52, yet 27 years later she continues to inspire designers with her elegant style.

"She has always been on my mind, whether I do ballgowns or wedding dresses. Beauty, but always with a modern twist," said eveningwear designer Reem Acra. "I'm sure, if she was in my era, or her in mine, I could have dressed her. She would have been my muse."

Kelly will be honoured Thursday with the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award in Beverly Hills, along with French jeweller Cartier. They join past honorees including Manolo Blahnik, Tom Ford, Donatella Versace and Giorgio Armani.

The event comes a day after Tommy Hilfiger and his wife Dee chair the Princess Grace Foundation-USA's Princess Grace Awards Gala in New York City, with awards presented to artists in dance, theatre and film.

Hilfiger, who wrote the forward to 2007's tribute book "Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures" (Pavilion), noted how Kelly's look in "High Society" broke her out from the pack, exemplified by a cinched-in white wedding dress with sheer, blouse sleeves.

It was her last film role before exiting Hollywood to raise her family as a princess, but she had star turns in '50s Hitchcock movies "To Catch a Thief," "Rear Window," and "Dial M for Murder." She won a best actress Oscar for "Country Girl" in 1954.

"She really epitomized American beauty," said Hilfiger. "Her swimwear was amazing, but her dresses became iconic. She was not only royalty, but she was a mother, down-to-earth, athletic. She loved the outdoors. She had a lot of qualities women aspire to today."

Both Acra and Hilfiger pointed to Kelly's ability to look put together without too much effort. That consistency, from a belted skirt suit in "Rear Window" to a simple, white strapless gown in "To Catch a Thief," shows her style staying power, they said.

She sometimes showed a hint of attitude, too, added Acra, particularly in a three-quarter sleeve, off-white dress from "Rear Window." She wore it with a fur cape and black bag.

"Most of what she wore consisted of timeless classics. That's what we look at for inspiration throughout the years," said Hilfiger. "Many looks keep coming back to the runway. Her coat dresses, the way she wore prints, the way she wore ballgowns. Even her casual sportswear, wearing gingham, her country club looks."

Bred in Philadelphia, Kelly always carried herself with a regal air, becoming the namesake for the still sought-after Hermes Kelly bag.

But for Hilfiger, who grew up in a small town in upstate New York, her look was hardly the norm - and that's partly what intrigues him. His spring 2007 collection channelled Kelly with shift dresses paired with scarves.

Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Michael Kors, Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren are among the others to cite her as a fashion icon.