Marant Defines Parisian Cool

Paris runways are glamorous, swanky, exaggerated … and casual? Many designers showcase clothes you couldn't imagine going anywhere in, but Isabel Marant shuns haute couture for an effortless chic that's come to define Parisian cool. Her loose dresses, slouchy pants and light makeup aren't just all the rage in February's W magazine: “Every French girl wears Isabel Marant," says one reporter.

But Marant prefers that her popularity in Europe stays there. “I don’t want to overflow other countries with my clothes,” she says, but that might be wishful thinking: Actresses Kirsten Dunst and Rachel Bilson have been linked to the label, and rapper Kanye West checked out her spring collection as research for his upcoming line. (More fashion stories.)