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Born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in New York in 1929 to a privileged family, the girl who would eventually become the wife of the world's most famous man showed strong style credentials from a young age. By the time she became Mrs John F Kennedy in 1953 she had already become a fashion icon to women all over the world setting the style for the early sixties with her clean suits, sleeveless A-line dresses and pillbox hats.
It was old family friend, couturier Oleg Cassini who put her signature look together having persuaded the first lady that she should use him as the creator of her total look, rather than many designers (a decision which shocked and infuriated many of his rivals), but the decision proved pivotal. Wherever John and Jackie went in the world, all eyes were on her. But her innate sense of style extended way beyond the state visits and society functions of the Kennedy era. When Jackie was cruelly widowed in 1963 at the age of 34, her style changed dramatically, in keeping with her new single life. Gone were the conservative ‘campaign wife' clothes, replaced with wide-leg pantsuits, jeans, large lapel jackets, silk Hermès head scarves and of course those large, round, dark sunglasses. When she married Aristotle Onassiss in 1968 her style changed once again to suit her Mediterranean lifestyle, encompassing gypsy skirts, hoop earrings, lots of jewellery and scraped back hair. Jackie O (as she became affectionately known), never had a bad fashion day and never took a bad photo, which is why 15 years after her death she is still referred to as one of the most influential people in fashion. Here, Handbag looks at the enduring style of this celebrity fashion icon.

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Above One of the most iconic images of Jackie shot in 1971 on Madison Avenue, New York by original paparazzo Ron Galella, who she successfully sued the following year for harassment. He was subsequently restricted from coming within 100 yards of her home and 50 yards of her children (later reduced to 25 feet).