Last week, as the V&A unveiled its dazzling Cartier exhibition, one luminaire outshone even the most brilliant jewels in attendance: Dame Joan Collins, who, astonishingly, approaches her 92nd birthday with the same magnetic allure that has defined her seven-decade reign as a style icon.
Arriving arm-in-arm with her longtime confidant (and occasional stylist) René Horsch, Collins epitomized high-octane elegance in a silver sequinned Karen Millen top, silk trousers, a Ralph Lauren tweed coat, and Chanel jewels—a masterclass in cocktail-hour sophistication.
“Collins’s commitment to old-world polish is unwavering,” notes journalist Emma Elwick, who profiled the star for Tatler in 2019. “She adores feathers, fell for a pink Marc Jacobs bouclé coat during our shoot, but famously quipped she’d never ‘look like Gaga.’ Her admiration for the Princess of Wales’s refined aesthetic speaks volumes. What’s remarkable is how her signature look—always coiffed, always glamorous—has remained authentically hers, never outsourced to stylists.”
Defying Generational Trends
While Gen Z flirts with athleisure and distressed denim, Collins—affectionately dubbed “The Dame” or “JC” by friends—remains a paragon of dressed perfection. A recent Instagram post promoting M&S Foodhall in a crisp white trouser suit and Panama hat (effortlessly elevating grocery chic) begs the question: Why isn’t she the brand’s ambassador?
“She’s vocal about society’s ‘collective slobbishness,’” shares Penny McCormick, Collins’s PA of 20 years. “For her, shoes, bags, and hats are non-negotiable investments.” Though no stranger to high-street gems (her Zara hauls and M&S cashmere edits are legendary), Collins blends accessibility with aspiration—proving glamour isn’t about price tags, but panache.
The Dynasty Effect: Power Dressing as Legacy
Collins’s style ethos crystallized during her Dynasty heyday, where Alexis Carrington’s shoulder-padded grandeur mirrored her off-screen Beverly Hills dominance. “She knows her silhouette—legs and décolletage highlighted, square necklines, fluid tailoring—and sticks to it,” explains McCormick. A trusted dressmaker and frequent trips to Joel & Son Fabric sustain her archive of custom pieces, often inspired by vintage tear sheets.
Her beauty regimen is equally disciplined: a needle-free vow (she credits genetics and sun avoidance), a rigorous skincare routine, and a hat collection that doubles as UV armor. “Joan’s glow comes from within,” affirms nutritionist Gabriela Peacock. “She treats wellness as the foundation of beauty, then layers on that irreplicable confidence.”
Glamour as Joy, Not Armor
Now, Collins prepares to channel another icon in The Bitter End, playing the Duchess of Windsor opposite Isabella Rossellini. The role is poetic: Wallis Simpson’s calculated elegance contrasts with Collins’s own exuberant embrace of glamour—a choice, not a shield.
“Age is just a number,” she’s famously declared. “Unless you’re a bottle of wine.” And like the finest vintage, Dame Joan only grows more luminous.
Style Notes:
- Signature Silhouette: Square necklines, cropped jackets, wide-leg trousers, and statement jewels.
- Beauty Hack: “Sun avoidance and SPF are the ultimate facelift.”
- Life Motto: “Glamour isn’t vanity—it’s self-respect.”
Here’s to the woman who makes 91 look like the new 40.