Philip Treacy, Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow

Isabella Blow was testimony to the relevance of the modern day muse.   The 48-year-old, who died from drinking poison in May 2007, was rarely seen in public without a striking hat by Philip Treacy.   She championed his work from the time she brought an acid green felt, with jagged crocodile teeth creation into her Tatler office. As well as Treacy, Blow was most famously a muse to Alexander McQueen.     They met at his degree show at St Martin's where she bought his entire collection for £5,000. In an interview she once mused, "When I die... McQueen wants my head, because he wants to wake up one morning and see my lips move, saying, ‘Where are my clothes?'"        

      Gareth Pugh and Katie Shillingford

“I never think of a particular person when I design, but my friend and stylist, Katie Shillingford, always ends up being my fit model," says hot new London Fashion Week talent, Gareth Pugh.   Katie is the closest to being Pugh’s muse. "I've worked with her for years so her opinion is always respected... which makes us sound very old. We aren't, by the way," says Pugh, 26, famous for making clothes out of black balloons.   When uber-trendy Shillingford, also 26, is not styling Pugh’s show she works with top photographers including Matt Irwin, Rankin, Daniel Sannwald, William Selden and Mariano Vivanco.     Karl Lagerfeld and Amanda Harlech

Amanda Harlech was recently described by Karl Lagerfeld as his "lieutenant". The 43-year-old fashionista, who divides her life between the Chanel HQ on the rue Cambon, a suite in the Paris Ritz, and a 52-acre farm in Shropshire, is the ‘trophy' muse international designers would kill for. The former conspirator and muse of John Galliano, Amanda Harlech defected a decade ago and has been personal and professional muse and collaborator to Kaiser Karl ever since. Blessed with sharp intelligence, breathtaking glamour, a keen eye for trends and a dark sense of humour, Harlech's sensibility is key to the modern Chanel aesthetic.   Henry Holland and Agyness Deyn

She might be the ‘face' of Burberry and Armani but Agyness ("Agy") Deyn, punky peroxide model-of-the-moment, is the jealously guarded muse of Henry Holland, the man behind the label, House of Holland. Born Laura Hollins, in Manchester in 1983, the story goes that Henry was a regular in the chippie where she worked. Now the Vogue Italia covergirl and supermodel is being hailed as the next Kate Moss and will never have to dish up mushy peas again. Unless they become fashionable of course. She still finds time to hang out with Holland and help him come up with a few funnies for his slogan T-shirts.   Ian Garland and Chloe Delevigne

In keeping with the tradition of his fashion house, Hardy Amies, which still clothes many of the most stylish of British Society and County Ladies, it's creative director Ian Garland, has a muse. The suitably posh, x-ray thin society gal, Chloe Delevigne, 20, is one half of the too pretty and perfect for words, Delevigne sisters (the other is Poppy). The two blondes, who have Rapunzel-like caramel hair and a passion for microscopic dresses, are regulars on the London party circuit, flitting from Boujis to The Firehouse, the Chelsea restaurant owned by Chloe's fiancé, restaurant entrepreneur, Louis Buckworth.   Matthew Williamson and Astrid Munoz It's all change in museworld. Designer Matthew Williamson has ditched Sienna Miller (who took over from Jade Jagger) and appointed, Puerto Rican supermodel Astrid Munoz, the latest squeeze of trendy Converse-pumps wearing squillionaire, Dan Macmillan. Munoz, one of the first Latin lovelies to make it big on the global model stage, has been the Guess girl and appeared in Chanel campaigns photographed by Karl Lagerfeld. She is also hugely in demand on the international catwalk. The 32-year-old, 5ft 9in brunette, recently starred in Roberto Cavalli's global advertising campaign for the high street chain H&M and will certainly inject Williamson's signature boho-chic with some va-va-voom.   Patrick Cox and Elizabeth Hurley

Elizabeth Hurley was born to be a muse. She has the vital ingredients: body, boobs, brains. Being a muse is about more than being having a pretty face. Famously famous for being famous, and long before she ever actually did anything, Hurley wore a Versace dress with safety pins to the premiere of Four Weddings And A Funeral, with her then boyfriend, Hugh Grant, and secured her fate. Now a swimwear designer, she is muse to Patrick Cox, the famous accessory and shoe designer, who is also one of her best mates. The two are pictured together all the time and the set-up couldn't be more perfect. She gets great shoes, he gets great publicity.   Christopher and Tammy Kane

Tammy Kane is her brother, Christopher's "collaborator, muse is such an outdated word". She's also his business partner, fittings model (she's a perfect size 8) and flatmate. Christopher - who founded the bodycon teeny tiny dress movement only to move on to frilly camouflage chiffon just as everyone was copying him - frequently stresses his label is all about the teamwork between him and his sis. She is to Christopher what Donatella Versace was to her big brother, Gianni. Which is weird because Tammy and Chris worked for Donatella not so long ago.   Marc Jacobs and Sofia Coppola

Marc Jacobs is a brilliant but weird sort of guy. You'd think because he prefers ironic or disturbing fashion images taken by photographers like Cindy Sherman or Juergen Teller, his muse would be a someone other than Sofia Coppola, she of the bee-stung lips and top shelf body. "She is the epitome of this girl I fantasise about," Jacobs has said of the effortlessly stylish, actress-turned-director/producer and daughter of legendary director, Francis Ford Coppola. Sofia is incredibly well connected in the film and fashion world and sort of American royalty. The added ingredient of having the world's No 1 fashion stylist, Venetia Scott, at your fingertips to dress her helps. We're not knocking you, Marc. Great choice of muse.   (PRUKJP/MSNHB08)