PHOTOS: The World’s Most Fashionable Moguls

by Verena von Pfetten | 10:17 am, April 25th, 2011

In honor of the launch of our newest sister site, Mogulite, which covers the crazy expensive world of corporate gurus, enterprising celebrities and up-and-coming titans, we’ve put together a list of the most fashionable moguls across all industries — and some of our picks may surprise you.

We’ve left off the obvious choices like Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren — being a designer gives them a somewhat unfair advantage over the rest of their uber-rich brethren — and instead focused on those titans who have cultivated a signature style beyond expensive suits and a rainbow collection of Birkin bags. Money may be able to buy you designer brands, but only good taste can give you style. (Though, to be fair, it can buy you a very talented personal stylist. Just sayin’.)

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1.Arianna Huffington

There's nothing more fashionable than a strong point of view and Arianna Huffington has that and more. Not only does she believe strongly in flats, she's got a signature style which makes her loyal to the likes of Ports 1961 and Nanette Lepore.

2.Bernard Arnault, LVMH

We'd post more photos of Monsieur Arnault's gorgeous suits, but we're pretty sure this photo says it all.

3.Indra Nooyi

We love a woman who knows her colors and this Pepsi Co. CEO certainly has a thing for navy. She's also known for her bright sari scarves which add a delightful pop of color to all her ensembles.

4.Jay-Z

You'd be hard pressed to find a mogul of any industry with smoother style than Jay-Z. From three-piece suits to tuxes to his street-ready leather jackets, Mr. Z manages to hold his own against wifey Beyonce, who's no slouch herself.

5.Barry Diller

Diller is the chairman of IAC and the husband of fellow mogul Diane von Furstenberg (who only missed this list by virtue of being so very obvious), but he's also the owner of a seriously cool sense of style. Doesn't he look like a man who would throw a great yacht party?

6.Martha Stewart

Not only is she besties with the likes of Andre Leon Talley, Martha Stewart used to model for Chanel. And let's not forget that brown Birkin bag she carried to court got almost as much press as the trial itself.

7.Liliane Bettencourt

If there really were such a thing as fashion royalty, Liliane Bettencourt would be the queen. She's the daughter of the founder of L'Oreal and, as Mogulite puts it, the "owner of a plurality of the beauty giant's outstanding shares." She's also the only woman to break the Top 20 of their Power Grid -- and more than anything else, she's a walking example of advanced style.

8.Francois Pinault

Not to be confused with his son François-Henri Pinault (who's married to Salma Hayek), Francois Pinault is the founder of holding company PPR, second only to LVMH in terms of luxury brands. But owning the likes of Gucci and YSL does not a style mogul make -- instead, it's Pinault's penchant for well-tailored suits and purple ties that secured him a spot on this list.

9.Tadashi Yanai

Sure, Tadashi Yanai is the founder of Fast Retailing, a holding company which owns mega retailers like Uniqlo, and the richest man in Japan. Since charity is always in fashion, it's worth noting that he recently donated $25.6 million in disaster relief to Japan, but that's not why he's on our list -- he can thank his pocket squares for that.

10.Steve Jobs

We're well aware that this will probably be a contentious pick, but we can't help but love a man who knows the importance of a uniform. Steve Jobs is basically the Karl Lagerfeld of Silicone Valley.