Well-worn label is more ironic than iconic

'Fashion icon' is possibly the most overused term in our industry, at least that I can think of. It's de rigueur these days for brands to describe any z-lister they've paid to attend a promotional event as a 'fashion icon'. It is as common as the flat champagne that's always served at these things.

Although some labels manage to attract truly stylish acts, that is not the case most of the time. It's difficult to accept the stylistic credentials of someone who is paid to attend an event in an outfit made by the label bankrolling the whole shebang. Can we really say the clothes they are wearing are an indication of their true style?

Surely we've seen enough pseudo-models donning badly cut dresses in garish colours being called iconic. What is iconic - or even fashionable - about the overenthusiastic use of hair straighteners?

In the fashion industry, it's quite easy to call someone vapid. Fashionistas are hardly the most down-to-earth bunch, so you might be surprised to learn that the current throwaway use of the word 'icon' raises eyebrows and prompts smirks even within the industry. Instead of 'model', 'celebrity', or even just 'talent', everyone is now an icon.

True fashion icons are the likes of Lady Gaga, Phoebe Philo, Daphne Guinness and Marlene Dietrich. In Asia, designer Guo Pei qualifies, as do Sun Fei Fei, Hidetoshi Nakata, Ken Watanabe and Ayumi Hamasaki. They all have huge followings on some kind of regional, if not international, level. They all have a distinctive sense of individual style and know what they like.

In the past two weeks, I've received lots of post-event photos for press use. I've already counted more than 20 'fashion icons' in the pictures. I couldn't recognise a single one. Perhaps I'm missing out on the latest celeb to make waves by donning a sequinned jacket - and for that I'm rather glad.