Slideshow: theGrio's favorite off-the-runway fashion icons

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It’s that time of the year again! With Labor Day behind us, and white out for the season, the buzz is all about this year’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Yet, often we find that the real trendsetters are making their mark in the fashion world off the runway.

This year, we saw everything from the return of 80s shoulder pads in a sexier, edgier manner—courtesy of Rihanna and Lady Gaga—to leotards and 80s haircuts. To say it wasn’t a revamping of that decade would be a lie. We also saw a lot of neutral or flesh tones, and peek-a boo outfits. Designers supplied a lot of cut outs, high slits, mesh, lace, and more to give a little peek at the skin beneath their ornate pieces. One shouldered dresses also made a big splash, along with metallics. The glitz, sparkle and shimmer were designers’ active attempts to distract us from the recession. Banded dresses became a big hit on red carpets and teen Hollywood. Finally, feathers made a reappearance, mostly on red carpets and runways. This fashion week we expect to see great things from designers Isaac Mizahri, Tracy Reese, Jason Wu, Ralph Lauren, Christian Siriano, and Dennis Basso.

However, our focus today is on people creating new trends and making loud fashion statements while having no ties to the fashion world. In this day and age, if you have any sort of music or acting career its expected that you will launch a fashion line sooner or later. But as we have discovered, these trendsetters don’t need to have a fashion line to create sophistication, grace, and glamour within their own look. As a matter of fact, many of the people featured, take more fashion risks than most designers, and are quite successful at initiating new trends and creating new looks for both their fellow artists, and the general public. So take a look as we examine the most fashionable people outside of the fashion industry.