The Class of 2009: The Year’s Best Designers, Trends, Muses, and Models!

While our yearbooks have always been good for intermittent fits of nostalgia, we can't say they were ever really much to look at. This year, though, we're upping the glam quotient on year-end roundups by choosing the best and the brightest of Fashion's class of 2009. And with picks like models nominated for Most Attractive, the edgiest fashion tomes gunning for Most Photogenic, and the most talked-about new designers in the running for Coolest Freshman, you can be sure there won't be any sartorial regrets here. Welcome to the winner's circle...

Though there were some hot contenders for this title, 2009 was undoubtedly the year of Lara. After having an entire issue of French Vogue devoted to her, usurping Madonna's place in the Louis Vuitton ads and making W's cover as "fashion's It girl," this well-endowed lass has definitely earned her seat on the fashion throne.

Tao Okamoto takes the lead as the biggest model breakout with the creepy-cool bowl cut.
Lily Cole leads the pack in a red-head resurgence and sharpens her acting chops in two buzzed-about films, including The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
Jamie Bochert, this runway dark-horse delivers the most unexpected comeback, walking for Rodarte and scoring the Marc Jacobs campaign this month.
Karlie Kloss, this classic cutie scores the most Vogue editorials of 2009.
Christy Turlington, the supe next-door beats out the youngins for some major campaigns, including YSL and Bally.

Most Photogenic—Best Magazine Cover: V Magazine featuring Lady Gaga with removable sunglasses

Always a cut above the competition, V mag clinched top honors with this conceptual cover that almost one-upped the world's hugest pop-star by adding a genius pair of removable oversized sunnies.

Elle France's "untouched" covers, because we'll take a fresh-scrubbed look over Botox any day.
Wallpaper* peel cover offered that little thrill of now you see it, now you don't!
Beth Ditto on the cover of Dazed made us want to blow a thousand kisses for refreshingly spotlighting the singer's face, not her bodacious bod.
i-D's "Pretty Young Things" September cover gave gorgeous diversity a breath of fresh air.
Pop's cover featuring an other-wordly Tavi made us wonder if being in 8th grade was ever this cool.
British Vogue's red-hot cover star Georgia Jagger restored our faith that glamorous, sexy, juicy covers can still work without a darn celebrity.

Best Dressed—Top Trend: Blonde Hair

Blonde, blonde, and more blonde! Golden manes had their moment in the sun this year with models like Iekeliene, Dree, Siri, and Daul (RIP) all hitting the peroxide bottle.

Studded everything goes from thrift store treasure to Forever 21 trash...whahh.
Thigh-high boots show up looking great, looking sexy, and often looking a little slutty, too.
Leopard print makes everyone want to channel their inner white-hot DvF at Studio 54.
Big shoulders Balmain-style can make any girl feel like a super-hero.
Cut-offs that were more D&G than Daisy Duke still have us hitting the gym four times a week.

Favorite Super Senior—Designer of the Year: Rodarte

We've always had a soft spot for Rodarte, but this year, the Mulleavy sisters firmly cemented the world's respect and admiration with not only Target's hottest collaboration but a much-deserved CFDA win...is it any wonder there's talk of a movie in the works?

Alexander McQueen never disappoints and even blows our minds with the season's most talked-about fashion show.
Alexander Wang continues to expand his empire after scoring the CFDA's Swarovski Award for Womenswear.
Jason Wu...one word: Mobama!
Phoebe Philo is kind of always on our list of favorites but she gets extra props this year for returning to fashion with a mission to revive Celine...and so far, so good.
Lanvin's Alber Elbaz is just STILL killing it....killing it!
Christopher Kane continues to represent the personification of smart, progressive, playful fashion. We love.

Between rocking McQueen in the "Bad Romance" video, her triumphant V cover, the pronouncement that she may be more powerful than Anna Wintour, and her performances at Marc Jacobs' after party, it's safe to say that Gaga remains the Girl of the Moment.

Alexa Chung, because even if "It's On..." is off, we will always worship at the church of Chung.
Tavi from her BFF Rodarte/Target video to her ultra-cool Pop cover, this 14-year-old proves you don't need experience to be totally on top of your game.
Diane Kruger emerged as not only an absurdly gorgeous face (that Interview shoot!) but an actor worth her salt.
Dree Hemingway still kind of freaks us out with her it-comes-so-easy brand of coolness.

Coolest Freshman—Best New Designer: Katie Gallagher

While most new designers take baby steps, Katie Gallagher took a giant leap with Shroud and Veil, her first fall and spring collections, flooring the fashion world with her drama-drenched urban clothing and earning her the top spot on our list of most-watched emerging designers.

Pamela Love couldn't have been more in demand sealing jewelry collaborations with Yigal Azrouël, Zac Posen, and Opening Ceremony.
Sophie Theallet not only steals the heart of Mobama but also the the Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund Award.
Mary Katrantzou 's adventurous perfume bottle collection definitely made us take notice of this audacious English up-and-comer.
Frank Tell is keeping his cool, but trust us, this is just the calm before the storm for this 2010 superstar.

Most Likely to Succeed—Most Seductive Ad Campaign: Cesare Pacciotti photographed by Mario Sorrenti

Few things inspire unbridled lust like a great pair of gorgeous shoes. But put Cesare Paciotti's aggressively sexy heels on top models Eniko Mihalik and Constance Jablonski, and have them shot by snap-master of seduction Mario Sorrenti, and you've got a combo that literally turns fetish into fantasy.

Raquel Zimmerman left a big impression with her Masculin/Feminin Jean Paul Gaultier ads shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
Lanvin's Steven Meisel "Cat Attack" was a perfect fit for freaky-feline model-goddess Kristen McNemany.
Louis Vuitton by Steven Meisel (Madonna photoshopped with bunny ears)
Kenzo's dreamy/trippy Mario Sorrenti ads.
Fendi Smoke Karl Lagerfeld/Jess Stam

Cutest Couple—Chicest Collaboration: Target & Rodarte

Collaborations this year inspired epic lines and countless cries of excitement, but nothing has stirred up quite as much buzz as Rodarte's truly adorable line for Target, which really does deliver a beautiful and wallet-friendly slice of the pie-in-the-sky collection.

Christopher Kane for Topshop because if it's good enough for Kate Moss, it's always good enough for us.
Jil Sander +J for Uniqlo took the world by storm and seems to have restored the German icon's mystique in fashion.
Solve Sundsbo & Surface to Air Paris turned out more than a few dreamy eclectic pieces we wanted to snap up.
Pendleton for Opening Ceremony seemed kind of odd in theory but in reality it was a match made in mountain-chic heaven.