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True stars do shimmer with a one-of-a-kind style. Talent has something to do with it, and so does force of personality. But for a select constellation, the very clothes on their backs define their identities. And often those public personas are a cocreation of star and fashion designer-a relationship that includes close collaboration (Sylvester Stallone and Gianni Versace plan for the Oscars) and often extends right into bosom friendship (Sandra Bernhard and Isaac Mizrahi celebrate Passover together). Here are eight top star-designer duos for whom inspiration is a two-way thing. SYLVESTER STALLONE AND GIANNI VERSACE In his 1976 film, Rocky, Sylvester Stallone ran the Philadelphia Art Museum steps to get in shape. A decade later, Gianni Versace showed him an easier way: monotone colors. ''I suggested outfits all in blue or black, for example,'' the Italian designer says. ''This gave more power to his face and a nonchalance to his big body.'' These days, the actor rarely misses the designer's fashion shows in Milan, and the two have taken vacations together in Como, Italy. There's even talk that Stallone will showcase his favorite designer's clothes in his movie Demolition Man (currently in preproduction). ''When I first met Sylvester, I was really impressed by the simple and intelligent attitude of his character-the superficial arrogance of his style really didn't release his true personality,'' says Versace. ''Sylvester is like a good wine: The more time passes, the more tasteful he becomes.''
AUDREY HEPBURN AND HUBERT DE GIVENCHY He defined elegance. She added the incandescence. When Hubert de Givenchy dressed Hollywood's sylphiest of stars in capri pants and ballet slippers for the 1954 film Sabrina (and framed her even more memorably in a sleeveless black dress and lampshade hat for 1961's Breakfast at Tiffany's), they created a style-the gamine look-still emulated around the world. Continuing to design for her films (Funny Face, Charade, Paris When It Sizzles), Givenchy also fashioned Hepburn's offscreen wardrobe and even developed his perfume with her in mind. ''We have become great friends in life as well as in work,'' Givenchy said recently of their 40-year collaboration. ''I continue to think of Audrey when I design.'' And Hepburn, now a graceful ambassador for UNICEF, still wears his clothes. ''(They) give me confidence,'' she recently told Harper's Bazaar. ''All those fund-raising trips, cocktails, and galas-I don't think I could have done it without Hubert's love and kindness ours is a love that's lasted 40 years and will last forever. It's friendship in its purest form.''
QUEEN LATIFAH AND TODD OLDHAM Call it a culture clash: a down-home boy from Texas dressing a homegirl rapper from the Newark projects. But for Queen Latifah, it has been more like a culture smash: ''When I decided to break out of my basic black, big boots, ready-to-kill look, I went straight to Todd because of his multinational designs. He knows how to make women look good.'' In the case of the Queen, that wasn't hard. ''Her best feature is that gorgeous face,'' says Oldham, whose designs for Latifah have ranged from a 12-inch-high transparent kufi rivaling Nefertiti's to a sequin-beaded T-shirt she wore in his fall fashion show. ''I love her spirit. She's strong, with that great star quality that lights up rooms. I try to play up her rapid-fire personality-keep the attitude and less of the hard-core edge.'' The two ''hit it off instantly,'' Oldham says. Still, no one rules the Queen. Her favorite color: Royal blue. Her style: Decidedly Afrocentric. But she's very open-minded. ''I must be true to her heritage and then add a twist to make it me,'' Oldham says. ''In the end, it's her that shines.''
