Fashion power couples: these stylish partnerships show us how to successfully mix work with pleasure

We are forever being told the secret to a happy relationship is different interests; to keep work-life and home-life separate. But these couples have shared professions as well as shared bank accounts - and it seems to be working rather well.
Fashionable faces: Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl are arguably the most genetically blessed duo on the fashion circuit
Charlie Teather17 October 2014

Stella McCartney and Alasdhair Willis

It all started over a breakfast meeting at Browns, and now they're pretty high up - if not number one - in the ranking of fashion's most influential couples. He is creative director of the Hunter wellington boot brand, while she - duh - is one of Britain's top rated fashion designers. And generally an all-round queen. Speaking to the Telegraph, Willis said that despite being married for 11 years, they still love nothing more than just hanging out together. "We respect each other, we enjoy each other's company and she's my best friend." When asked about mixing work and play he made the process seem utterly natural: "We do vibe off each other quite well when it comes to ideas. But at the weekend it's all about the kids." Both loyal supporters of each other's brand, you'll never see one showing their latest collection without the other admiring fondly from the front row. How lovely.

Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli

She, a fashion designer and beholder of the name behind the brand, and he, the company's CEO, are a formidable pairing. With his business-driven mind, Patrizio has pushed the company to open stand alone stores internationally, buying shares in other fashion brands such as Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, Church & Company and Fendi. In 2011 Miuccia declared her year's earnings at £8.6 million, while her husband raked in a further £8.9 million. Her current net worth is around the £4.3 billion, putting her at number 139 in the list of world billionaires. And they still manage to look mutually besotted every time they're captured together. If that isn't an effective partnership then we don't know what is.

Frida Giannini and Patrizio di Marco

Discovering their love for one another at the headquarters of their other love, Gucci, she is the brand's creative director and he is the CEO. Following a similar pattern to the Prada-partnership, she drives the designing while he is the brains behind the business. They first got together in 2009 after falling for each other at work, but only made their relationship public in 2011, when they declared that they were more than willing to leave their positions at the fashion house if their boss, owner François-Henri Pinault, was unhappy with their romantic situation. Alas, the couple have managed to work out the balance, welcoming their first child, Greta, in March last year. Willing to give up their love of fashion for their love of each other, this couple seem to have their priorities straight.

Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl

The word 'Sunday' has a whole new meaning thanks to this loved-up instagram-savvy pair. If you're not uploading a photo of yourselves with your partner every weekend, in a perfectly exotic and romantic location, then, frankly, you're not weekend-ing properly. Their 'Sundays' pictures were apparently Johannes's idea, as he liked the idea of always finishing the week together, even if they are physically apart (there have occasionally been 'Sundays' installments involving a FaceTime screenshot). Arguably the most genetically blessed duo on the fashion circuit, she is a fashion blogger, known for her iconic polished and elegant style, while he is a top male model. They married in June this year, after six and a half years of courtship, in a low-key, personal ceremony where she wore a stunning yet understated cashmere sweater/tulle skirt combo. Modern, modest and madly in love.

Ed Filipowski and Mark Lee Filipowski

This undeniably-powerful-but-admirably-humble couple from Manhattan are the type of men you could really do with befriending. They'll make you laugh while simultaneously plying you with free samples of deliciously designer pieces. We'd hope anyway! Ed is the co-president of KCD - the celebrated publicity and special-events machine whose clients include Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen... (etc. etc. etc.), while Mark is the CEO of that well-known retailer Barneys New York, looking after more than 2,000 designer brands and almost as many employees. They both find the time to manage these enormous multifaceted companies and a seemingly perfect relationship, while we struggle to juggle a 9-5 work schedule with getting the washing done. Teach us, boys!

Five other major-fash' couples who you should already know all about.

If not, time to swot!

1. Victoria Beckham and David Beckham - Posh and Becks. She designs high-end pieces, while he has embarked on a long-term underwear collaboration with H&M. He models them too. You won't hear any complaints from us.

2. Michael Kors and Lance Lepere - Michael hired Lepere in 1990 as an intern in his Paris fashion house. They married in 2011. N.B. not all internships require such commitment.

3. Jenna Lyons and Courtney Crangi - Lyons is the president of J Crew, while Crangi designs jewelry for the family company. They first publicised their relationship, in a real display of girl power, during Lyons' acceptance speech at the 2012 Glamour Women of the Year ceremony.

4. Kim Kardashian-West and Kanye West - A pairing that will make some fashion-devotees cringe in horror to see here, but like them or loathe them they have both created successful lines and they're both frequently dressed by the top designers at public events.

5. Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin - This Dutch fashion photographer duo met at the Vogue Academy of fashion design in their hometown, Amsterdam. They have shot for publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, V, The Gentlewoman and many more. Lights, camera, attraction.

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