And the winner is none other than Zac Posen. He managed to master every color, every relevant designer, and heck…he even designed his own unforgettable suit for the Costume Institute Gala. Other men have tried and stumbled, but Posen succeeded again and again. We spoke to the elated Chic Report champion himself!

What’s stylish to you? “Good pasta. A well-filleted fish.”

What was your first fashion statement as a child? “Four years of purple and green, exclusively.”

Who in your opinion is best dressed man of all time?  ”Luigi Ontani.”

What should every gentleman have in his closet? “Great shirting…whatever puts an extra beat in our sleep.”

Do you think most men seem to dress better these days? “On a whole, I don’t think men dress better these days, but there are always the exceptions.”

What are most exciting cities (style-wise) in the world for you? “New York City, Paris, Napoli, Rome, Kigston, and Dakar.

Is there one item in your closet that you just can’t throw away? “Everything is disposable. I’ve got skin on my back!”

Miranda Kerr: “All I want to do is nothing for three weeks. I just want to relax, rejuvenate, stay in my pajamas, and have fun.”

Terrence Koh: “I will be visiting my parents for Christmas in Shanghai. I love going back to Shanghai during the holidays because my parents love Christmas as much as me! Even though they live in a traditional Chinese house, we always have a big Christmas tree in the living room. My parents are both artists just like me, and the Christmas tree is decorated with ornaments that we always make together. Last year we decided that all the ornaments would be paper-mâché gold dragons. The whole room sparkled with gold as did our family joy!”

Mickey Boardman: “I’ll be spending Christmas in the ultra-chic jet set getaway of Daytona Beach, Florida. Don’t be jealous! My parents live there. I somehow manage to bring cold weather whenever I go. The highlight is always a trip to my favorite eatery Picadilly Cafeteria in the mall. The veggie plate with broccoli-rice-cheese souffle is major!!! After a few days there I’ll head to Paris for New Year’s. When I’m there for shows I don’t have time to relax and enjoy the city so this trip will be lots of sightseeing and a little jaunt down to Avignon, Arles, Aix en Provence and Marseilles.”

Tanya Dziahileva: “I will go to the Hawaii for the holidays. A little bit of sunshine is always good for you!”

Tatiana Sorroko: “This holiday season we’re trading chilly San Francisco weather for warmer Morocco. We’ve rented a villa for two weeks, just after Christmas until the middle of January. I’ve told Serge we have to be gone so long because we’ve never been before.  The truth, however, is that I’m just as excited to shop the bazaars for new fabrics, caftans and jewelry, as I am to enjoy the culture!”

Ann Dexter-Jones: “My family schedules involve lots of travel, so we are  getting cozy and spending English Christmas dinner here in New York. Then working on heading to the sun!”

Bettina Zilkha: “I will be staying with friends in St. Bart’s. Can’t wait to get to the sun and the sea.”

Lisa Airan: “I am going to Chicago (the new “in” city since Barack was elected) to visit my family and then I am going to Aspen to ski for a week.”

Ariel Foxman, In Style: “Chanukah with the family in Bellport and New Year’s with friends in Harbour Island!”

Brian Wolk and Claude Morais of Ruffian: ”I was just emailed our Los Angeles holiday itinerary from my best friend and hostess Dayna Zegarelli of Stardust Brands—on the 23rd, A Christmas Carol at the Eastman Kodak Theatre. On the 24th, midnight Mass at Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A. and cocktails in Silver Lake. On the 25th, Christmas dinner in the Hollywood Hills with the Zegarellis. On the 26th, dinner with Victoria and Doris Brynner in Beverly Hills. On the 27th, lunch at Polo Lounge and dinner at Drinks, Amanda Demi’s new Lounge H-Wood (not officially open yet!). On the 28th, brunch at the “The Fountain Coffee Room” at the Beverly Hills Hotel and a poolside cabana afternoon. On the 29th, lunch at Malibu Kitchen and dinner at XIV. On the 30th through January 2nd, a drive north to Big Sur, a stop along the way at Hearst Castle for a picnic and arrive for a three day spa at Big Sur Campgrounds in our favorite A-Frame cabin.”

While Chic Report loves a gorgeous, classic red carpet gown (think Marchesa) sometimes you just want to see a chicette taking a risk in front of those cameras. Enter Dr. Lisa Airan, the UES dermatologist and frequent Vogue profile-ee who can carry off a Rodarte creation just as well as a traditional cocktail frock. Who wouldn’t be insanely jealous…if they weren’t so impressed? Brava, Lisa! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.

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Paz Vega certainly held her own next to co-stars (and veteran red carpet stunners) Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson at her flick’s latest premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in L.A. Vega donned a purple lace dress by Elie Saab to get into The Spirit!

Sasha Pivovarova: “I’m going to Thailand. It has truly has become my favorite country to visit. This time I’m taking my whole family in Moscow. Everything is really amazing there but massages and kite surfing lessons are my favorite!”

Francisco Costa: “I’m staying in New York. Actually, we’re going to Jersey, to visit my boyfriend’s family.”

Donna Karan: “We have a place down in Parrot Cay, in Turks and Caicos. My husband and I redid our vows there right before he passed away, and I built it as a sanctuary for myself and my family, grandkids and everything. This [the Stephan Weiss Studio at Urban Zen] is urban and zen, that’s just zen! It’s a sanctuary.”

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld:  “Well I am first going to Paris to celebrate Christmas with my family and have foie gras and my dad’s amazing turkey. And then going off to Mexico with a group of friends to celebrate New Year’s!”

Edith Taichman, Pearce Strategic: “Good cheer and joint horseback riding lessons for me and my dad to prep for a trip we’re taking en famille to the altai mountains in Mongolia (he’s footing the trip bill though…obviously).”

Chanel Iman: “I’m going to California to spend time with my family and I just got involved with this amazing charity called Hershy Girls over there.”

1. Karl Lagerfeld.  Granted, Lagerfeld has rarely experienced a dull moment in his decades-long career, but in 2008, he enchanted us ceaselessly for 365 days. Lagerfeld eclipsed even last year’s champion Marc Jacobs, who finished at #11 on this year’s tally.  Lagerfeld’s run began with those collections for Fendi, Chanel and his own Karl Lagerfeld label. Of course, the magical Chanel sets in the Grand Palais didn’t hur matters–the breathtaking carousel seen at the Fall 2009 show, the pipe organ that graced the couture show in July, the tweed jacket…and the recreation of the historic storefront on rue Cambon. And then, the side projects!  New York was blessed with the Mobile Art exhibition in Central Park. Amy Winehouse’s performance at the Fendi party had the chicsters swooning. Not to mention the Chanel Resort collection, shown “in” the pool of the Raleigh Hotel. Lagerfeld also designed a coin to commemorate Coco and a teddy bear to commemorate himself. He gave an FGI award to Harold Koda. He bought a home in Vermont. He made a spirited ten-minute film. What could 2009 possibly bring?

2. Kanye West and Victoria Beckham.  In 2008, West and Beckham proved that they love fashion more than nearly everyone. These two dream of industry domination, and it appears that they are primed to make their makrs. The gentleman spends more time in the front row than mot senior editors. West blogs passonately about his time in Paris. He lunches with the likes of Raf Simons. He launched his own clothing line, Pastelle. And he recently announced plans to intern at the Louis Vuitton offices in London. Beckham was equally impressive. Even sans stylist, she captivated millions with her outfits and introduced her own line of dresses in September–not to mention her starring turn in Marc Jacobs ads. Even as she promoted her new fragrance, she signed a deal with Armani underwear and capped it all of with a Harper’s Bazaar cover.

3. Zaha Hadid. When does this woman sleep? The Baghdad-born, British-bred architect has inspired and fascinated the entire industry this year. She designed the Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion, launched a line for Melissa shoes, and created the astounding aquatics center in London. Hadid even earned her own action figure this year. She has enough projects on her desk to keep us awestruck for the next seven decades.

4. Nina Garcia. Anna sparked retirement rumors, Graydon cancelled his Oscar party, Glenda was named to Queen Elizabeth’s Honours List, and Franca’s Black Issue was a global phenomenon. Yet the most fascinating masthead figure of 2008 wasn’t even an editor-in-chief. Garcia’s journey from a decade-long post at Elle to fashion director of Marie Claire was intriguing from every perspective.  Tabloids murmured, blogs theorize and even Ugly Betty came calling. Of course, the shift would also affect the fate of one of television’s most successful fashion ventures of all time, Project Runway. That little extracurricular project of hers will keep Garcia in the news for a good chunk of 2009.

5. Alexander McQueen. The man is a true paradox. McQueen rarely grants interviews, but he’s been busy designing everything from skirts for Target to limited-edition Chivas Regal whiskey bottles. He gifted the world with two entirely different and staggeringly beautiful collections this year, with his Fall 08 effort as the best-reviewed and most important RTW show of the year. “It was truly a wonderful, unforgettable show,” said Carine Roitfeld back in March. “I think the audience was with Alexander on nearly every single look and we truly experienced something emotional. This was the best collection in many, many seasons.” Those regal masterpieces alone were enough to catapult him on our list.

The divine Linda Fargo, senior vice president, fashion office and store presentation at Bergdorf Goodman, has flawless taste. Behold her latest gift Fixation, courtesy of the Decorative Home Floor at Bergdorf Goodman:

“The Bernard Maisner calligraphed card of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that looks like sinuous ledding tracks–”I heard the bells on Christmas Day, Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on Earth goodwill to men.”

So, take one gorgeous, oversize card, pack in box with a piece of birch bark, faux snow, pine needles and what not, along with…a strand of bells! When you even make them shiver, they send your thoughts right to Lara and Yuri in their Zhivago sleighride to the winter cottage. I tested this gift this week on the discerning asthetes Martine and Prosper Assouline. Martine twinkled as the bells transported her to the visions and sounds of her alpine-loving, skibound mother. Ching ching a ling!”

#6: Lara Stone. So she’s not a natural walker–that only makes this Dutch beauty even more memorable on the runway. Stone, who turns 25 on December 23, began her meteoric rise in 2006 with a Givenchy exclusive and the campaigns that inevitably follow. But she owned 2008, with particularly memorable runway jaunts at Stella McCartney and Balmain, and now, Carine has anointed her reigning goddess of French Vogue by dedicating the February issue to her flawless visage. Does it get any bigger?

#7: Mark Lee. The Gucci honcho announced his December 31 retirement this fall, but that didn’t stop Gucci designer Frida Giannini from applauding him during her bow on the Milan runway in September. And let’s not forget not one, but two giant Gucci parties that he masterminded this year including, as Madonna put it, “a little house party” in the United Nations.  Rumor has it that he’ll end up in Howard Socol’s empty post at Barneys New York. The master retailer would be a wise choice indeed.

#8: Aliona Doletskaya and Alexandra Shulman. For so long, Anna and Carine were the most buzzed-about Vogue editors, but the women behind the 10-year-old Russian and British editions have emerged with stronger-than-ever issues that has the fashion world all abuzz. Their personalities have also earned international fascination. There’s no doubt that they will be even more ubiquitous in 2009.

#9: Steven Meisel. Is he shooting every possible campaign, or is it just nous? Aside from the fact that he’s almost the only photographer Her Madgesty will work with, this shutterbug had one hell of year. His Black Issue of Italian Vogue sold out…he gave his first interview…and his most recent Prada campaign set a new marketing standard.

#10: Kate and Laura Mulleavy. They’re hardly new at this point, but the Rodarte designers are hitting their stride. Their fall collection, complete with an Alex de Betak set and the most coveted shoes of the season (thanks to Nicholas Kirkwood), earned raves–and they picked up the well-endowed Swiss Textile Award shortly thereafter. Will it be a CFDA win? A Target line? A bridge collection? 2009 will surely tell.

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Is it just Chic, or has Keri Russell been getting hotter by the second? The men in our lives are still reeling from her very recent, very damp shoot in Details, and now she’s on the junket circuit for her new film Bedtime Stories. For last night’s premiere in Los Angeles, she chose a killer Azzaro par Vanessa Seward frock. This petite pois (polka dot) “frou frou” tunic is from the Spring/Summer 2009 collection.

This week, Sally Hansen execs showed off their 2009 launches to groups of beauty editors at the new Columbus Circle location of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)—and they took great inspiration from the spot. While the products were fabulous, Beauty Junkie was even more impressed by the installations around the room. The company commissioned artists to create pieces made from their very own new crop of products. Our fave? A skirt created from nail pens that could easily have been a Project Runway creation.