CHOOSING one fashion icon for the whole of the noughties was never going to be easy. There was so much going on in fashion-the rehashing of decades gone by, boho chic, handbag-dogs- simply so much choice. So I picked someone who, with some huge heels, big hair and lots of talent, created a musical monster.

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born in 1986 in New York, USA. Her father, Joseph Germanotta, was an internet entrepreneur, and her mother, Cynthia Bissett, worked long hours in telecommunications. From the tender age of four, Gaga taught herself piano, and a love of music and acting lead her on the path that she has since followed. However, it wasn't a smooth path. Gaga found herself thrown from the security of private Catholic school to the seedy underground of New York, where she would experiment with drugs and dance on stage in little more than a thong. Gaga was signed and dropped by various record labels, but found her way to Kon Live Distribution, the record label of hip hop artist, Akon, where she found fame. Since her début studio album, 'The Fame', in 2008, Gaga has shot to heights seemingly unreachable even in heels, becoming one of the most talked about celebrities of recent years.

One glance at her wardrobe will show you why everyone's gone gaga for Gaga. The raunchy blue 'swim suit' she first donned in her video for 'Poker Face' seems relatively tame compared with many of the outfits she has since been spotted in. From the chainmail top and latex catsuit and mask of 'Bad Romance', to the ultimate cyber-goggles and latex nun outfit of 'Alejandro', Gaga is never one to shy away from risqué get-up. Whether performing in a giant bath tub live on the X-Factor or prancing about in a coat made of Kermit the Frog, she is always looking for new ways to shock. Oh, and not forgetting that 'meat dress' that shocked at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.

So who better to accompany Lady Gaga than the late Alexander McQueen. Never one to recoil from controversy, British fashion designer McQueen designed several of Gaga's outfits; from the elegant baroque dress that she wore to the MTV VMAs before changing into something more edible, to the iconic 12 inch high armadillo shoes of 'Bad Romance'. McQueen also designed the red lace dress which Gaga wore to the 2009 VMAs, among many other famous Gaga outfits.

McQueen was born Lee Alexander McQueen in London in 1969. McQueen grew up in a less than glamorous council flat but already showed a passion for fashion; from a young age he would make dresses for his three sisters, and at 16 he acquired an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, from which he learned many skills that helped him gain a reputation for exquisite tailoring. Like Gaga, McQueen attracted ample controversy from the start with his 'bumster' trousers. Sadly, McQueen cut his own life short last year, at just forty years old, yet he lives on through creative director, Sarah Burton.

So there we have it. Gaga may have only been in the spotlight for the last two years of the noughties, but she eclipsed the previous eight in those towering platforms and hair big enough to block out any star. Love her or hate her, she can't be ignored.