Two of Nordstrom's favorite smart, strong, stylish women teamed up for a collection about one of history's most influential pop artists and muses. Designer Rebecca Minkoff brought on Nordstrom Signature collaborator Caroline Issa to style a spring preview parade focused on youthquake-era Marianne Faithfull and her inspiring life and style.

Behind-the-scenes images by Jessica Carter

But the change agents who "symbolize the shift in culture" weren't just on the runway; they were in the front row. Minkoff told us about the prime seats she saved for her favorite game-changing tech and business entrepreneurs, and our favorite collaborator/stylist filled us in on the overall look and vibe of the show.

"My jumping-off point was Marianne Faithfull, and today's modern millennials are a symbol of the kinds of shifts she was a part of. So even though that was 50 years ago, I made connections with what she wore and what her influential style was about, and then made it more modern for my customer," Minkoff told us (while wearing some sweet little ankle-strap heels that we had to document).

Those shift-making clients in the front row included women such as Randi Zuckerberg, Libby Leffler from Facebook, Kristin Lemkau from Chase and Liza Landsman from Jet.com.

For her part, Issa took on the task of connecting the strength, courage and intelligence of that archetype with feminine beauty and rebellion. She called out the contrast in the lace and leather elements in the collection (a hallmark for Minkoff) and noted Minkoff's dedication to accessories, saying she loved the challenge of helping put them together with the 31 looks in the show.

Of course, Issa-a game-changer herself-was rocking a pretty rad Minkoff crossbody while we talked.

It was cool to hear that Minkoff believes in positive, powerful change-and, of course, that well-outfitted women are at the head of it all. Here's how she sees them this spring.

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Shop: current season Rebecca Minkoff | Nordstrom Signature and Caroline Issa

-Laura Cassidy