London, Oct. 31: Not many fifty-something women could carry off a turban and a fully covered-up, floor-skimming gown and yet still receive a knowingly appreciative, testosterone-fuelled wink from the 89-year-old Duke of Edinburgh.

So who is the woman who moved The Huffington Post to christen her “Monochromatic Mozah” and who is single-handedly bringing back the turban as headgear of choice for 2010?

Move over Carla, put away those biceps Michelle. To judge by the rapturous fashion reception that the Emir of Qatar’s second wife has received this week in London, there is a new style icon in town. All anyone wants to do is gawp at the hitherto unseen elegance and poise (on these shores) of Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned.

If catwalk fashion is on an intergalactic mission of restraint, then the industry has certainly found its star.

That Sheikha Mozah is also an extremely accomplished woman and mother of seven has sent her stock soaring even higher. Carving a role for herself as political campaigner and champion of women’s rights, and combining Western fashion with traditional Muslim dress, it’s little wonder that the Times fashion desk sits gripped.

And of course, there are the clothes. To date, a couture-fest of Dior, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier and Stephane Rolland.

This week she also added a breathtaking Valentino red evening gown and Armani Prive skirt-suit into the mix, a formula that comprises chic, head-to-toe ensembles that incorporate the slim, figure-skimming (but never hugging) silhouette of floor-length dresses or skirts worn with long-sleeved tops or embellished, cropped, cape jackets.

It’s a wardrobe that channels Jackie and retro eye-popping brights (ruby or apple green) yet never falls into the trap of appearing anachronistic, instead suggesting the panache of a silver-screen Thirties starlet.

Then there is the headscarf, winningly tied around her head, turban-style, and obviating the need to wear a hijab. A look that is topped off with the polish of a giant pair of shades or a spectacular pair of chandelier earrings.

Clearly, being tall, slim and beautiful has its advantages but as Rolland, the Parisian couturier who has dressed Sheikha Mozah for the past ten years says, “It’s more than that. She radiates glamour and a very innate, stylish confidence. She’s always covered up but in dresses which are figure forming: she knows when to reveal and not to reveal.”