When French luxury conglomerate Kering recently announced that Seán McGirr would succeed Sarah Burton as the creative director of Alexander McQueen, social media reacted with a viral photo compilation of Kering’s six creative directors – all white men. This situation has once again brought attention to the lack of female representation in leadership positions within the luxury fashion industry. Additionally, people of color are also significantly underrepresented.
The presence of male designers leading conglomerate-backed brands raises the question of why there are so few women designers in these roles in 2023. A study by the Financial Times revealed that the proportion of female creative directors in major luxury fashion brands is lower now than it was 15 years ago.
Out of LVMH’s Fashion & Leather Goods division, only three of the 14 brands have female creative directors. Similarly, OTB Group, which owns brands like Diesel and Margiela, has only one female creative director. Burberry has never had a female designer. These statistics are especially noteworthy considering that many of these companies promote themselves as champions of diversity and inclusion.
There are, however, exceptions to this trend. Chanel is led by creative director Virginie Viard and Hermès’s womenswear and menswear lines are designed by women. These companies demonstrate that gender-diverse leadership is achievable and should be prioritized.
Several designers who have worked within luxury fashion groups have described a culture of bias and discrimination that prevents women from being considered for creative director positions. They believe that the industry is missing out on the unique insights and talents that women bring to design for women’s bodies.
Gender discrimination within the industry starts early, as female fashion students significantly outnumber their male counterparts. However, male students often receive more attention and opportunities, while women are expected to be collaborative and egoless. This bias continues into the professional world, where male designers are often seen as creative geniuses, while women designers are seen as more practical.
This gender imbalance is not exclusive to women. Representation of other marginalized groups, such as designers with disabilities and from ethnic minority backgrounds, is also lacking in leadership roles. Age is another factor, as it is rare for creative directors to be appointed for the first time after the age of 50.
To bridge this gender gap and promote diversity within luxury fashion conglomerates, it is crucial for companies to challenge their biases and actively seek out and promote talented women designers. By doing so, these companies can tap into a broader range of perspectives, create better products for their target audience, and ultimately achieve greater success.
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