20 Women in Fashion That Girls Should Know
On the heels of our list of 20 Women in AI That Girls Should Know that generated so much interest names are still being highlighted in the comments, and with boots arriving on the ground for NY Fashion Week 2024, we felt another role model list coming on.
Because whether eyeing fashion from afar or chatting directly with industry mentors (hat tip to Emilie Rubinfeld, President of Carolina Herrera, who met with a Club Être chapter just last week), girls are raising their hands with questions: If women do more of the designing in fashion, why aren’t they running more of the companies?
They’re not wrong. According to Forbes, even though women design approximately 40% of womenswear brands, they hold only 14% of leadership positions in the largest fashion companies. Moreover, they lead less than 13% of Fortune 1000 Retail & Apparel companies.
Can female founders in fashion fix it?
You bet.
At the outset, let’s acknowledge history-makers like Jeanne Lanvin, Madeleine Vionnet, Coco Chanel, and Mary Quant, who revolutionized the way women dress. Legends like Miuccia Prada, Donatella Versace, Elsa Schiaparelli, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Carolina Herrera and Sarah Burton, alongside women leading the way without a founder label like Vogue's Global Editorial Director Anna Wintour, make-up artist Pat McGrath, and photographer Annie Leibovitz.
And we’re not overlooking female founders of fashion startups like Jenn Hyman and Jenny Fleiss from Rent the Runway, Yael Aflalo of Reformation, Katrina Lake of Stitch Fix, and Julie Wainwright of TheRealReal, all of whom have literally turned the industry inside-out.
For the next gen looking for a runway of role models – and recognizing that Être’s lists are a sampling, never exhaustive, and this one is alphabetical by first name - below is a list of 20 fashion phenoms you should know:
(Bonus: we’re counting co-founders as a single listing)
Ashley Cimone & Moya Annece – co-founded by American and Jamaican designers Cimone and Annece, ASHYA is self-described as an “ode to exploration” connecting fashion and travel, and motivated by Black, brown and indigenous communities.
Aurora James – launching Brother Vellies with “the goal of keeping traditional African design practices and techniques alive,” James also founded the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which encourages retailers to commit to supporting Black-owned brands.
Carly Cushnie – NY-based creative director and designer Cushnie’s looks have been worn by Beyoncé, Gal Gadot, Lupita Nyong’o, Ava Duvernay, and Padma Lakshmi. Though her brand folded in 2020 due to the pandemic, she remains a beacon in fashion, and we can’t wait to see her next move.
Diane von Fürstenberg – a fashion icon since the ’70s when her legendary wrap dresses hit the scene, von Fürstenberg served as the CFDA chair for over a decade and regularly speaks at women’s empowerment events. Her Design Your Life TED Talk is one to watch and rewatch.
Donna Karan – when Karan pioneered Seven Easy Pieces with her first collection in 1984, in direct response to wardrobe needs she felt personally, she “revolutionized the way women dress.” Forty years later, her DKNY label (inspired by her then-teenage daughter) remains epic.
Dumebi Andrea Iyamah – launching Andrea Iyamah when she was just 17, this Nigerian designer now offers bridal, swim and ready-to-wear lines worn joyfully by Michelle Obama, Kate Hudson, Gabrielle Union, and Issa Rae.
Felisha Noel – opening her first Fe Noel boutique at age 19 in Brooklyn, Noel’s travel-inspired brand is a growing sensation. Crediting her mother and grandmother for her inspiration, the Fe Noel Foundation also empowers young girls who are passionate about entrepreneurship.
Jemina Ty – founder & CEO of Blackbough, this 27-year-old designer built a swimwear brand from her bedroom after noticing a lack of affordable bikinis in the market. Worn by fashion mavens like Miley Cyrus, Lucy Hale, and Vanessa Hudgens, beachgoers are saying TY to Ty.
Marta Ortega – we love that Ortega, President of Spanish fashion giant Inditex, started out as a shop assistant at Zara! Working her way up over the years, she now dresses celebs like Charlotte Casiraghi and Queen Letizia and still keeps her finger on the pulse of Zara.
Marwa Atik & Tasneem Atik Savri – sisters and co-founders of Vela (Latin for “veil”), Marwa Atik and Tasneem Atik Sabri saw a gap in the market for stylish scarves when Marwa was 18. Bringing “modest fashion” into the spotlight, they’re also reducing waste with an up-cycled scrunchie line.
Rebecca Minkoff – moving to NYC at 18 to pursue fashion, Minkoff’s rock & roll-tinged designs became a world-renowned brand. Empowering women with The Female Founder Collective in 2018 and today’s girls with her words in The Epic Mentor Guide, Minkoff’s mission is grounded in mentorship
Rei Kawakubo – founder of Comme des Garçons and featured at the Met’s Costume Exhibition, this Japanese designer has emboldened other founders since the ‘70s. “I never intended to start a revolution,” she once said. “It just so happened that my notion was different from everybody else’s.”
Rihanna – we love her music, her look, and her growing power status in the fashion world. Her brands Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty are only the start of what this entrepreneur’s vision entails, and if her Fenty line (paused in 2021) returns, that’s music to our ears.
Sara Blakely – one of the youngest self-made billionaires, Blakely began her career selling fax machines door-to-door before founding Spanx. We love her commitment to uplifting women and her Monday Insta inspo posts – signature coffee mugs in hand!
Stella McCartney – an early advocate for cruelty-free fashion, McCartney’s sustainability-focused label continues to inspire women and girls season after stellar season.
Tory Burch – introducing a multi-billion-dollar brand from her kitchen, Burch’s designs extend from womenswear to home décor and more. Our favorite part? The Tory Burch Foundation and how it aids women building their own enterprises with free access to capital and mentors.
Tracey Reese –establishing her namesake brand in 1998, Reese also created Hope for Flowers in 2019 to support women and the next gen through arts programming in public schools. Fans include Sarah Jessica Parker, Tracee Ellis Ross, Oprah Winfrey…and artistic girls everywhere.
Vera Wang – searching for the perfect wedding dress in 1989 to no avail, Wang sketched her own and a bridal empire was born. Expanded to fragrance, jewelry, eyewear, and celebratory beverages now, her vision continues to walk down countless runways and wedding aisles.
Veronica Miele Beard & Veronica Swanson Beard – when two Veronicas married brothers, an iconic brand called Veronica Beard was formed. Encouraging women to “look good, feel good [and] do good,” this label pays it forward with #VBGivesBack, spotlights women who #MakeItHappen, and knows how much mentors matter since VMB’s advice to girls closes out The Epic Mentor Guide.
Victoria Beckham – Beckham’s eponymous brand belies her previous Spice Girl music celebrity, offering elegant apparel, footwear, eyewear, and more since 2008. Classically creative couture? It is. Cool like Posh Spice? Always.
For future designers looking for fashion role models, consider this list a start. Because whether girls are looking to create family empires like the Kardashians, single-item elegance like Yansi Fugel’s bespoke tuxedos, or their own unique looks that have yet to be named, mentor moments happen every time a new collection walks the runway.
These founders offer big footsteps to follow.
Looking forward,
Illana
ÊXTRAS: Three extra links you won't want to miss before Fashion Week: Fashion themes and trends for 2024 from The Business of Fashion & McKinsey’s 8th Annual State of Fashion Report, a full calendar of events for FW2024, and Être speaker Winter Noel Joy’s recent TED-Ed talk on runway fashion and teens.
