Honoring Female Designers in Fashion by Kaitlyn Sabanofsky
In honor of Women, we must celebrate the contributions women have made within the fashion industry and the influence and impact they have had on the industry.
When we think of the fashion industry, many of us think of well-known designer name brands and can name many of them right away. It is essential to know that men dominate the fashion industry, so when we recall these designers and these luxury brands, most of them were founded by men. This makes it even more important for us to recognize the talented women that do the same. One of my favorite luxury brands, founded by a woman, is Chanel!
Rihanna is another powerful woman who became a part of the industry and has challenged and began reshaping it. In 2018, Rihanna released her lingerie line, Savage X Fenty. She created this line to empower women of all shapes and sizes. However, this wasn’t what blew the world away. It was her first Savage X Fenty fashion show in 2019 that changed the industry. She included all types of women; women rarely ever seen in the industry were now represented through the Savage X Fenty show, such as women of different sizes, races, and ethnicities. Rihanna also included trans women and disabled women as models. In the intro of her 2019 Amazon special, she said, “Every woman deserves to feel sexy. We are sexy, we are multi-faceted, and I want women to embrace that to the fullest.” For Rihanna, it is about empowerment, self-love, authenticity, and confidence. It is about loving who you are, despite what anyone else has to say. Her show included inclusivity and diversity like no other show before.
Another designer is Rebecca Minkoff. In September of 2018, she established the Female Founder Collective. According to their website, “The Female Founder Collective is a network of businesses led by women, supporting women. Our mission is to enable and empower female-owned and led businesses to impact our communities, both socially and economically positively.” She also designed the Rebecca Minkoff x Medela Pump and Baby Bag in support of motherhood and breastfeeding.
These are just a few of the women who have had a positive impact on the fashion industry and on other women. Designers are not the only ones who have a significant effect on the industry, and they are just one of the many different roles within the industry. We have to acknowledge the women who work behind the scenes and photographers, set designers, hairstylists, editors, HR, public relations, and so on. These women deserve to be celebrated not only today, but everyday!