Who are the most influential women working in fashion?
This is not a secret, as their very name became synonym with fashion itself. They exude power and a strong personality that goes beyond what they wear, even if they have a signature style.
This is by no means an exhaustive list but a selection of women who are a reference in the industry. They are photographed on a regular basis, featuring in popular street style photos that are widely shared on the most renowned magazines and social media.
The most powerful woman in fashion is undoubtedly Anna Wintour. She silenced rumours about her departure from American Vogue in December 2020, by becoming the worldwide chief content officer at Condé Nast and Vogue’s global editorial director.
It’s impossible not to be impressed by her tenacity and ability to navigate such a cut-throat industry. In order to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving environment, it’s crucial to be highly intuitive, to tune-in to the world and move along with target audiences, staying on top of figures while also having a strong fashion integrity.
It must be really hard to strike such a fine balance. When watching a live interview between her and John Galliano on Youtube last summer, her passion for fashion did come across quite vividly.
Wintour has a signature style, statement necklaces tend to adorn colourful print dresses, matched with nude sandals or knee-length boots. And let’s not forget her hairstyle and dark sunglasses!
Carine Roitfeld, the former editor-in-chief of French Vogue who launched her own fashion magazine - CR Book - has a unique chic and sexy style that comes across in her work.
Her memorable collaborations with Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld are the epitome of stylish. She tends to wear black and stilettos, and favours pencil skirts and see-through fabrics.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter so much what they wear but how they wear it. Patricia Field, one of the most famous stylists in the world for her work in Sex in the City, says this about Sarah Jessica Parker: “If you put a plastic bag on her, she’ll make it look good because she’s just so graceful.”
The whole series is a style reference but Sarah Jessica Parker became an icon in her own right, and it turned out her passion for shoes is just as enthusiastic offscreen.
Her shoe label is a success and she continues to delight us with her stylish presence both on the red carpet and in the streets of New York.
Another sought after woman by street style photographers is Olivia Palermo, who has launched her own label and continues to be a powerful influencer. Her style is both elegant and feminine, and she always has the most amazing shoes!
Here in the UK, Alexa Chung is a reference for her quirky British style, much loved by the public, which led to a number of awards by the British Fashion Council. She also has her eponymous fashion label and her videos are a pleasure to watch.
And last, but certainly not least, I have to mention Rihanna. Even though her style may be over the top on many occasions, her impact on the fashion industry is undeniable.
She has been pushing boundaries with an admirable unapologetic and fearless attitude, without being full of herself, which is quite refreshing.
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