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This article is part of our new editorial package, where we seek to answer the question: what would fashion look like if more women were in charge? Click here to read more.
Maternity, menopause, misogyny… all undeniable obstacles to a woman’s career advancement. But is the fashion industry as hard on women as we think? We felt the people who could really answer that question were fashion executives at the top of their game.
And while we were at it, we got some career advice too.
Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer, Kering
In my opinion, the fashion industry is advancing more rapidly than many other sectors. Taking Kering as an example, several female CEOs lead our houses. Personally, I haven’t encountered many obstacles in my career. Although I chose engineering studies, which were traditionally considered ‘male options’, the atmosphere was friendly and supportive. Several of my male peers have become close friends.
Early in your career, I believe that having a diverse network of support is crucial. Whether it’s a group of people or an individual acting as a mentor, finding a source of strength and inspiration is essential to advise you along the way.
What should we leave behind? Fear, for each of us. Bias against women, for all of us. While I’m not a strong advocate for quotas, there’s no denying that they can accelerate progress at certain points in the journey.
Halide Alagöz, chief product officer, Ralph Lauren
Unconscious biases in promotion practices have historically created gender imbalances in our sector. Men are often promoted based on their potential, while women are promoted based on their performance. This imbalance creates an environment that is very limiting for women. Secondly, our industry is prone to a culture of overwork. If we can discontinue this, we can create a more even playing field for those with caregiving responsibilities.
Women in demanding industry roles also face work-life balance challenges combined with structural barriers — such as limited family-friendly policies or a lack of flexible work arrangements. After I had my son, I had to return to work after just two months. It was very difficult to deal with the sleepless nights and the demanding requirements of work during the day. I also had to go back to taking frequent international business trips when he was only five months old. I was still breastfeeding, and moms who have to pump during the day will understand how complicated that is when you are travelling. This was about 20 years ago, and thankfully, conditions have improved, but there is still more to do to support working moms.
If I had any advice for women starting out now, it would be that advocating for yourself is so important — especially at the start of your career. Don’t be shy to voice your goals, what you want, and what you need to be successful. It will become easier over time with practice.
Nadia Kokni, SVP of global marketing and brand communications, Hugo Boss
I’ve been in various roles and jobs where I am the leader of the team, but someone I’m speaking to will always look to my male colleague for an answer or a decision. That has stuck with me. I’m a person of colour as well, and I think it’s just a bias that is inherent in society from the way the system is.
I would tell my younger self to be bolder. I’m not saying tear up everything, but I’m saying you can be bold and confident. I wish I had more confidence at a younger age.
But more and more, there is momentum and energy behind women achieving parity behind the scenes of fashion, equally to their male peers. That can — and should — only continue. Historically, there’s always been this sense or feeling that women have to compete with each other for that one spot that’s for the women. But we need to collectively support each other and push each other forward. [When you are inclusive as a business], you are richer as a business. You are richer as a team. You will put a better product out if you have that inclusive approach. So that’s the vision and the journey that we’re on.
Marysia Woroniecka, CEO, Maria Cornejo
I think you find many women leading independent brands where there is a closer connection to the integrity of the product and a strong link to clients, but there is a definite dearth of women in leadership at major corporations. Perhaps it is because the nature of success in a corporate position requires one to play politics in a way that women might not have the patience for.
I haven’t really faced many obstacles in my career that had to do with my gender. I never had kids, so I was never challenged by that aspect of womanhood. I do notice, however, that my friends and colleagues who have had successful careers while also having children have, almost without exception, had a spouse who was able to play a very hands-on role in caring for their children. And in many cases, these are women who have been running their own businesses and therefore been able to determine their own schedules.
I worked for a PR agency for a couple of years and then jumped right into my own business very, very young. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself to get some solid financial and business education before jumping into it. I would also tell myself to understand the difference between ‘doing the job’ and ‘running the business’. They are two very different things. Many of us get into fashion because we have a passion for the product and the creativity and only then realise that it also needs to be a business.
Laura Weir, chief creative, Selfridges
Over the last 10 years, I’ve seen positive shifts to close the gap for a more representative and inclusive leadership pool in the industry at large, but there is still some way to go. Key to my personal success has been a network of talented, creative women who share opportunities and expertise with generosity, and there’s an implicit ambition between us to make meaningful change. In my observation, there is power in women inviting other women to contribute and, therefore, to grow, succeed and come up together. Successful women create more opportunities for women to be successful.
There are work-life balance challenges for women, and for men too. The demanding nature of senior roles coupled with societal expectations around a ‘woman’s role’ can be prohibitive to women’s progress in the workplace. I’ve been fortunate and only ever been supported as a mother — and as a single mother — by male bosses throughout my career. Their approach to leading me has enabled me to become a fulfilled parent, which in turn has made me value and appreciate my work on a deeper level.
I believe that visible female role models in positions of leadership and influence play a critical role in breaking the cycle. When you picture a CEO, is it a woman? For a fashion industry that makes and markets products to women, the value of female leaders must be explicit.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
More from this series:
Fashion is failing working mothers. Here’s how to fix it
What fashion misunderstands about menopause
Here’s what our clothes would look like if more women designed them
