Only five creative director roles in fashion are held by women, and none of them are POC

While International Women’s Day was an occasion to celebrate women and their achievements across the country, it also brought up some sad truths about the fashion industry and its lack of representation. 

The Instagram fashion and business page ‘1granry’ detailed the lack of opportunities for women when it comes to fashion’s most prestigious and sought-after roles. “A REMINDER FOR WOMEN’S DAY,” the post began, before adding that across LVMH, Kering, OTB, Richemont, and Puig, only five of 37 creative directorial positions are held by women. Meanwhile, out of those five women, zero are POC.

Commenters quickly gave their input, with one user writing, “I could write a book about my experience as a black designer in luxury fashion houses in Paris.” While another added, “Then there are the added issues of the sheer lack of diversity in these roles. 0 POC women is a crazy stat considering fashion is a global business. Then we wonder why these brands are always doing culturally insensitive things.”

“and these CD men are nasty, cold, and unapologetically pushy. Setting a standard for women who do want to be in these positions to be just as cutthroat and unfeeling. Then we’re the ones seen as bitches. They get away with it, but we don’t. Stop enabling arrogant men to walk over people in the name of ‘fashion,’ hold them accountable the same way we have with people like Anna Wintour,” wrote a third.

Despite progression in the fashion industry, there is still a clear underrepresentation of women at the top level and throughout. There are currently fewer women CEOs in fashion than in the aerospace or finance industry, with only around 14% of the top 50 major fashion brands run by women. With patriarchy still ruling the industry, women-specific