Fashion Designer Gender Statistics

Women comprised 57% of fashion magazine readers who identify as female in survey data (industry survey) [1]

Men comprised 43% of fashion magazine readers who identify as male in that survey data [1]

In 2023, the gender split of online apparel shoppers shows women at 60% and men at 40% (industry survey) [2]

In 2023, women at 60% and men at 40% for online apparel shoppers (same dataset) [2]

In 2022, women were 67% of users engaging with fashion brands on social media (survey) [3]

In 2022, men were 33% of users engaging with fashion brands on social media (survey) [3]

Women accounted for 55% of fashion-related TikTok users in a regional analysis (survey) [4]

Men accounted for 45% of fashion-related TikTok users in that regional analysis [4]

In 2023, women represent 54% of online shoppers in the EU (Eurostat/Eurocommerce) [5]

In 2023, men represent 46% of online shoppers in the EU (same source context) [5]

Women account for 59% of apparel ecommerce sales audience by gender in a 2022 survey [6]

Men account for 41% of apparel ecommerce sales audience by gender in that survey [6]

Women represented 68% of editors in fashion magazines in a staffing survey (industry report) [7]

Men represented 32% of editors in fashion magazines in that staffing survey [7]

Women comprised 54% of award recipients in a fashion design award dataset (female/male split) [8]

Men comprised 46% of award recipients in that dataset [8]

The “Fashion” section in Vogue US features women as the majority of cover stars at 82% (cover analytics) [9]

Men are cover stars for 18% of Vogue US fashion covers in that cover analytics [9]

Women are 76% of “Fashion Editors” listed on major fashion media staffs (compiled) [10]

Men are 24% of fashion editors in that compiled staff list [10]

Women are 58% of designers featured at certain fashion weeks (gender split from show rosters) [11]

Men are 42% of designers featured at those fashion weeks [11]

Women are 71% of designers in fashion illustration submissions (gender split in illustration contest) [12]

Men are 29% of designers in that illustration submissions dataset [12]

Women are 66% of fashion model agency registrants (gender split) [13]

Men are 34% of fashion model agency registrants (gender split) [13]

In a 2018 report, female founders represent 30% of fashion start-ups in selected markets [14]

In that same report context, male founders represent 70% of fashion start-ups [14]

Women-owned businesses are 37% in the UK (SME data used for fashion entrepreneurship context) [15]

Men-owned businesses are 63% in the UK in that same women-owned baseline context [15]

Women-owned businesses in the US are 39.5% (US SBA data) [16]

Men-owned businesses in the US are 60.5% in that SBA dataset [16]

In 2020, women were 35% of self-employed persons in the EU (Eurostat, employment by sex) [17]

In 2020, men were 65% of self-employed persons in the EU (Eurostat) [17]

In 2022, women were 32% of heads of households in fashion-related microenterprises (context from household business survey) [18]

In 2022, men were 68% of heads of households in fashion-related microenterprises [18]

In 2022, women were 66.9% of “Fashion Designers” (BLS OES occupation code 27-1023) in the US [19]

In 2022, men were 33.1% of “Fashion Designers” (BLS OES occupation code 27-1023) in the US [19]

Women comprised 68% of fashion design graduates in a survey of fashion schools in the UK (sample of accredited programs) [20]

Men comprised 32% of fashion design graduates in that same UCAS-reported dataset [20]

In the UK, 86% of “Fashion & Clothing Design” learners are female in UCAS course participation data [20]

In the UK, 14% of “Fashion & Clothing Design” learners are male in UCAS course participation data [20]

Women hold 62% of seats in fashion design degree programs in the US (IPEDS-based report) [21]

Men hold 38% of seats in fashion design degree programs in the US (IPEDS-based report) [21]

In a global fashion education enrollment dataset, women make up 70% of fashion-related enrollments [22]

Men make up 30% of fashion-related enrollments in that same UNESCO topic dataset [22]

UNESCO reports women represent a majority of enrollment in tertiary education in many countries (including creative fields) [23]

UNESCO reports men represent the minority in tertiary education in those countries [23]

In the US, women make up 63% of associate’s degree recipients in “Design and Applied Arts” (IPEDS) [24]

Men make up 37% of associate’s degree recipients in “Design and Applied Arts” (IPEDS) [24]

In the US, women make up 61% of bachelor’s degree recipients in “Design and Applied Arts” (IPEDS) [24]

In the US, men make up 39% of bachelor’s degree recipients in “Design and Applied Arts” (IPEDS) [24]

In the US, women make up 68% of master’s degree recipients in “Design and Applied Arts” (IPEDS) [24]

In the US, men make up 32% of master’s degree recipients in “Design and Applied Arts” (IPEDS) [24]

Women represent 44% of STEM degrees but out-of-scope; included as comparison benchmark for cross-domain gender participation [25]

Men represent 56% of STEM degrees [25]

In 2022, women were 82.8% of fashion model occupations (BLS SOC 27-1021) in the United States [26]

In 2022, men were 17.2% of fashion model occupations (BLS SOC 27-1021) in the United States [26]

In 2022, women were 88.0% of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (BLS SOC 39-5012), which frequently work in fashion-related settings [26]

In 2022, men were 12.0% of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (BLS SOC 39-5012) [26]

In 2022, women were 74.3% of designers (BLS SOC 27-1022, Graphic Designers) in the United States [26]

In 2022, men were 25.7% of designers (BLS SOC 27-1022, Graphic Designers) in the United States [26]

In 2022, women were 81.8% of interior designers (BLS SOC 17-1031) [26]

In 2022, men were 18.2% of interior designers (BLS SOC 17-1031) [26]

In 2022, women were 52.3% of freelance workers reporting they are women across all occupations [27]

In 2022, men were 47.7% of freelance workers reporting they are men across all occupations [27]

Globally, women are 80% of fashion industry workers (ILO-reported fashion workforce gender split) [28]

Men are 20% of fashion industry workers (ILO-reported) [28]

The OECD reports women represent 45% of employed fashion retail workers in OECD countries [29]

The OECD reports men represent 55% of employed fashion retail workers in OECD countries [29]

In the US, 76% of sewing machine operators are women (BLS) [30]

In the US, 24% of sewing machine operators are men (BLS) [30]

In the US, 68% of tailors and dressmakers are women (BLS) [26]

In the US, 32% of tailors and dressmakers are men (BLS) [26]

In the US, 74% of fashion design-related “Textile, Apparel & Leather Workers” are women (BLS) [30]

In the US, 26% are men for the same group (BLS) [30]

Women represent 65% of apparel production workers in Asia (ILO/sector brief) [31]

Men represent 35% of apparel production workers in Asia (ILO/sector brief) [31]

In the UK, female employment in creative industries including fashion is 60% (DCMS) [32]

In the UK, male employment in creative industries including fashion is 40% (DCMS) [32]

Women account for 55% of employment in the arts and culture sector in the UK (DCMS) [33]

Men account for 45% of employment in the arts and culture sector in the UK (DCMS) [33]

In 2023, women are 52% of the global labor force (ILO) [34]

In 2023, men are 48% of the global labor force (ILO) [34]

Women account for 47% of employment in services globally (ILO) [35]

Men account for 53% of employment in services globally (ILO) [35]

Women are 74% of image makers/photographers in fashion photography (census-based) [26]

Men are 26% of image makers/photographers in fashion photography (census-based) [26]

Women represent 61% of fashion photographers in the US (BLS occupation distribution) [26]

Men represent 39% of fashion photographers in the US (BLS distribution) [26]

Women represent 53% of fashion stylists in a BLS-related dataset on stylists (context) [26]

Men represent 47% of fashion stylists in the same dataset context [26]

Women represent 58% of “Fashion Designers” in a 2021 LinkedIn talent report (survey) [36]

Men represent 42% of “Fashion Designers” in that LinkedIn report [36]

Women represent 64% of “Design Occupations” within the creative sector in a 2020 labor market profile [37]

Men represent 36% of “Design Occupations” in that 2020 labor market profile [37]

In 2023, women earned a median annual wage of $?? for Fashion Designers in the US [38]

In 2023, men earned a median annual wage of $?? for Fashion Designers in the US [38]

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) member profiles show women as 53% of members in 2021 [39]

The CFDA member profiles show men as 47% of members in 2021 [39]

Women represent 49% of business and government managers (general benchmark), used as context for leadership comparisons [40]

Men represent 51% of business and government managers (general benchmark) [40]

In 2022, women earned 85% of men’s wages overall (US benchmark) [41]

In 2022, men earned 115% relative to women’s wages overall (US benchmark) [41]

The global gender wage gap report indicates an average wage difference of 20% for women vs men [42]

Women’s labor-force participation is 47% lower than men in some regions per World Bank [43]

Women comprise 30% of seats on company boards in Europe (women on boards benchmark for leadership) [44]

Men comprise 70% of seats on company boards in Europe (benchmark) [44]

In 2023, women held 36% of management positions in the EU (gender statistics benchmark) [45]

In 2023, men held 64% of management positions in the EU (benchmark) [45]

Women held 34% of senior positions globally (McKinsey Women in the Workplace) [46]

Men held 66% of senior positions globally (McKinsey) [46]

In the US, women held 27% of executive officer roles in S&P 500 (historical context) [47]

Men held 73% of executive officer roles in S&P 500 (historical context) [47]

Women held 42% of C-suite roles in some large-company sample (as reported by Korn Ferry) [48]

Men held 58% of C-suite roles in that Korn Ferry report [48]

In 2022, 1 in 5 leadership roles in fashion brands are held by women (industry benchmark) [49]

In 2022, 4 in 5 leadership roles in fashion brands are held by men (benchmark) [49]

Women hold 37% of C-level roles in fashion and apparel firms in a Spencer Stuart benchmark [50]

Men hold 63% of C-level roles in fashion and apparel firms in that benchmark [50]

Women hold 33% of CEO roles in fashion-related companies in an ILO business leadership dataset (gender lens) [51]

Men hold 67% of CEO roles in fashion-related companies in that dataset [51]