Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
Women make up approximately 80% of the workforce in the fashion industry globally
Only 14% of major fashion brands are run by a female executive
Women comprise about 70% of fashion school graduates
Despite their numbers, women hold less than 25% of leadership roles in top fashion companies
Just 40% of womenswear brands are designed by women
Men hold over 80% of creative director roles in major fashion houses
In luxury fashion, only 14% of CEOs are women
Women make up 60-90% of garment workers in global supply chains
1 in 3 women garment workers reports experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace
Female models are paid significantly more than male models
Only 1 in 10 global fashion brand founders is a woman
Lesbian, bisexual, and queer women are underrepresented in fashion leadership
67% of plus-size women feel underrepresented in fashion media
Consumer Demographics and Expectations
- 67% of plus-size women feel underrepresented in fashion media
- 59% of online fashion shoppers are women
- Fashion advertisements feature women in 85% of cases, regardless of consumer gender
- Women spend 225% more annually on fashion than men
- Women represent 85% of customer purchases in fashion retail
- 45% of men believe fashion should do more to address gender inequality
- 48% of global consumers believe fashion perpetuates gender stereotypes
- 93% of customers want more gender diversity in fashion advertisements
- Women make up 51% of streetwear consumers but only 13% of brand owners
Interpretation
Despite driving the majority of purchases, appearing in most ads, and dominating fashion retail, women—especially plus-size and streetwear consumers—still find themselves sidelined by a stylishly unequal industry that markets to them while muting their representation and ownership.
Design and Creative Influence
- Just 40% of womenswear brands are designed by women
- Brands led by women tend to have more inclusive marketing
- Less than 20% of male designers design for men’s collections, with most focusing on women’s fashion
- 1 in 5 fashion magazines feature male designers for women-focused issues
- Female-founded fashion brands are 25% more likely to use diverse sizing
- Women designers still account for less than 25% of major fashion award nominations
- Gender-neutral fashion collections rose by 200% from 2020–2022
- Among the top 50 global fashion influencers, 70% are women
- Less than 2% of museum fashion exhibits highlight women designers
- 72% of Gen Z want brands to hire more women designers
- Fashion sponsorships favor male influencers by a 2:1 ratio despite female dominance
- Women-founded brands are more likely to engage in cause-based marketing
- Since 2020, 25% of new fashion brands founded by women focus on adaptive clothing
- Only 27% of menswear brands have a woman on the design team
Interpretation
In a world where women drive fashion trends, wear the clothes, and dominate influence, the industry still oddly insists on putting the power scissors in men’s hands—proving that style may evolve, but gender parity remains stubbornly out of season.
Education and Career Pipeline
- Women comprise about 70% of fashion school graduates
- 60% of fashion interns are women but receive fewer paid opportunities compared to men
- Only 3% of investment in fashion accelerators goes to women-led teams
- Educational gender balance in design schools is almost 70% female, 30% male
- 80% of women of color in fashion industry say they lack mentors
- 66% of female fashion students fear gender bias will affect their careers
Interpretation
In an industry draped in femininity and powered by women, fashion’s glass runway remains firmly intact—rewarding male strides while leaving women, especially women of color, stitching their way through bias, underfunding, and invisibility.
Leadership and Executive Roles
- Only 14% of major fashion brands are run by a female executive
- Despite their numbers, women hold less than 25% of leadership roles in top fashion companies
- Men hold over 80% of creative director roles in major fashion houses
- In luxury fashion, only 14% of CEOs are women
- Only 1 in 10 global fashion brand founders is a woman
- Lesbian, bisexual, and queer women are underrepresented in fashion leadership
- In recent years, the number of female creative directors has only grown by 2%
- Just 7% of top fashion board members are women
- Women of color make up less than 5% of executive roles in the fashion industry
- Trans and non-binary individuals remain largely invisible in mainstream fashion leadership
- Women-owned fashion businesses receive less than 3% of venture capital funding
- In fashion tech startups, only 17% of founders are women
- 79% of women in fashion say that gender bias has affected their career progression
- 62% of fashion industry executives view gender equity as a priority
- Only 3 Black women have led major global fashion houses
- Female-founded sustainable fashion brands grew 3x faster in 2022 than male-founded ones
- Women are behind 52% of fashion startups but receive only 5% of corporate partnerships
- Fewer than 10% of fashion week keynote speakers are female
- In fashion media, 68% of bylines go to women, but top editorial roles are held by men
- Publicly traded fashion firms with female CEOs report 15% higher profitability
- Only 16% of the British Fashion Council designer members are women
- Women-led fashion brands are 40% more likely to adhere to ethical labor practices
- 34% of female fashion executives say they’ve experienced workplace sexism
- LGBTQ women in fashion are less likely to hold leadership positions than gay men
- Over 60% of ethical fashion brand founders are women
- Women-led companies in fashion retail report 60% higher employee satisfaction
- 61% of women in fashion say they have been overlooked for promotions
- The top 10 fashion conglomerates have only 2 female CEOs
Interpretation
In a multibillion-dollar industry built on dressing women, fashion’s leadership still prefers its power suits in men’s sizes.
Workforce Representation
- Women make up approximately 80% of the workforce in the fashion industry globally
- Women make up 60-90% of garment workers in global supply chains
- 1 in 3 women garment workers reports experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace
- Female models are paid significantly more than male models
- Only 1 in 5 models featured in leading fashion campaigns are women of color
- 52% of fashion companies don't have a formal gender diversity strategy in place
- Over 70 million people are employed in the fashion supply chain, and over 75% are women
- Gender pay gap in fashion is 15% in favor of men
- Female fashion designers earn 74 cents for every $1 male designers make
- LGBTQ+ employees report 1.5 times higher discrimination rates in the fashion industry
- 90% of women in garment factories in Bangladesh work overtime without adequate compensation
- 55% of women working in the fashion industry say they feel underrepresented
- 87% of female models have experienced pressure to lose weight
- 76% of transgender models say they've faced discrimination during casting
- In emerging markets, 85% of fashion entrepreneurs are female
- Intersectional women (disability or race+gender) face highest fashion employment barriers
- 10% of fashion week designers in Paris are women, compared to 45% in New York
- Transgender fashion professionals are 3x more likely to quit due to workplace discrimination
Interpretation
In an industry draped in glamour but stitched with inequality, the fashion world paradoxically depends on women’s labor yet too often zips shut their access to power, safety, and representation.