For decades, the fashion industry has been seen as an elite white men’s club, with only a select few women being accepted. But with a new wave of energy, change is on the horizon. Los Angeles Loyolan, the ultimate luxury fashion magazine, is paving the way for women to break the traditional mold by challenging the dominance of the white boys’ club in the womenswear industry.
1. Luxury Womenswear: Excluding Women from the Elite Men’s Club
Have We Excluded Women from the Elite Men’s Club?
The times of having women completely excluded from the club of luxury menswear have gone. With the introduction of women’s wear becoming more and more popular in the past two decades, women now have the ability to dress with luxury and designer pieces. However, despite this progressive step forward, elite men’s clothing is still largely seen as the realm of men and the bourgeoisie.
At big luxury menswear shows, female models and lookbooks are still incredibly rare. The vast majority of collections continue to be entirely dedicated to men and their styles. Even though luxury womenswear has grown from a small counterculture movement to a fully sized industry, so too have the industries propensity to focus solely on men.
This continued exclusion could be seen to be a reflection of the deep-seated inequalities that exist in both the fashion industry and in society more broadly. With the majority of high-level fashion designers historically being men, it seems that the traditional masculine values of power and success continue to be seen as the hallmarks for luxury clothing.
Despite this, there are still rays of hope. As womenswear shows become increasingly popular, there are signs of growth in the inclusion of women in menswear shows, lookbooks, and magazines as well. The fashion industry’s continued shift towards a diverse and inclusive landscape may just provide women with the opportunity to dress with the same level of luxury as men.
2. Los Angeles Loyolan: Uncovering the Strictly Male Hierarchy
Los Angeles Loyolan is a newspaper dedicated to covering the lives and stories of students at Loyola Marymount University. But, at its surface, the publication has a striking feature – it is a strictly male-only newsroom. Though the staff is seemingly diverse in gender, race and background, the reality remains that the newspaper is dominated by men. While the newspaper claims to have secure equal opportunities for students of both genders, it’s still vital to understand why there is such a gender imbalance.
For starters, there is a male recruitment and selection process. Unconsciously, male applicants are aware that the newspaper is predominantly male-dominated, and tend to favour applicants from their own gender. This creates a cyclical effect as new male recruits perpetuate the existing system of disproportionately denying women from receiving the opportunity to join the staff. Secondly, the leadership consists of mainly male members. Recent surveys show that the majority of the top decision-makers in the paper are male, giving them disproportionate authority to make decisions or override a female’s opinion.
- Male recruitment and selection process
- Male-dominated leadership
3. Breaking the Barrier: Women’s Rights in the World of Luxury Fashion
The industry of luxury fashion, long considered an exclusive men’s club, is beginning to break down barriers for women. It’s no secret that fashion as a whole has always offered an unwelcoming atmosphere for women. From invisible talent to unequal pay and subpar promotion opportunities, it’s clear that the fashion industry has come a long way in striving for gender equality.
It’s no surprise that luxury fashion houses are embracing a new era and rapidly adapting to an environment that promotes, hires and celebrates emerging female-led creatives and entrepreneurs. Women are finding success as influential designers within the luxury apparel realm, showing the world that female creativity in the fashion space is far from understated. There are a plethora of women paving the way for others to achieve their wildest dreams in the industry, and they are doing it with style. Here are a few of the current movers and shakers in the world of luxury fashion:
- Stella McCartney, who is currently the Creative Director of the eponymous fashion brand and also serves as the Creative Director at Chanel.
- Alexandra Shulman, the former Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue, and now the President of the British Fashion Council.
- Carolina Herrera, the Venezuelan-American fashion designer and Creative Director of the eponymous fashion label.
- Giovanna Battaglia, the Italian fashion queen who is now the Creative Director of LOEWE.
From powerful fashion designers and editors to female-owned businesses and creative entrepreneurs, women are making strides in the luxury fashion industry. As more women rise to leadership positions and finally receive the recognition they deserve, the fashion world is transforming into a more inclusive and equitable environment. Women have the potential to shape an industry that has long overlooked them, and it’s their talent, strength and ambition that are driving the world of luxury fashion forward.
4. Gender Equality: A Question of Equal Opportunity in the Womenswear Arena
With the ever-growing demand for fashionable womenswear in the industry, gender equality is quickly becoming a topic of conversation. Women’s designers are now in a unique position to make a mark under the spotlight, with the opportunity to express their views and create stylish pieces that come with a powerful message. The modern woman today is eager to make her presence felt, and the fashion industry must meet the challenge of expanding its definition of gender equality.
Womenswear designers, in particular, have the ability to create innovative pieces that demonstrate how gender equality can be achieved through fashion. From cuts that reflect a more diverse range of body types to colors and textures that strike a balance between masculine and feminine, womenswear can be empowering for women.
- Designers should consider size range when designing clothes – Many womenswear designers focus on creating pieces for the “average” body type, but for true inclusivity, more diversity in sizing should be encouraged.
- Include diverse models in lookbooks and photoshoots — Using models of different ages, sizes, and ethnicities in campaigns will go a long way towards educating society about gender equality.
- Focus on promoting work-life balance — With so many women working in the industry, it’s important to focus on promoting a work-life balance that helps them achieve success in both their professional and personal lives.
We’ve seen the statistics, we’ve heard the stories, and now the question lies with us: is this the white-boys-only club that luxury fashion wants to keep? Change is never easy, but it’s worth striving towards an industry that celebrates creativity, inclusion, and diversity – now, that would be truly luxurious.
