Fashion Focus: women in fashion

In continuation with my previous article, and to further celebrate Women’s History Month, I want to use this platform to recognise and honour the invaluable contributions that women have made to the fashion industry.

The impact of Westwood and other designers, such as Mary Quant, was fostered by the work of Madeleine Chéruit

The first woman I would like to commemorate is British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. Westwood is credited as one of the architects of the punk fashion phenomenon of the 1970s, and in this regard, can be considered as an innovator and trailblazer in the fashion industry. She has created an incredibly strong legacy as a politically motivated and active artist, who campaigned for nuclear disarmament and engaged in British politics with public condemnations and endorsements.

The impact of Westwood and other designers, such as Mary Quant, was fostered by the work of Madeleine Chéruit. Chéruit was a French fashion designer, and one of the first women to control a major French fashion house in 1906. She became an incredibly celebrated designer for her feminine and soft aesthetic and should be acknowledged as a successful businesswoman, heading one of the only houses which was able to continue operation in the advent of WW1.

A third designer I want to appreciate is Donatella Versace. Versace is an Italian designer and business woman who has had a profound impact in her collaboration with famous women. Primarily, Versace’s green silk chiffon dress which was sported by Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd Grammy Awards received significant media coverage and continues to be used as a reference and point of comparison. The dress was such a sensation that it acted as the impetus for the creation of Google Images. In this regard, it is the work of female fashion designers and celebrities which has wide-reaching impacts on not only culture, but technological development.

Moving on from designers, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the impact of notable female celebrities in the fashion world. Chappel Roan, who I previously highlighted in reference to her outfit for the Grammys, deserves her flowers for her immeasurable impact on concert fashion. Roan has innovated and popularised the formal concept of a ‘concert dress code’. This practice has been adopted by a range of other artists, such as beabadoobee who insisted, for her UK leg of the ‘This is How Tomorrow Moves Tour’, her fans ‘go badass’ and ‘kind of kooky’. Inspired, flowerovlove provided a ‘styling guide’ for her shows on Instagram, and Esha Tewari asked her fans to style their hair in pigtails.

There are a range of alternate ‘fashion icons’ who have had a profound impact on trends and consumer practices, as well as the creative direction of designers. Regarding references, Princess Diana is consistently utilised for her street style (biker shorts and sweater) and stand-out looks, such as the ‘revenge dress’. In particular, her infamous look photographed on the diving board was referenced by SZA on the album cover for SOS. Similarly, Audrey Hepburn styled in a Givenchy black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, has immortalised the phrase ‘little black dress’, which remains a staple in our wardrobes.

From designers to models to celebrities, it has been a constant that women have contributed to the fashion industry an indescribable amount

A final celebrity to celebrate would be Jennie. Jennie has worked with a range of high-profile brands, from Calvin Klein to Chanel, even being referred to as ‘Human Chanel’. She has encouraged the growth of numerous trends during her career, from glitter hair clips to popularising the COS ‘cloud bag’ which quickly sold out and led to replicas being produced. In parallel, her collaboration with Gentle Monster quickly sold out.

In summary, from designers to models to celebrities, it has been a constant that women have contributed to the fashion industry an indescribable amount, influencing trends, subcultures, consumption, and etiquette.