The Coronavirus outbreak shook the fashion and luxury industry in an unprecedented way.

It forced the whole system to think in a different way and find unusual solutions to standard processes.

In the past month two women arose as the leaders of a new chapter: Miuccia Bianchi Prada and Christian Dior Couture Mariagrazia Chiuri.

Prada Group confirmed its powerful brand vision and the strength of experimentation in the visual arts merged with a collection presentation.

The project “The show that never happened” is the perfect symbol of how a fashion brand established several decades ago is perfectly in tune with the times thanks to its creative mastermind unstoppable research.
Miuccia introduced 5 artistic views in a powerful digital show. She mastered the art of visual communication with a conceptual touch, very close to the Brand DNA.

Dior Mariagrazia Chiuri launched successfully the Dior maison in the “phygital” dimensions with a movie directed by Award winner Matteo Garrone “Le Myth Dior” and a stunning show in Lecce, Italy for the cruise presentation two days.

How exceptional is it that the most French of the luxury maison organize such an impressive event in Italy, collaborates with local artisans and pays a tribute to Italy right after the lockdown?

Luxury Industry Neglects Women 

Take the Deloitte “Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2019” report and give a look at the top 50 best luxury companies. Only 3 of them are headed by women: Tory Burch, Miuccia Prada, Ferragamo CEO Micaela Le Divelec. Two of them are founders. The only one recruited is the latter (kudos to Ferragamo!).

Women are often confined in the least powerful roles in fashion: design, communication and HR.

Despite the fact that most part of the offer of the industry is dedicated to women.

In 2015 the New York Times published an article about “In Luxury, the Female Factor”. It mentioned several women promoted CEO like Isabelle Guichot, Liza Montague, Patricia Barbizet, Sarah Crook.

It said “Female chief executives also have historically been few and far between, despite a recent spate of high-profile appointments.

But there are signs that this is one industry-defining trend that may no longer be in vogue.”

Those who were mentioned have been rapidly replaced by men.

Recently Barbara Calò was promoted at Marni replacing the CEO Stefano Biondo, but she just scored a less powerful job title of Managing Director.

Luxury Brands work on Stereotyped Women

Recently Mary Fellowes, celebrities stylist of Olivia Colman and Scarlett Johansson, said to the Daily Mail online that the fashion industry ignores middle-aged women.

‘They are its biggest users, women with something to say for themselves, with money to spend,’ she cries. But so much of the industry still seems to be designed for tall, thin young women.”

“‘Grown-up women aren’t interested in logos and street sportswear, but the big luxury brands are putting all that out there, for the customers who aspire to be the likes of the Kardashians and the Hadids, who don’t represent their customers at all”.

It’s a pity that such a relevant part of the industry customers are neglected.

And it’s a shame that women do not have space and voice in the sancta sanctorum of the brands.

In its article “When Women are On Board, Men are less Overconfident”, the Harvard Business Review points out that:

“One benefit of having female directors on the board is a greater diversity of viewpoints, which is purported to improve the quality of board deliberations, especially when complex issues are involved, because different perspectives can increase the amount of information available.

At the same time, research has found that female directors tend to be less conformist and more likely to express their independent views than male directors because they do not belong to old-boy networks.

So a board with female directors might be more likely to challenge the CEO and push him to consider a wider range of options, as well as pros and cons, when making strategic firm decisions.

This could then attenuate CEO overconfidence and correct for potentially biased beliefs.”

So, will Women Save Fashion?

Very likely they started a new silent trend: niche brands, excellence, style, elegance and the cool factor.

Brands like The Row, Gabriela Hearst and the upcoming Phoebe Philo project are taking women on a different road compared to the tacky and flashy styles of most of the brands.

It was called timeless elegance once. Now it’s the come back in style.

It is news of today that Prada created a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council co-chaired by director Ava DuVernay and artist Theaster Gates.

“Prada is committed to cultivating, recruiting and retaining diverse talent to contribute to all departments of the company,” Miuccia Prada, CEO and Lead Creative Director of Prada said in the statement. “In addition to amplifying voices of color within the industry, we will help ensure that the fashion world is reflective of the world in which we live.”

Following a backlash because of windows props judged racially offensive by the black community.

Something similar happened to Gucci recently for a balaclava.

Spike Lee said he will no longer buy Prada or Gucci until the brands “hire some black designers”…

Prada took a remarkable step that unfortunately won’t solve the issue.

Because it’s not supporting one skin colour rather than another one that things will improve and fairness and respect will be established.

It’s Equal Opportunities what is most needed in Fashion.

Not a misleading definition of Diversity.

Equal opportunity is treating all employees and applicants for employment equally, without discriminating in terms of race, sex, religion (Collins Dictionary).

And recruiting people because they are talented.

With no discrimination. At all.