Last month, the news that Virginie Viard would be stepping down as Chanel’s creative director caused quite a commotion in the industry. Holding the title since 2019, having started as an intern in 1987, Viard was known as the late designer Karl Lagerfeld’s right-hand woman, so much so that he brought her with him for his five-year stint at Chloé in between their Chanel-focused careers.

Clearly, her connection with the luxury fashion house is deep-rooted, with her work and career achievements going back decades, but her departure seems all the more noteworthy when considering the lack of female representation in senior fashion industry positions.

Despite these luxury labels focusing primarily on women’s fashion, the top creative director roles are often taken by men. Daniel Lee is at the helm at Burberry, Jonathan Anderson leads Loewe, Alessandro Michele is the main man at Valentino, Sabato de Sarno is the new star at Gucci. The list goes on. 

“Fashion is an industry that centres women, and we deserve to be included in decision-making roles,” says Annabel Waterhouse-Biggins, digital consultant to brands including the British Fashion Council, Doha Jewellery and the Watches Exhibition. “With Sarah Burton’s exit from McQueen last year and now Virginie Viard from Chanel, we are beginning to head in the wrong direction with less representation at the top.”

According to the UK Fashion DEI Report from January 2024, “just 9% of executive roles and 11% of power roles (CEO, CFO, chairperson, creative director) are held by people of colour. Meanwhile, 39% of executive teams and 24% of power roles are occupied by women.” An eye-opening statistic for an industry in which many believe women thrive.

Jemima May, founder and creative director of womenswear brand No Emotions, says: “Virginie was not only a key figure at Chanel but also a trailblazer for younger women, serving as a role model and demonstrating that women can hold top leadership positions.

“It is disheartening to see the persistent gender disparity in leadership roles within the fashion industry, especially given the significant contributions made by women at all levels. This disparity raises important questions about why it still exists and for aspiring young women, it has a hugely negative impact, lacking a sense of inspiration.”

What can be done to combat this lack of female representation in fashion is the key question. With increased competition, a harsh financial environment and the impact of Covid still affecting many brands, Waterhouse-Biggins stresses the risk-averse nature of many fashion brands right now, noting that they often hire known names from competitors rather than investing in new talent. This, of course, only continues the vicious cycle.

As Hanushka Toni, founder and CEO of luxury resale label Sellier, notes: “High-level fashion roles are notorious for demanding long hours and intense dedication. This expectation of constant availability and commitment can create significant barriers for women, particularly those who have greater family responsibilities – often forcing them to make difficult choices or compromises in their careers.”

It seems a real corporate mindset shift is needed to ensure that one woman stepping down from a high-powered role does not send shockwaves through the industry. To do this, it’s time for brands to take a few risks, reward real talent in their hiring processes, offer a more flexible approach to work and put spend behind female leadership through mentorship programmes and boosted support. Let’s hope we’ll soon see this in action. 

Images: Chanel; Getty