As 2025 draws to a close, we’re revisiting the best stories Fashionista published this year (at least in our editors’ opinions). The below was originally published in March.The fashion industry has been going hard on its high-stakes game of designer musical chairs lately, with creative directors moving among labels at a breakneck rate. Though it’s always an interesting news day when a designer leaves a high-profile post, it’s often even more intriguing to find out which skilled artist is next in line to take over. What makes these moments less exciting, though, is when the new hire is — you guessed it! — another white guy.Maria Grazia Chiuri — the creative director at Dior — is one of the very few women currently leading a major luxury brand. With news of Jonathan Anderson’s departure from Loewe, it’s all but confirmed that he’s set to replace Chiuri, potentially making that list of female creative directors even shorter. Meanwhile, Versace recently announced that Dario Vitale will assume the brand’s lead design role from Donatella Versace; Chanel replaced Virginie Viard, who departed her role as artistic director last year, with Matthieu Blazy; and Demna is about to be come the third consecutive white male to head Gucci since Frida Giannini’s departure in 2015.For an industry that mostly relies on the wallets of women to turn a profit, not a whole lot of them hold creative (or corporate, for that matter) positions of power. Why? The patriarchy. The reality is, even in an industry that only succeeds if women let it, men are still overwhelmingly put in charge.Instead of stepping too high up on my soapbox and going on about why other people — aside from the five white men luxury execs seem to have on a rotating platter — deserve a chance to lead luxury brands, I thought I’d offer a bit of help. Below, find the names of many talented, capable and accomplished women to consider the next time a table of (probably white, probably male) executives want to try out a new vision for their fashion business. Aisling CampsFounder and Designer at Aisling CampsAlessandra RichFounder and Designer at Alessandra RichAllina LiuFounder and Designer at Allina LiuAmanda María ForastieriCreative Director at Amanda María ForastieriAmy SmilovicFounder and Creative Director at TibiAnifa MvuembaFounder and Designer at HanifaAnn DemeulemeesterFounder at Ann DemeulemeesterAnna SuiFounder and Designer at Anna SuiAnne IsabellaFounder and Designer at Anne IsabellaAshiya OmundsenFounder and Designer at Par MoiAurora JamesFounder and Creative Director at Brother VelliesAutumn AdeigboFounder and Designer at Autumn AdeigboBatsheva HayFounder and Designer at BatshevaBeate KarlssonCreative Director at AvavavBianca SaundersFounder and Designer at Bianca SaundersBouchra JarrarFormer Artistic Director at LanvinCamille MiceliArtistic Director at PucciCatherine HolsteinFounder and Creative Director at KhaiteCecilie BahnsenFounder and Designer at Cecilie BahnsenChemena KamaliCreative Director at ChloeChitose AbeFounder and Creative Director at SacaiClare Waight KellerCreative Director at UniqloCynthia MerhejFounder and Creative Director at Renaissance RenaissanceDaniella KallmeyerFounder, Designer and CEO at KallmeyerDilara FindikogluFounder and Designer at Dilara FindikogluDimitra PetsaFounder and Designer at Di PetsaDitte ReffstrupCreative Director at GanniEmilia WicksteadFounder and Designer at Emilia WicksteadAndrea Iyamah NehikhareFounder and Designer at Andrea IyamahEllen Hodakova LarssonFounder and Designer at HodakovaEmma Chopova and Laura LowenaCo-founders and Designers at Chopova LowenaFelisha NoelFounder and Head Designer at Fe NoelFrances HowieCreative Director at FformeGabriela HearstFounder and Designer at Gabriela HearstGrace GuiFounder and Designer at Grace GuiGrace Wales BonnerFounder and Designer at Wales BonnerGuo PeiFounder and Designer at Guo PeiHelle Hestehave and Rikke BaumgartenFounders and Creative Directors at Baum und PferdgartenIris Van HerpenFounder and Designer at Iris Van HerpenJasmine ChongFounder and Designer at Jasmine ChongJeanette Madsen and Thora ValdimarsdottirFounders and Creative Directors at Rotate Birger ChristensenJenia KimFounder and Designer at J.KimJulie KegelsFounder and Designer of Julie KegelsJulie PelipasFounder and Designer of BettterKate and Laura MulleavyCo-founders and Designers at RodarteKaroline VittoFounder and Designer at Karoline VittoKrystal A. PhillipsFounder and Designer at KaphillLara FellsCo-founder and Designer at St. AgniLaura and Deanna FanningCreative Directors of Womenswear at Kiko KostadinovLuqi YouDesigner at NφdressMagda ButrymFounder and Designer at Magda ButrymMaisie SchlossFounder and Designer at Maisie WilenMara HoffmanFounder and Designer at Mara HoffmanMaria Grazia ChiuriCreative Director at DiorMarie Adam-LeenaerdtFounder and Designer at Marie Adam-LeenaerdtMarine SerreFounder and Designer at Marine SerreMartine RoseFounder and Designer at Martine RoseMaryam Nassir ZadehFounder and Creative Director at Maryam Nassir ZadehMelissa MercedesFounder and Designer at Melissa MercedesMeruert TolegenFounder and Designer at Meruert TolegenMolly GoddardFounder and Designer at Molly GoddardNadège Vanhée-CybulskiCreative Director at HermèsNan Li and Emilia PfohlCo-Founders and Designers of NamiliaNatalia AlaverdianFounder and Designer at A.W.A.K.E ModeNatasha ZinkoFounder and Designer at Natasha ZinkoNensi DojakaFounder and Designer at Nensi DojakaNicky ZimmermannFounder and Designer at ZimmermannNicola BacchilegaFounder and Designer at DefaïenceNia ThomasFounder and Designer at Nia ThomasOlivia ChengFounder and Creative Director at DauphinettePaloma LannaFounder and Creative Director at Paloma WoolPhoebe PhiloFounder and Designer at Phoebe PhiloPriya AhluwaliaFounder and Designer at AhluwaliaPurna Chateau and Phoebe VickersCo-founders at RhodeRachel ComeyFounder and Designer at Rachel ComeyRachel ScottFounder and Designer at DiotimaRejina PyoFounder and Designer at Rejina PyoRoopa PemmarajuFounder and Designer at RP New YorkSally LaPointeFounder and Designer at LaPointeBárbara Sánchez-KaneFounder and Designer at Sánchez-KaneSandy LiangFounder and Designer at Sandy LiangSarah StaudingerFounder and Designer of StaudSia ArnikaFounder and Designer at Sia ArnikaSimone RochaFounder and Designer at Simone RochaSohee ParkFounder and Designer at Miss SoheeStella McCartneyFounder and Designer at Stella McCartneySusan FangFounder and Designer at Susan FangSvitlana BevzaFounder and Designer at BevzaTanya TaylorFounder and Designer at Tanya Taylor and DelphineTia AdeolaFounder and Designer at Tia AdeolaTolu CokerFounder and Designer at Tolu CokerTory BurchFounder, Designer and Chief Creative Officer at Tory Burch Tracy ReeseFounder and Designer, Hope for FlowersVirginie ViardFormer Creative Director at ChanelWray SernaFounder and Designer at WrayYoon AhnFounder and Designer at AmbushYueqi QiFounder and Designer at Yueqi QiYutong JiangCo-founder and Designer at Shushu/TongZana BayneFounder and Designer at Zana BayneFashionista is the leading online destination for current and aspiring fashion and beauty industry professionals. 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