People in fashion
Who shapes the fashion business: designers, chief executives, founders, technologists and the voices that set the agenda. Researched profiles with sources.
Designers and creative directorsExecutivesFounders and entrepreneursTechnology, data and AIMedia, education and industry voices
Designers and creative directors
40Alessandro MicheleCreative director of ValentinoAlexander McQueenFounder and creative director of Alexander McQueen (until 2010)Christian DiorFounder of the House of DiorDaniel LeeChief creative officer of Burberry (since October 2022)DemnaCreative director of GucciDiane von FurstenbergFounder of the Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) fashion houseDonatella VersaceChief brand ambassador of Versace; creative director from 1997 to 2025Dries Van NotenFounder of the Dries Van Noten fashion house (designed it until 2024)Gabrielle 'Coco' ChanelFounder of the House of ChanelGiorgio ArmaniFounder of the Armani fashion house (1975 until his death in 2025)Grace Wales BonnerCreative director of menswear at Hermès; founder of Wales BonnerHedi SlimaneDesigner and photographer; artistic director of Celine until 2024Iris van HerpenFounder and creative director of the Iris van Herpen couture houseIssey MiyakeFounder of Issey Miyake and Miyake Design StudioJil SanderFounder of the Jil Sander fashion houseJonathan AndersonCreative director of Dior (men's, women's and haute couture) since 2025Karl LagerfeldCreative director of Chanel (1983 to 2019) and designer at Fendi (1965 to 2019)Kim JonesCreative director of Areal by Bosideng; Dior Men artistic director 2018 to 2025Maria Grazia ChiuriChief creative officer of FendiMarine SerreFounder and designer of Marine SerreMartin MargielaFounder of Maison Martin Margiela; artist since leaving fashion in 2009Matthieu BlazyArtistic director of fashion at Chanel (appointed December 2024)Miuccia PradaCo-creative director of Prada and creative director of Miu MiuNicolas GhesquièreArtistic director of women's collections at Louis Vuitton (since 2013)Pharrell WilliamsMen's creative director of Louis Vuitton (since February 2023)Phoebe PhiloFounder and creative director of the Phoebe Philo labelPierpaolo PiccioliCreative director of BalenciagaRaf SimonsCo-creative director of PradaRalph LaurenFounder, executive chairman and chief creative officer of Ralph LaurenRei KawakuboFounder and designer of Comme des GarçonsSabato De SarnoCreative director of Icicle (since September 2026); Gucci 2023 to 2025Sarah BurtonCreative director of Givenchy (since September 2024)Simon Porte JacquemusFounder and creative director of JacquemusSimone RochaFounder and creative director of Simone RochaStella McCartneyFounder and creative director of Stella McCartneyTom FordFounder of the Tom Ford brand; former creative director of GucciVirgil AblohFounder of Off-White and men's artistic director of Louis Vuitton (2018 to 2021)Vivienne WestwoodFounder of the Vivienne Westwood fashion houseYohji YamamotoFounder and designer of Yohji YamamotoYves Saint LaurentCo-founder and designer of the Yves Saint Laurent couture house (1961 to 2002)
Executives
26Bernard ArnaultChairman and chief executive of LVMHBjørn GuldenChief executive of adidas since January 2023Daniel ErvérPresident and chief executive of H&M GroupDaniel GriederChief executive of HUGO BOSS since June 2021David SchneiderCo-founder of Zalando and management board memberDelphine ArnaultChairman and chief executive of Christian Dior CoutureElliott HillPresident and chief executive of Nike, Inc. since October 2024François-Henri PinaultChairman of KeringJohann RupertChairman of RichemontJoshua SchulmanChief executive of BurberryLeena NairGlobal chief executive of Chanel since January 2022Lorenzo BertelliChief marketing officer and head of CSR, Prada GroupLuca de MeoChief executive of KeringMarta OrtegaNon-executive chair of InditexMichelle GassPresident and chief executive of Levi Strauss & Co. since 2024Óscar García MaceirasChief executive of InditexPablo IslaChair of Nestlé; former chairman and chief executive of InditexPatrice LouvetPresident and chief executive of Ralph Lauren CorporationPatrizio BertelliChairman of the Prada Group since April 2024Pietro BeccariChairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton and of LVMH Fashion GroupRemo RuffiniExecutive chairman of Moncler since April 2026Richard DicksonPresident and chief executive of Gap Inc.Robert GentzCo-founder and co-chief executive of ZalandoTadashi YanaiChairman, president and chief executive of Fast RetailingToni RuizChairman and chief executive of MangoXu YangtianFounder, chairman and chief executive of Shein
Founders and entrepreneurs
12Amancio OrtegaFounder of Inditex and ZaraBen FrancisFounder and chief executive of GymsharkJames ReinhartCo-founder and chief executive of ThredUpJennifer HymanCo-founder and former chief executive of Rent the RunwayJosé NevesFounder of Farfetch, chief executive until 2024Julie BornsteinFounder and chief executive of DaydreamJulie WainwrightFounder and former chief executive of The RealRealKatrina LakeFounder and executive chair of Stitch FixNatalie MassenetFounder of Net-a-Porter, co-founder of Imaginary VenturesPhil KnightCo-founder and chairman emeritus of NikeStefan PerssonFormer CEO and chairman of H&MYvon ChouinardFounder of Patagonia
Technology, data and AI
6Amber Jae SlootenCo-founder and creative director of The FabricantEric ColsonFormer chief algorithms officer of Stitch FixKatia WalshManaging director at Apollo Global Management, former chief strategy and AI officer of Levi Strauss & Co.Kerry MurphyCo-founder and chief executive of The FabricantMatthew DrinkwaterHead of the Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of FashionMichael MusanduFounder and former chief executive of Lalaland.ai
Media, education and industry voices
16Anna WintourChief content officer of Condé Nast and global editorial director of VogueCarlo CapasaPresident of Camera Nazionale della Moda ItalianaCaroline RushFormer chief executive of the British Fashion Council (2009 to 2025)Carry SomersCo founder of Fashion RevolutionEdward EnninfulCo-founder and chief creative officer of EE72; former editor of British VogueImran AmedFounder, chief executive and editor-in-chief of The Business of FashionLi EdelkoortTrend forecaster and founder of Trend UnionLivia FirthSustainable fashion advocate and creator of the Green Carpet Fashion AwardsOrsola de CastroCo founder of Fashion Revolution and upcycling pioneerPascal MorandExecutive president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la ModeRachel ArthurSustainability strategist, writer and journalist on fashion, sustainability and technologySteven KolbFormer chief executive and president of the CFDA (2006 to 2026)Suzy MenkesFashion journalist and critic; former International Vogue editorTim BlanksEditor-at-large of The Business of FashionValerie SteeleDirector and chief curator of The Museum at FITVanessa FriedmanFashion director and chief fashion critic of The New York Times