Sarah Burton’s departure from Alexander McQueen not only marks the end of her 26-year tenure at the British luxury brand, but also the shortage of female creative directors at Kering’s leading fashion houses. Her successor is Seán McGirr and the luxury goods group, which includes brands such as Gucci, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Brioni, currently only employs white men as creative directors.
Although Kering previously announced its commitment to promoting equal opportunities for men and women at all levels, the numbers reveal an imbalance. Of the 29 creative directors who have led the company’s six major fashion houses, only five were women, making up just 17 percent, reports business magazine Forbes.
The situation is different in Kering’s overall workforce, which is 63 percent women, with women occupying 57 percent of management positions, 38 percent of the executive committee and 40 percent of the board of directors. According to the trade magazine Business of Fashion, Kering wants to achieve a balanced gender ratio by the end of 2025.
Lack of ethnic diversity in fashion industry
In contrast, luxury goods group LVMH made history when it appointed Virgil Abloh, the first Black creative director, at its luxury flagship Louis Vuitton, where he achieved huge global success. The company hopes to repeat this success under its new creative director, Pharrell Williams. Forbes noted that major luxury conglomerates, which include LVMH, Kering and Richemont, continue to lack ethnic diversity in top creative positions, with only Pharrell Williams holding one.
The fashion industry is more open to hiring LGBTQIA+ staff compared to other industries, but still struggles with representation issues when it comes to gender and ethnic diversity, particularly in leadership positions. People of color are also underrepresented in fashion education, both in applications and in the curricula, and there is a shortage of professors and tutors.
The appointment of Seán McGirr as Alexander McQueen’s new creative director within the Kering portfolio has sparked a wider discussion about diversity within the company and, by extension, the fashion industry as a whole.
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk.