If you only could know about five people in fashion today, these would be the names that matter most. Some are famous, others are more behind the scenes— but each has an outsize influence on the fashion industry.
Welcome to our field guide on luxury and fashion. Check out other parts of our deep dive here.
THE EXECUTIVE
Delphine Arnault - Executive vice president, Louis Vuitton
As heir-apparent to the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate, Ms. Arnault currently helps operate the company’s namesake brand and launched the company’s LVMH Prize competition, which catapults winning emerging designers to the forefront of fashion.
THE RETAILER
Jessica Liu - President of TMall fashion and luxury, Alibaba Group
As an executive at one of the world’s biggest e-commerce platforms, Liu is responsible for bringing Western luxury fashion brands into China, a lucrative opportunity for both Alibaba and any brand that can dip its toes into the largely untapped market.
THE DESIGNER
Alessandro Michele -
Creative director, Gucci
When Gucci appointed Michele as its creative director in 2015, the move surprised many in the industry, considering he had been a relative no-name designer and was now at the head of one of the world’s foremost luxury brands. In the three years since, Michele has helped turn Gucci into a powerhouse.
THE KING (AND QUEEN) MAKER
Anna Wintour -
Editor-in-chief, Vogue; artistic director, Conde Nast
Wintour is perhaps the most recognizable public figure in fashion and the closest to a deity the industry has. Wintour also orchestrates one of fashion’s most important annual events, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala in New York.
THE PURIST
Rei Kawakubo - Founder, Comme des Garcons, Dover Street Market
The elusive but seemingly omniscient Kawakubo operates on a higher plane in luxury, presenting conceptual collections for the nerdiest intellectuals in fashion and inspiring legions of designers. She was even the subject of an exhibit at The Met in 2017. Kawakubo also founded the go-to retailer for fashion diehards, Dover Street Market.
