Today is International Women's Day, meaning it's time we took a moment to appreciate the achievements of the fashion industry's greatest female leaders. On paper, it may seem like these ladies just design, curate and write about clothing (which is no easy feat to begin with), but in reality, they represent so much more than what their job descriptions may entail. As public figures, these fabulous women inspire us every day to lead empowering lives. Check ou these strong, inspiring women below!
1. Jenna Lyons
Jenna Lyons has had a cult-like following for quite some time now, and it clearly has something to do with the fact that she's the ultimate girl boss (um, she attends 10 to 18 meetings a day!). As creative director and president of J.Crew, Lyons is basically in charge of overseeing the designs, looks and polished catalog layouts we see online and in the coveted "style guides" that arrive at our doorsteps each month. We especially love that she totally owned her coming out a few years ago, breaking every stereotype and becoming an inspiration to the LGBTQ+ community.
Fun fact: She has dentures and isn't afraid to tell the world about them!
2. Diane von Fürstenberg
For any fashion lover, DVF is a household name. She's credited with inventing the iconic wrap dress and is the 2005 recipient of the prestigious CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award. You can spot everyone from First Lady Michelle Obama to Kate Middleton sporting her designs. But did you know that she built her brand from just a $30,000 investment in 1970? Clearly, she's got some major ambition! Now that she's a well-established name in the industry, she dedicates a sizable portion of her time to philanthropy. She's a board member of Vital Voices, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women's leadership, plus the director of her family's own foundation, so no big deal!
Fun fact: For the duration of her marriage to Prince Egon of Fürstenberg, she was an official princess!
3. Leandra Medine
By now, the Internet feels full to the brim with fashion blogs, but Leandra Medine's Man Repeller is undoubtedly one of the pioneers of this blog phenomenon. Plus, her essays have proven that she has a serious prowess for writing! When Medine launched her blog in 2010, she was a 21-year-old journalism student. The quirky name of her now-famous site stemmed from the notion that she prefers to dress in a "sartorially offensive mode that may result in repelling members of the opposite sex." Now, MR receives over one million views each month and is consistently ranked as one of the web's hottest blogs. Medine also came out with a book in 2012, which is shrewdly titled Man Repeller: Seeking Love. Finding Overalls. Can anyone say #careergoals?
Fun fact: The term "man repeller" originated during a trip to Topshop.
4. Victoria Beckham
We've loved lady Becks ever since she took on the role of Posh Spice, but our admiration for her has only grown! Not only has she established herself as a serious designer with her stunning fashion line that's now a staple at fashion week, but she has also joined the Ban Bossy campaign alongside Beyoncé, which inspires women to be leaders. Also, there's the fact that she has bred what is perhaps the most beautiful family of all time.
Fun fact: Sir Elton John is the godparent of her two eldest sons Brooklyn and Romeo.
5. Tory Burch
Tory Burch is quite the powerful lady, but we aren't in awe of her just because she created the ever popular Reva flat, or even because she's worth a cool $1 billion. Now a prolific designer, Burch has shown her enthusiasm for empowering other women to achieve their entrepreneurial goals. Aside from launching the Tory Burch Foundation, which mentors and economically supports women, she teamed up with Bank of America to roll out an initiative that administers loans to female-owned business.
Fun fact: Burch attended the University of Pennsylvania and was a sorority member of Kappa Alpha Theta.