In 2021, Leena Nair’s appointment as the CEO of Chanel marked a milestone moment for South Asian women in fashion. The industry is notoriously tough to break into. In an article published in Teen Vogue last year, writer Aiyana Ishmael talks about the fashion world’s diversity issue: “Diversity and inclusion in an industry that has built its notoriety on being luxuriously exclusive is difficult, especially for young people.” The last few years, though, have seen a shift.
In 2017, American Indian Radhika Jones took over as the Editor-in-Chief of Vanity Fair, and in 2021, Versha Sharma was announced as the Editor-in-Chief for Teen Vogue. As inclusivity becomes the long overdue norm, South Asian women increasingly hold an important voice in fashion across industry segments, including journalism, public relations and celebrity placement. The Established spoke to six women on their journeys in the fashion world and what it took to get there.