Catwalk provocateurs

By Luke Leitch

When asked what I like the most about working in fashion, I lie. My usual reply is “the cool clothes, the travel, the parties”. While those answers aren’t exactly false (though the parties tend to be a bit rubbish), none of them is the absolute best thing. So why lie? Because, without elaboration, the real answer sounds creepy coming from a man. The very best thing about working in fashion is...the women.

Let me qualify this. All of my bosses (bar one) are women. Most of my colleagues are women. Most of the most powerful editors in fashion are women. While this business is not perfect when it comes to gender equality – an unseemly number of womenswear designers are male, for example – it does better than practically any other industry. Wage inequality? Just ask a male model what he thinks about that: they’re paid vastly less than their female counterparts. Working alongside so many women is great, even if I have to watch my step. Mansplaining is out and manspreading verboten.