Leah Mousseri - Week 5 - The Truth About Women in the Fashion Industry
The fashion industry has been unequal for many years, especially against women and their role in the fashion world. Not only are they a minority, but they have less power because of it and are treated worse than men. What’s more, is that most men in the industry don’t even realize it. The Glass Runway, a survey done on the fashion industry, states, “In our interviews, 100 percent of women said that gender inequality is a problem in the industry, compared with less than 50 percent of men.” As much as fashion is fueled by women, with them spending three times more than men, it is ruled by men.
A common stereotype about the fashion industry is that women control most of it because they’re thought to be more involved compared to men. However, a survey done by Business of Fashion (BoF) confirms that most of the people who run the major fashion brands are men, with only 14% being run by women. For example, the chief officer of Victoria’s Secret, a clothing store specifically targeted at women, is a man by the name of Martin Waters. Plenty of women graduate college with a fashion major, in fact, the majority of graduates are women. Nevertheless, men seem to get the top positions more often than women. The likelihood of a man being promoted is much higher than a woman’s, so it’s easier for them to climb up the ranks in a company compared to women. 25% fewer women get promoted than men without asking, and when they reach management positions it increases to 72%, notes The Glass Runway.
After British companies were forced to reveal their salary data, it became clear that there was a significant gap between men's and women’s salaries in the fashion industry. This is a common issue in every industry, not just fashion production, but the gap can be quite large in some cases. One women’s clothing company, Karen Millen, revealed that they pay women 49% less than they do men. Many of the high positions in the company such as chief executive officer and chief financial officer are women, yet they are still paid less than men, states The New York Times. Many companies are trying to decrease the gap between men's and women’s salaries as well as giving them equal chances at promotions and bonuses.
I found this blog very interesting. Before reading this, I also believed there were more women in the fashion industry then there are men. However, I did know that on average women have a lower wage then men which can be upsetting. I think that both genders should be paid the same but whether people get a job or a raise should depend on their work, not their gender. So, I do not think that we should focus on closing the gap. Instead, we should pay attention to include the people that make the best clothing and deserve it the most.
ReplyDeleteI found this blog very interesting and intriguing. I did not know that most of the people who run the major fashion brands are men and only a minority are run by women. I think both genders' base salary should be the same, but still depend on their role in the business or the amount/difficulty of work they do. To shorten the wage gap in the fashion industry we can support policies that ensure equal opportunities for women in the industry.
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