Fashion’s Musical Chairs - Why It Matters Who’s in the Room
We’ve all watched the recent reshuffling of creative directors across fashion. Brand after brand naming new leads and talent moving at super fast speed! But once the dust settles, one thing is clear - almost every seat has been filled by a man.
This isn’t a man vs. woman conversation though- that's boring and reductive. It’s a conversation about balance, access, and the perspectives we choose to value in the rooms where decisions are made and brands are shaped.
This also isn’t about criticising individual appointments. Designers like Jonathan Anderson and Matthieu Blazy are incredibly talented, have proven success and deserve their seats (I'm not so sure about Demna! But time will tell...). But when nearly every top role goes to a man, we have to ask, what voices are still being overlooked and what are we losing when we don’t hear them?
Jonathon Anderson recieving a standing ovation for his womenswear debut at Dior.
At Axe & Kettle, we’re proud to be a female-founded agency in a space where both digital and luxury have long been male-dominated. But more than that - we make it our business to work with women, hire women, learn from women, and champion women.
We collaborate with founders, CMOs, creatives, and marketers who are shaping the future of luxury, many of them women. And we’ve seen first hand - and research backs it, that brands with diverse leadership, including women in senior roles, are more culturally relevant, resilient, and commercially successful.
This isn’t about optics. It’s about better outcomes and it’s about relevance - about building an industry that actually reflects the people it speaks too. There are incredible women driving creativity, strategy and innovation in every corner of this industry.
Louise Trotter takes a bow at the Bottega Veneta Spring-Summer 2026 show at Milan Fashion Week.
We want to see more women in power - in the boardroom, at the strategy table, on stage and behind the lens. And we’ll keep doing our part, loudly and proudly.
If you know a woman who’s shaping the future of luxury, marketing or creativity Tag her below. Let’s make the table bigger and better!
