Rachel Comey
When I moved to NYC, I discovered many designers that had their own stores or were putting collections together that were incredible in each of their own ways. Nicole Noselli and Daphne Gutierrez had a line called Bruce that was so chic and interesting, lots of draped yet tailored looks. A real feminine strength. Katayone Adeli had a shop on Bond Street that emitted cool and provocation. Long lean lines, slim leather jackets, body skimming silk knits. Magda Berliner had a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces all made from doilies, tablecloths, and found fabrics—a pioneer of the one-off/upcycle/doily dress concept, as well as other super interesting mixes of fabrics and silhouettes. Her lookbooks were modeled by herself. And what about Jane Mayle? Another designer with her own unique vision. Always glamorous but with the right amount of subversion. Daryl K always had a covetable item... a boot or a jean. There were many others at that time that were interesting and unique in their own way, like Miho Aoki at United Bamboo, Susan Cianciolo, Rebecca Danenberg. I’m sure each of these women could/would have become largely influential designers who pushed the conversation forward for womenswear had the opportunity arisen for them.
Catherine Holstein, Khaite
Miuccia Prada. She observes, explores, and creates, while challenging and pushing boundaries, all of which comes through to the customer. This very commitment and consistency is apparent to her audience, and transcends the idea that this is a conversation constantly evolving.
Margaret Howell
Three women designers come to mind:
Jean Muir, who was minimal, unfussy, and elegant. Similarly, Jil Sander, though she was less sophisticatedly smart and more of a casual elegance. And Katharine Hamnett, who brought an equality to both men and women’s clothes while referencing workwear.
Laura & Deanna Fanning, Kiko Kostadinov
The women that stand out to us, have their own large and hyper successful business structures; Miuccia Prada and Rei Kawakubo. Perhaps this is the only way to really be globally seen, to exit others corporate structures and define one’s own.
Hillary Taymour, Collina Strada
Vivienne Westwood will be my forever inspiration of being a woman in a man’s world and continuously breaking the rules. She was a pioneer as an activist, balancing fashion and politics with a unique creative vision. It is rare to have designers that are not mimicking culture but creating it.
Molly Molloy, Colville
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredible women during my career, Bella Freud, Betty Jackson, Consuelo Castiglioni, JJ Martin, and of course Lucinda Chambers, all running their own thriving businesses and all with their own innate superpowers. Warriors, teachers, nurturers, givers, inspiring leaders, frontier breakers, individual and driven. I am full of gratitude, respect, admiration, and pride that I got to work with them all. They inspired and pushed me as a woman and as a creative. Consuelo and Lucinda encouraged me to start my own magazine while at Marni, Betty convinced me to start Colville, and JJ championed Colville from the sidelines, even during presentations for her own brand, encouraging the journalists to go and check out Colville. None are frightened of other people’s creativity; they thoroughly encouraged it and set the bar for how I run Colville.
Gabriela Hearst
Elsa Schiaparelli, for sure. I don’t know if people know this, but one of her first collections was done with Armenian refugees. It was a knitwear collection.
It was women leading the design charge in the ’40s, ’50s. You had Jeanne Lanvin, you had Gabrielle Chanel, you had Schiap, you had Gaby Aghion [of Chloé], Madame Grès, Vionnet. It was really a women-led force. But undeniably, it’s Vivienne Westwood for me. Both Schiaparelli and Westwood worked from a timeless perspective. You look at the Pirate boot from Vivienne Westwood, right? That last, it’s a last from the 1700s. It was created in 1976. So we’re talking about 47 years of a boot that looks cool. That’s just from the design perspective. And then her stance in everything, and how radical she was. I think both play with their radical attitude in different ways. From living designers, I would say Miuccia Prada, for her steadiness, and her ability to evolve.
Isabel Toledo and a model posting in Times Square in 1987.
Willie Norris, Outlier
I first came across the name (and work of) Isabel Toledo in 2005. There was a photo of her and Ruben photographed in their New York studio photographed by Norman Jean Roy and published in Vogue. I was in junior year of high school, and I was just beginning to realize that clothing spoke to me and that I could speak (and sometimes scream!) to the world through clothing. As I learned more about her, I began to think of her as a silent mentor—a fellow self-taught “immersion learner” that I could watch move through the world. I love how much she embraced being an “American fashion designer,” and how she loved mass-production and machinery as much as she loved couture and handwork. She was, in my opinion, the truest heir to Cristóbal Balenciaga. Her designs were playful and rigorous and oh so New York. When I began transitioning, I gained a new appreciation for how she designed for herself in a way only a woman really can; a way that leaves the thinnest of veils between a woman’s person and a woman’s work. She tragically died in 2019 from breast cancer and, while I never met her, I feel like I know her through her work and continue to learn form her. She was peerless, contrarian and obsessive—like the best designers always are. When I’m feeling timid or feckless, or like my talent is linked in any way to industry-accolades, I think of her and return to my work.
Laura Mulleavy, Rodarte
Well, what female designer doesn’t inspire me is more the question for me because considering all of the glass ceilings that are there. I am inspired by all of my contemporaries; the people that we started with, and even the people that started brands 120 years ago. I would pick the Callot Soeurs first, because they were like-minded sisters within our industry. Also Norma Kamali, who I think is incredible.
Kate Mulleavy, Rodarte
I think certainly Vionnet has had a huge influence on us in terms of liberated garment-making. I feel like she let the fabric inspire her creations and she kind of organically enhanced the material she worked with. I think a lot of designers think in terms of silhouette and how they can ‘create a dramatic silhouette’, but I feel like she created a dramatic silhouette that also felt like you wanted to live in it, you wanted to wear it. Certainly at the time period she was designing, that was a real liberation for people to have garments that they felt like they could move freely in.
Madame Grès was also a huge one for me. I just find it so technically amazing, and so brilliant. A lot of times in fashion, the wow factor or the theatricality of a show can be in how someone creates volume. And her work doesn’t need any of that. It’s so intentional and so extremely difficult, and I would say it’s almost impossible to recreate those glasses. Sonia Rykiel is also a huge one, I just love her spirit. Rei Kawakubo, who’s a genius… There’s just so many. I could go on and on.
Johanna Ortiz
I love women creating for women and I deeply admire female designers who forge their paths in fashion, sharing a unique perspective with the world. I could name so many as they have all influenced me in every way, the way I lead my company and the way I live my life, as a woman. Carolina Herrera, for being the first to showcase exquisite Latin elegance to the world. Maria Grazia Chiuri, for her collaborative work with artisans and for the value she places on heritage and craftsmanship. Diane von Furstenberg, for her commitment to women and female empowerment. Phoebe Philo, for leaving a lasting mark on an era. Stella McCartney and Gabriela Hearst, for raising awareness and making sustainability and better practices the center of the conversation.
Ashlynn Park, Ashlyn
Phoebe Philo is a female designer who I respect for her uniquely achieved artistic excellence and commercial success. As a creative director and business owner, I hold the responsibility of overseeing both the creative vision and process as well as the business aspects of the company. Philo’s recent launch of her namesake label where she serves as both creative director and majority business owner is inspiring.
Lauren Manoogian
While my medium revolves around clothing, my perspective, viewing clothing as a textile / object or vessel, led me to considerAnni Albers. The resonance lies in her experimental approach to materials and close creative collaboration with her partner, mirroring aspects of my own work. Inspired by how she allowed her process to evolve across various mediums and perspectives, I find her inquisitive nature about materials enduring. Balancing commercial projects, art, and research, she navigated tradition and craft in a modern way—an aspect that deeply inspires me. Although I engage in producing tangible products daily, I believe maintaining core aspirations linked to the initial impulse to create is crucial. I align more with the concept of clothing as an extension of a process or practice with a garment as the outcome rather than being lead by a merchandising or marketing structure. I think that’s why being independent is hard but interesting place for a woman to carve their own path.
Caroline Hu
Rei Kawakubo and Phoebe Philo have really inspired me. I’m not just into their looks for the design; it’s the soul and the powerful messages behind them that I respect. They keep putting out their ideas, even when it’s tough, and that keeps me pushing forward, too.
I’m the kind of designer who thinks a lot about the deeper meaning behind my work. I understand that sometimes staying true to your vision can make it hard to keep your business going. I’ve seen other designers give up their dreams or take a different route when it gets rough. There’s no wrong path, really; the fashion world is big, and we need all kinds of creative minds. But when you keep at it, pouring your soul into your work even when others don’t understand it right away—well, that’s the real fight. If you stick with it, people will start to take your work seriously. Like Phoebe Philo, for example, I remember her talk at Central Saint Martins about how tough it is to balance work and family life. Hearing her talk about the challenges of being a woman trying to make it in her career and at home really made me think. Now that I’ve gotten a few more years under my belt and my own brand, I’m even more impressed by that kind of strength and the sacrifices they make. When things get hard for me, I draw strength from their example. You’ve got to have guts to say what you want to say, chase after what matters to you, and make things that touch people’s hearts. That’s what counts.
