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It’s a pivotal moment for the fashion, beauty and luxury industries as global forces redefine what success means and determine the tools necessary to achieve it. At the same time, calls for reform are pushing the industries forward in a bid to make them more equitable, sustainable and diverse than ever before.
Behind this change is a dynamic group of changemakers, activists, leaders and agitators who reflect the future of fashion and beauty. We are pleased to present the Vogue Business 100 Innovators: Class of 2023, our second annual list spotlighting those who are pioneering new ideas and ways of working, rallying stakeholders around vital causes, and creating a new landscape for fashion and beauty fit for future generations.
This group of innovators has been hand-selected by the Vogue Business editorial team, building on the inaugural list unveiled last year. It’s split into five sub-categories, with one new addition: Champions of Change, featuring those who have taken on diversity and inclusion efforts across fashion and beauty. It replaces last year’s New-Era Retail category. Across this year’s list, you’ll find young entrepreneurs, designers, non-profit founders, technology advocates, climate change activists, supply chain leaders, beauty gurus and more. Some are just entering the scene with big plans for the future. Others have been recognised for years of work chipping away at the status quo. Read on to find out who made the list in each category.
Tech and Web3 innovators
The people orchestrating technology’s role in fashion and beauty are as important as the technology itself. This year — as Web3 strategies matured in the form of virtual worlds and loyalty-driven NFT drops and generative AI came to the forefront — key players worked to make sense of what it means for the industry. From trailblazing founders to brand leaders advocating for technology investment from inside influential companies, these innovators are determining what fashion and beauty’s relationship to technology will look like moving forward. Discover the full list here.
Sustainability thought leaders
Calls for systems change are building in strength, and sustainability has become a key area of development for fashion. The industry needs to move faster and take bigger swings. This year’s sustainability innovators are founders, activists, organisers and designers, all working toward a common goal: to bring fashion’s footprint within the realm of planetary boundaries, minimising waste and spent resources. These are the people fighting the uphill battle and proposing new solutions for a better industry. Discover the full list here.
Next-gen entrepreneurs and agitators
Fashion’s future codes can be found in the fabric of the designs created by the rising class of creatives. It’s seen in the messages written by those who set out to change the status quo. These designers, business leaders and founders represent the next wave of leadership as they redefine what success in the industry looks like. Through their companies, their clothing and their stories, a new vision for fashion shines through. Discover the full list here.
Beauty disruptors
What defines beauty today? And who gets to decide? The beauty industry is being overhauled by emerging business models, new customer behaviours and demands, updated standards and ideals and a pushback against tired norms. These innovators are on the frontlines, determining what beauty will look and be to a new generation of customers. Through their brands, products, outlooks, investments and visions, they’re answering questions in real-time about what beauty will be next. Discover the full list here.
Champions for change
Diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across fashion and beauty in the last few years were, for some, a fleeting reaction and not a permanent commitment. What does a more inclusive industry look like to those committed to the cause? For the first time, we’ve brought together the leading voices and changemakers who have woven these causes into their careers and in doing so, are making progress toward a more equitable future for the long run, not just right now. There’s plenty more work to do — here’s where it’s starting. Discover the full list here.
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