Happy April 5th everyone, and sadly, Women’s History Month just passed. That doesn’t mean we need to stop supporting and uplifting women the rest of the year. This is why in this week’s article I’m going to be discussing women who have made strides and opened doors for other women in the fashion industry.
Elaine Welteroth
To begin, we’re going to start with Elaine Welteroth. Elaine Welteroth was the first person of African-American heritage, and youngest person at the time to hold the position of editor-in-chief at Teen Vogue. She revitalized and reimagined Teen Vogue by including politics and social issues in articles. Additionally, she encouraged her readers to get civically engaged take a stand. I remember listening to this podcast episode a couple years ago for a school assignment, and I was so in awe of her journey and story. Welteroth hustled her way into the fashion industry while also making space for other women from marginalized groups. On top of that she has this beautiful head of hair she wears like a crown.
Vera Wang
A former figure skater, Vera Wang didn’t begin her bridal dress company until she was 40 years of age. For some reason, we all think that once a person turns 30, especially a woman, they’re essentially senile. If you believe in this silly stereotype, then let Vera Wang prove you wrong. After starting a clothing line at 40, Wang has designed gowns for Michelle Obama, Hilary Duff, and other notable figures. On top of that, in 2023, her net worth was valued at $650 million. Money isn’t the only measure of success, but Wang has done pretty good for herself. She shows us that fashion is for any age.
Meera Albaba
Meera Albaba is the founder of her Gaza City based clothing brand titled Meera Adnan. After moving back to her motherland, she launched her brand in late 2019. With her clothes, she aims to create romantic, nostalgic, and playful pieces that incorporate references to current social and political issues in Palestine. Particularly, her ruse of embroidery adds another dimension to her clothing that elevates it, and also highlights the Palestinian culture. Albaba has had many opportunities to move her brand out of Gaza, and work out of another country, but she continues to persist and keep her brand in Gaza because refuses to betray her home.
Ana Guiulfo
Ana Guiulfo is considered the pioneer of the Peruvian textile industry. Her titular brand Ana. G, is a clothing brand that combines Peruvian elements with unique bright colors and patterns, to create one-of-a-kind, hand painted and printed pieces. After looking at her website, I was very intrigued by her Fall/Winter 23 collection. The combination of colors and prints is something that I haven’t seen before. Guiulfo does an excellent job at combining enough elegance where her pieces aren’t too stuffy, and enough playfulness where her clothes aren’t too juvenile. She has created pieces that can be worn by both the older and younger who enjoy wearing some color.
Brinker and Eliza Higgins
To end this article, I wanted to shine a light on mother and daughter duo Brinker and Eliza Higgins and their brand Brinker + Eliza. For 10 years, Brinker worked as a metalsmith creating pieces for her own jewelry line, while Eliza worked in fashion merchandising for 9 years. In 2017, the 2 came together and launched Brinker + Eliza to the world. They pride themselves on being a slow fashion brand as every piece of jewelry is handmade, and reviewed by them. Along with this, they create pieces for people who love putting on jewelry even for the grocery store, and appreciate the little details. If you’re someone that loves gold jewelry like me, you’ll be obsessed with their pieces instantly.
Thank you all for reading this week’s article. I hope I was able to introduce you all to some new brands, as well as women you can draw inspiration from. Please make sure to subscribe to be notified of new posts. Stay Sharp 😉