How do you measure influence?
Is it through website hits? Or sales? Through ad dollars? Or the number of mass retailers who’ve knocked off your work?
The answer is all of the above and none of the above. Influence is an intangible thing that just happens when you know your craft and you work hard at it.
To determine who belongs in the Fashionista 50–our list of the most influential people working in New York fashion–we used our own knowledge of the industry, combined with advice from industry sources. We also considered each candidate’s consumer reach–through sales, media, etc.
To be considered, candidates had to live and work in New York for most of the year.
What’s Fashionista’s definition of influential? It describes people who are shaping the direction of the New York fashion industry, both aesthetically and in terms of how the business works.
You’ll find the entire Fashionista 50 list below. Click on the person’s name to read a full bio. And if you really want to click through the whole slideshow, you can do so here.
Designers
Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, Proenza Schouler
Ralph Lauren
Marc Jacobs
Oscar de la Renta
Jenna Lyons, J.Crew
Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty, Suno
CEOs/Investors
Andrew Rosen, Theory
Mickey Drexler, J.Crew
James Gardner, Createthe Group
Robert Duffy, Marc Jacobs
Gary Wassner, Hilldun Factoring
Editors
Anna Wintour, Vogue
Sally Singer, T
Stylists
Grace Coddington, Vogue
Karl Templer
Alex White, W
Camilla Nickerson
Lori Goldstein
Kate Young
Sally Lyndley
Joe Zee
Buyers and Retail Fashion Directors
Steven Alan, Steven Alan
Amanda Brooks, Barneys New York
Jen Mankins, Bird
Paul Birardi and Eddy Chai, Odin
Julie Gilhart
Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, Opening Ceremony
Photographers
Craig McDean
Scott Schuman
Terry Richardson
Bill Cunningham
Personalities/Muses
Chloe Sevigny
Alexa Chung
Andre Leon Talley
Nina Garcia
Writers
Cathy Horyn, New York Times
Bridget Foley, WWD
Cintra Wilson, New York Times
Lynn Yaeger
Behind the Scenes
Gayle Dizon
Natalie Joos
Gucci Westman Neville
Steven Kolb, CFDA
Marketing and Branding
Carol Han and Alexandra Weiss, CA Creative
Andy Spade, Partners and Spade
Ed Filipowski and Julie Mannion, KCD
Sylvie Picquet Damesme and Pierre Rougier, PR Consulting
Hamilton South and Lynn Tesoro, HL Group
Jennifer Hyman and Jenny Fleiss, Rent the Runway
Lauren Santo Domingo, Moda Operandi
Tags: Alex White, Alexa Chung, Alexandra Weiss, Amanda Brooks, Andre Leon Talley, Andrew Rosen, Andy Spade, Anna Wintour, Bill Cunningham, Bridget Foley, Camilla Nickerson, Carol Han, Carol Lim, Cathy Horyn, Chloe Sevigny, Cintra Wilson, Craig McDean, Createthe Group, Ed Filipowski, Eddy Chai, Erin Beatty, Gary Wassner, Gayle Dizon, Grace Coddington, Gucci Westman, Hilldun, Humberto Leon, J. Crew, Jack McCollough, James Gardner, Jen mankins, Jenna Lyons, Jennifer Hyman, Jenny Fleiss, Julie Gilhart, Karl Templer, Kate Young, Lauren Santon Domingo, Lazaro Hernandez, Lori Goldstein, Lynn Tesoro, Lynn Yaeger, Marc Jacobs, Max Osterweis, Mickey Drexler, Natalie Joos, Nina Garcia, Partners & Spade, Paul Birardi, Pierre Rougier, Robert Duffy, Sally Lyndley, Sally Singer, Steven Alan, Steven Kolb, Sylvie Picquet Damesme, T, Terry Richardson, Theory, Vogue
Designer(s): Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler, Ralph Lauren, SUNO
Season: Fall 2011 New York
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Sally Lyndley but not Tonne Goodman, Brana Wolf, Melanie Ward?
Sally Lyndley but not Tonne Goodman, Brana Wolf, Melanie Ward?
Great list of some very talented folks.
Paige
http://www.fashables.com
i love when you do these kinds of list. i dont even know half of these people and really shows how “in the know” you guys are.
so reliable.
jerrlife.blogspot.com
hahahah, this list is hilarious. personal favorite inclusion is: Carol Han and Alexandra Weiss, CA Creative.
ummmm, maybe I am wrong, but doesn’t alexa chung live in london? some people are spot on, but others are questionable because they are just not “influential”
It says on her wiki she spends time in Brooklyn but is based in London. I still wouldn’t say she’s more influential or powerful than Tonne Goodman.
Rent the Runway? Hyman is a fraud.
Yup, she’s a fraud.
OMG! hahahaha
I met her this past summer. She looks like a rag doll and didnt cme off as the brightest bulb in the box.
Totally remember her saying “A-MAAAAAAZING” like 1000 times.
I third that notion. The two of them are little bobble heads. I heard that Jenny Jenn’s (I dunno, the blonde premature looking one) doesn’t ACTUALLY have a finance background. She like, just has a few internships a couple big name places. Her daddyyy is just a rich guy down in California- I think probably real estate something. LOL, im venting. haha
is this business even profitable?
Sally Lyndley listed among the great stylists is kindof a joke.. To even include her with the likes of Grace Coddington, Tonne Goodman, etc. is ridiculous.
Grace is representing Vogue here, Tonne is not listed. There are a few younger, more questionable faces like that here. But Sally, if only by virtue of her affiliation with Fashionista, does speak directly to a huge audience, so that influence can’t be discounted even if there are bigger names that could take her place on this list.
I personally think ALT is a hack, and I have never gleaned even the tiniest bit of information from his many, many soundbytes. Still, his influence can’t be denied, even if it is only through his wide visibility.
Sally Lyndley would not be listed if she wasn’t a contributor to this blog.
I know. I kinda said just that. Even though it obviously appears as though it’s only because she’s a contributor, it’s fair to say that a tremendous amount of her national influence comes from this site, and that this site is influential to many. If another publication had compiled this list, Fashionista may very well have been included.
Nina Garcia is also an NYT bestselling author. My that’s a good resume.
Suno?
CA Creative?
Sally Lyndley?
Julie Gilhart is unemployed…
the only thing this list shows how out of the loop fashionista.com is
Hey Red Monkey, I am not unemployed, you just don’t know what I am up too! Stay tuned.
Btw, I like your name. Julie
WOOT!!!!!
What exactly does CA Creative do? I’m still not sure.
Exactly. I quite like Carol’s blog but I’m actually pretty confused as to what they do and whether they deserve to be on the same list as PR Consulting and KCD? Btw, where is Karla Otto?
All I got from their interview on fashionista earlier is that they party a lot. And somehow translate that into marketing.
As with any lists, there will always be omissions that people don’t agree with. This is a really good list, I must say, tho. My three WTFs:
Steven Meisel pretty much only shoots in NY; how can this list include photographers and NOT have him be on it? Did I miss something? His reach is far more influential than any of the others listed here.
No Fabien Baron? The man has a LOT of say in what goes on in the advertising world.
Personally, I’d choose Alexander Wang over Proenza Schouler. Did you see how many girls wore that side ponytail and ‘sports’ clothing? It even filtered over to the gays.
Did you see how many PS1 copies there are? In every single window of every single non-designer store. High street or boutique, I can’t walk a block in Montreal without spotting a fake PS1. If that isn’t influence..
That said, they could coexist on this list pretty comfortably. I would never say that SUNO is more influential than Alex Wang, perhaps in the fashion community but not in the grand scheme of things.
True, but I feel like the PS1 bag is the only iconic thing Proenza Schouler is known for.
Agree with basement cat. I personally prefer Jack and Lazaro because Alexander’s (in my opinion) strong suit is his accessories. His clothes are alright. But his influence is completely insurmountable. Any accessory he creates spawns a thousand knockoffs. Before the PS1, there was the Coco duffel.
Aside from the aesthetics of the bags and personal taste (I also prefer Proenza, though I love some Wang stuff and can see the current wide appeal), I see 10 PS1 knock-offs for every Wang inspired bag, and of Wang’s bags (he seems to make many more than Proenza does) only the Coco is iconic on the same level as the PS1. It seems to me that PS1s will be heirlooms, while Coco Duffels will be relegated to fashion history.
I agree with Cathryn Horyn that Alex Wang is not a great designer, he is the “it” designer. Proenza managed to cement their status as a serious force in the industry, whereas designers like Zac Posen fade into irrelevance after their initial success. I anticipate seeing whether or not Wang can keep the train rolling like this.
Albright is many a fashion weapon of choice. Montana Rader I love too.
I’m surprised Kate Lanphear didn’t make this list.
RIGHT? She may be the most blogged about editor from the US.
I think SUNO is influential because of the social consciousness identified with the brand. Of course, there are several brands like this, but I think SUNO has really made consciousness/recycling/giving back really hip and has maybe pushed other, bigger designers to think about issues like that in their own brands.
I think SUNO is influential because of the social consciousness identified with the brand. Of course, there are several brands like this, but I think SUNO has really made consciousness/recycling/giving back really hip and has maybe pushed other, bigger designers to think about issues like that in their own brands.
Carol Han?? This list is laughable.
THIS indicates that you guys have no idea.
Who writes this stuff?
How can Ms. Brooks for Barneys be on the list?
She’s only been on the job for a week? Started 2/7
Can we wait & see what she does?