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 after the jump. 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.