Fashion Designers of America

 When gender pay gap reporting became mandatory in 2017 for large UK companies it was heralded as a giant leap forward for equality. But in 2023, men are still being paid more in 79.5 percent of companies, compared to 77.2 percent in 2017, according to an analysis by the Financial Times. The gap is also widening, with men earning an hourly wage that is 12.2 percent more than women, versus 11.9 percent in 2017.

Included in the list of companies are some of the UK’s biggest retailers, who are lagging to equalise their businesses. Out of the UK’s top 50 retailers Next is the fashion company with the largest pay gap at 8.1 percent. Marks & Spencer and Primark reported had a gap of 6.5 percent and 1.1 percent.

Thus far, it appears transparency to report gender pay has not done enough to curb it. Raconteur, a digital news outlet, says the task of putting more women into the best-paid leadership positions clearly remains a challenge.

Transparency is not enough to curb the pay gap

“Organisations think and say they’re doing the right thing to advance gender equality in the workplace — but when it comes to taking action on the gender pay gap, evidence suggests they are failing to deliver,” Ann Francke, chief executive at Chartered Management Institute, told the FT.

A report published by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in 2020, showed the gender pay gap in the fashion industry was approximately 20 percent, which was higher than the national average. This meant that women in fashion earn about 80 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts.

In April 2022 ASOS was named as one of the companies with the highest gender pay gaps in Britain, according to the Times, with a median gap of 44.8 percent compared to 41 percent in 2021. In 2022 this went up to 45.5 percent. ASOS, which employs over 3,000 employees, said its gender pay gap is driven by the larger proportion of men than women in higher paying senior roles, particularly in its Technology team, where salaries tend to be higher than in other parts of the business.

ASOS said more women are employed in Commercial and Customer Care teams, where salaries are lower. These three sectors make up 67 percent of its total workforce.

As a reflection on the fashion sector as a whole, fashion's pay gap "partly reflects a larger percentage of women working in roles such as customer care, which are mostly entry-level" compared to more men in technology and leadership roles.

The gender pay gap in the EU stands at 12.7 percent in 2021 and has only changed minimally over the last decade. It means that women earn 13 percent on average less per hour than men.

world for collaboration was Staffonly

 Another to look towards the outside world for collaboration was Staffonly, which partnered with American footwear brand Ugg for its ‘Orbit Voyagers’ show. For the show, Ugg supplied styles from its Foamo Slide and Tasman series, further bolstering the otherworldly feel the brand wanted to portray. The concept for the shoes was co-created with industrial designer Ah Bin, who developed a concept that utilised 3D printing technology to produce silhouettes that took on gravity-defying forms. Like the shoes, the rest of the collection also drew inspiration from worlds beyond, particularly referencing the planet Saturn, as seen in the prominent use of looped details and ringed prints.

Meanwhile, other brands were simply returning to their home country after stepping away from Shanghai in the years prior. Milan Fashion Week attendee Shuting Qiu had taken to living in Europe for several months before coming back to the city to present her autumn/winter 2023 line, with the goal of opening up a new vision for designers. Her time in the Western continent was mirrored in her inspiration for the collection, with references to Czech abstract painter Frantisek Kupka, whose work appeared in the use of floral patterns and prints. Sustainability and tech were also present in the line, with 60 percent of fabrics made of more sustainable and environmentally friendly materials – as noted in a release – and artificial intelligence (AI) incorporated into the creation of bodysuits.

Shuting Qiu AW23, Shanghai Fashion Week. Image: Dia Communications,Tube Showroom

collaborations to a physical presence in china

 It must be noted that many of the brands presenting under Tube already have their own international presence, but opted to show at Shanghai Fashion Week this year to back the country’s revival and for their own convenience. A significant part of a handful of shows was notable collaborations with global brands. For Shie Lyu, who founded her brand in New York before moving back to China, this came in the form of a partnership with British designer Stella McCartney. While Lyu centred her theme around ‘Land Mermaids’, seen in fishtail inspired detailings, her idea to transform suit fabrics came from her creative corporation with McCartney, through which the duo have exchanged a set of their own designs for the other to freely modify. Like McCartney, Lyu also adheres to the concept of sustainability using her own zero-waste production technology. Her values were also present through support from Japan’s Ultrasuede, an artificial substitute for suede leather, which allowed her to use materials that are made to endure.