What Leadership Looks Like in Creative Fields Like Fashion
When most people think about leadership, their minds often go to boardrooms, hospitals, or political offices. But leadership does not always wear a suit and tie or sit at the head of a corporate table. In industries fueled by imagination, such as fashion, leadership takes on an unconventional yet equally powerful form. Here, creativity becomes both the compass and the language of influence.
Leading Through Vision
In fashion, leadership is less about rigid hierarchies and more about vision. A designer who can see trends before they emerge, or reinterpret history in a way that feels futuristic, is leading just as much as a CEO shaping company strategy. Research published in the Journal of Business Research shows that visionary leadership sparks innovation and motivates people beyond transactional goals by connecting them to a bigger purpose (Kantabutra & Avery, 2011).
Coco Chanel embodied this kind of leadership. She dared to reimagine women’s wear, replacing restrictive corsets with elegant yet practical designs that mirrored women’s evolving roles in society. Her vision did not just influence fashion, it reshaped culture.
Anne Klein carried forward this kind of transformative vision in American fashion. She pioneered designs that made professional attire both stylish and practical for women entering the workforce in greater numbers. Her ability to anticipate cultural shifts and design for them showed how leadership in fashion can empower societal change as much as aesthetic change.
Collaboration Over Command
Creative leadership thrives on collaboration. A single garment or campaign involves stylists, photographers, models, marketers, and production teams. The most effective leaders in fashion are those who can bring diverse talents together, align them around a shared creative vision, and give individuals the freedom to shine. Studies confirm that collaborative leadership enhances creativity and drives stronger collective performance (Hülsheger, Anderson, & Salgado, 2009).
Virgil Abloh, the late artistic director of Louis Vuitton Men’s, was celebrated for his collaborative spirit. He fused streetwear with luxury fashion by blending perspectives from art, music, and design communities. Abloh built bridges between cultures and industries, proving that leadership in creative spaces often comes from uniting voices rather than controlling them.
Anne Klein also modeled collaborative leadership. She co-founded her company with her husband and later worked with a team that included a young Donna Karan, whom she mentored. By fostering talent and creating a culture of shared creativity, she built a fashion house that lived well beyond her lifetime.
Risk-Taking as a Leadership Trait
In many industries, risk is calculated on spreadsheets. In fashion, risk often looks like sending a bold, unconventional design down the runway. The leaders who stand out are those willing to challenge norms, push aesthetics, and embrace experimentation. Creativity-driven leadership is inherently tied to risk-taking, and that willingness to explore the unknown is what drives originality (Puccio, Mance, & Murdock, 2011).
Alexander McQueen exemplified this through collections that blurred the line between art and fashion. His theatrical runway shows, sometimes dark and provocative, redefined the possibilities of fashion storytelling. McQueen’s leadership proved that audacious risk-taking can transform an entire industry.
Emotional Intelligence in Creative Spaces
Leadership in fashion also requires a heightened level of emotional intelligence. Creative teams are fueled by passion, and passion can mean vulnerability. Leaders who know how to nurture that energy, handle rejection with grace, and celebrate breakthroughs create cultures where creativity flourishes. According to Harvard Business Review Press, emotionally intelligent leaders build trust and resilience, both of which are essential in dynamic creative environments (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2013).
Diane von Fürstenberg, known for her iconic wrap dress, has long championed emotional intelligence as part of her leadership style. She emphasizes empowering women, mentoring new designers, and fostering a supportive creative culture. Her influence extends beyond garments, she leads with empathy.
Lessons Beyond the Runway
While fashion may seem like a world apart from business or government, the leadership lessons it offers are universal:
A strong vision unites people more than rigid authority.
Collaboration is more effective than control.
Taking risks sparks innovation.
Emotional intelligence builds resilience and trust.
Fashion teaches us that leadership does not always have to be conventional to be effective. Sometimes it looks like daring creativity, the courage to reimagine, and the ability to make others believe in what does not exist yet.
References
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2013). Primal leadership: Unleashing the power of emotional intelligence. Harvard Business Review Press.
Hülsheger, U. R., Anderson, N., & Salgado, J. F. (2009). Team-level predictors of innovation at work: A comprehensive meta-analysis spanning three decades of research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(5), 1128–1145. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015978
Kantabutra, S., & Avery, G. C. (2011). Follower effects in the visionary leadership process. Journal of Business Research, 64(1), 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.09.013
Puccio, G. J., Mance, M., & Murdock, M. C. (2011). Creative leadership: Skills that drive change. SAGE Publications.