Influential Women Who Dominate the Fashion Industry

Some of the most influential women within the fashion industry work behind the scenes. Whether it's photography, makeup, or styling, they make the magic happen behind the camera. Here are some of the most influential women running the industry. 

Annie Leibovitz

An American portrait photographer best known for her engaging portraits,  Annie is named as one of the best fashion photographers in the industry. Her signature style is crisp and well lighted and is renowned for her dramatic and quirky photos. As a student enrolled in the San Francisco Art Institute with intentions on becoming a painter, after taking a night class in photography, she quickly fell in love. In 1970, while still a student, she was given her first commercial assignment for Rolling Stone magazine: to photograph John Lennon. Three years later, Annie became the publication’s chief photographer and directed her energy into creating a unique presentation of the different personalities of contemporary rock music. In 1975, she documented the Rolling Stones’ six-month North American concert tour. She grew on to work on many different and unique projects, such as creating a photograph book, joining the staff of Vanity Fair, and receiving the American Society of Magazine Photographers award for photographer of the year in 1983. Some of her biggest projects include photographing for Disney, Nike, 1996 Summer Olympic Games,  andNational Portrait Gallery. The photographer’s achievements were celebrated in Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens, a documentary film. 

COURTESY OF MARC SILBER

Rebecca Corbin-Murray

Known as the go-to for British actresses, Rebecca Corbin-Murray is a LA and London based stylist, working with Lily James, Gemma Chan, Florence Pugh, and many more. She has also worked with notable clients such as Shailene Woodley, Emma Watson, and Stacy Martin. Her contributions to big publications such as Vogue China and Vogue Italy, Glamour UK, Vanity Fair US and Vanity Fair Italy, and i-D Magazine have been huge successes. She appears on the Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Most Powerful Stylists’ and has worked with a wide range of luxury advertising clients including Tom Ford, Gucci, Burberry, and Guess. “There is a science to it,’ she says. As well as putting together a stellar line-up of sartorial hits, often with minimal fitting time, ‘it’s about finding the right teams for the right girls, make-up, hair, etc, to really make them flourish and be the best person that they can be’. It’s a science that clearly comes naturally to the stylist who is fast becoming a household name.

COURTESY OF KIMI HAMMERSTROEM

Ade Samuel

One of celebrities’ biggest stylists, Ade Samuel has been making her mark for over seven years and is continuing to change the game for the industry.  Born and raised in New York, Samuel was born to a family of Nigerian descent. She grew up working with traditional clothing, textures, fabrics and silhouettes inspired by her cultural roots and because of this, she developed a different perspective on fashion from a very young age. Her background in working with African clothing led her to a successful career as a stylist to some of the biggest names in Hollywood, as well as the founder/designer of Ade Samuel Shoes. While attending Buffalo State, Samuel interned for both W Magazine and Teen Vogue and began assisting stylists, landing her first project: styling Yara Shahidi for the cover of Essence Magazine. As she grew into her career, her clientele grew to some of the biggest names, including Michael B. Jordan, Usher, Big Sean, and many more. In addition, she also appeared in a variety of publications such as Vogue, Teen Vogue, Glamour, and more. She was named as ‘Stylist of the Year’ by Essence Magazine and ‘Rising Star to Watch’ by the Hollywood Reporter. 

COURTESY OF ADE SAMUEL

Emily Cheng

A bicoastal makeup artist and men’s groomer, Emily Cheng got her start by assisting Pat Mcgrath. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Cheng moved to LA in 2014 to pursue her dream. As a teenager in her hometown, she would go with her friends to the department store beauty counters for important events, but always ended up with disappointing results."Being Asian, I have monolids," says the Taiwanese-Canadian artist over the phone during a visit back to Vancouver. "I remember walking out and thinking I looked so crazy." "That definitely piqued my interest as to how I could learn to do my makeup properly.” During her years of university, she landed a position at the Laura Mercier counter in Vancouver and got the most training.  After she moved to LA, she landed assistant positions with celebrity and fashion makeup artist Monika Blunder and Marla Belt. She then landed the job of assistant Pat McGrath, where she spent the next two years traveling to fashion weeks around the world with McGrath’s team. She specializes in fresh and natural makeup and her work can be seen in the pages of Elle, Harper's Bazaar, i-D Magazine, Marie Claire, and more. Her celebrity clients include Yara Shahidi, Janelle Monae, and Julia Garner and brands including Chanel, Prada, Tory Burch, among others. 

COURTESY OF EMILY CHENG INSTAGRAM

These important women mentioned make sure everything is set and complete and have poured out their hearts and soul into their work. With hard work and determination, these ladies have proven that you can get anywhere and achieve all of your possible dreams.