Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
The Business of Fashion is proud to present the 2019 edition of the BoF 500 in partnership with JHSF.
LONDON, United Kingdom — In compiling the first edition of the BoF 500 in 2013, we canvassed friends from the BoF community around the world, asking them: Whom do you respect? Who is making a difference in your region or country? Who has the potential to be impactful on a global scale? Who is genuinely pushing the industry forward? By the end of this process, we had more than 2,000 names to consider. We began months of intensive research and analysis in order to whittle this group down to a truly inspiring group of fashion industry shapers: the BoF 500.
From blue-chip business titans who helm the industry’s mega-brands to daring young upstarts whose fashion stars are fast rising; from disruptive entrepreneurs building the next wave of $1 billion start-ups to opinion leaders whose points of view attract global followers; from discreet, behind-the-scenes catalysts who spot the industry’s top talents to innovative retailers connecting with consumers in new channels, the BoF 500 invites each of these exceptional talents to join our community, giving them the recognition they deserve and a chance to connect with each other, all around the world — in New York, London, Paris and Milan, but also in São Paulo, Mumbai, Beijing and beyond.
Now in its seventh year, our core vision for the BoF 500 has not changed. Each year since 2013, we have been sourcing and discovering new names to add to our community of people shaping the global fashion industry based on nominations from existing BoF 500 members. This community — with members representing more than 70 nationalities and based in more than 45 countries — has been an invaluable resource for the BoF team as we sift through hundreds of nominees and conduct research to make sure we are getting a complete picture.
But with the unveiling of this year's BoF500, we are introducing one important change. Instead of removing names each year to make room for new talents, going forward we will add 100 new members to the BoF 500 each cycle, resulting in a community that grows stronger and more meaningful over time.
Existing BoF 500 members Adut Akech and Pierpaolo Piccioli were joined by new members Chika Oranika and Dapper Dan as cover stars of this year's special print edition, exclusively for BoF Professional members. This year's BoF 500 class also includes Teen Vogue's Lindsay Peoples Wagner, model Nathan Westling, entrepreneur Josh Luber, designer Kerby Jean-Raymond and many more fascinating industry shapers from around the world.
And as always, we continue to recognise those who have demonstrated sustained achievement over the course of their careers — making exceptional contributions to our community, our industry and the wider world — by inducting them into the BoF 500 Hall of Fame. This year's inductees into the Hall of Fame include Marco Bizzarri, Angelica Cheung, Michael Burke, Adrian Joffe, François-Henri Pinault, Nadja Swarvoski and 14 other industry titans.
We hope you will enjoy discovering this year’s new class of industry shapers. As you will surely see, no other sector has a cast of characters as passionate, diverse and interesting as those who drive the business of fashion.
[ Explore the full digital index of #BoF500 at businessoffashion.com/bof500.Opens in new window ]
Tonight in Paris, BoF will host the #BoF500 Gala in partnership with JHSF, Facebook and Tmall.
