BoF 500: Those Who Shape the Fashion Industry
Written by Valentine fabre.
The BoF 500 class of 2023 was made public this past September 29th. With a hundred new members, the index aims at celebrating the people shaping the fashion industry. Here is what you may not know about it yet.
Adut Akech, Burna Boy, Glenn Martens or Iris Apfel, those names may be familiar to you without correlating to each other. Yet, they all have one thing in common: each are members of the BoF 500 index.
Launched for the first time in 2013 when there were only eight people working in the BoF team the index now accounts for almost 1300 entries and aims at recording the most inspirational and impactful players of the fashion industry. The list includes people from many different backgrounds, countries and demographics. Its importance is now recognized worldwide and was celebrated by BoF founder Imran Amed in an emotional instagram post stating “We had no idea where it would go and how meaningful it would become in recognising the people who are shaping fashion.”
Who can be part of the BoF 500?
Each year, a selected team at Business of Fashion carries extensive research by skimming through a list of several hundred nominations to select a new class of industry leaders. This year, one hundred members were added to the list.
Broadly speaking, pretty much anyone who is actively shaping the industry of today and tomorrow can be nominated. The selection is the result of a long and extensive process carried by BoF’s network of editors and correspondents. Each year, the nominations include players from all around the globe that belong to either one or several of those eight categories: Designers, Executives, Retailers, Entrepreneurs, Creative Class, Media, Models & Muses and Catalysts.
For instance, Dan Constable, a talent agent based in the United States, was included in the class of 2023 for his remarkable work thickening the bond between Hollywood and the fashion industry, such as his $35 million deal between Chanel and Timothée Chalamet.
What was the idea behind BoF 500?
As explained by the leading fashion online publication, their motivations lie in showcasing a more in depth side of the industry by creating a list of inspirational players that shape the fashion world daily. Thanks to a global approach, the index now includes people from more than seventy different nationalities, including the United States (with the most entries), India, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Ghana, France and Mexico.
As to highlight talents from all backgrounds, emerging talents are also carefully selected for showcasing promising and inspirational journeys that are very likely to shape the future of fashion. Part of the class of 2023, Clint 419, founder of street style brand Corteiz, was selected for his unique ability to create and foster community based on exclusivity.
Note that the index is free and unlimited to access, and is an essential educational tool for fashion enthusiasts. It is one of many tools available that allows anyone to stay up-to-date with the industry, specifically for someone going through a job search. Expanding your knowledge of the fashion and the luxury industry with such tools is primordial as it will help unlocking new professional doors.
Written by Valentine Fabre.