Whether you're an aspiring designer or fashion exec, odds are, you're gunning for a gig at one of the hallowed European brands. In a recent survey, WWD found that the most sought-after fashion jobs are at luxury heavyweights, with Chanel coming in first place.
The survey involved over 2,000 responses gathered from WWD's social media networks, as well as 405 responses culled from direct outreach to major fashion schools in Europe and the U.S. Over 200 fashion employers were mentioned by the survey's respondents; a list of names was included on the survey, and respondents could also write in any additional names.
There were variations between the social media respondents' and student respondents' rankings, but Chanel took the top spot among both groups, with 11.66% overall saying the double-Cs make their dream gig. Louis Vuitton came in at No. 2, with 8.5% of votes, and Christian Dior followed in the third place with 7.9% of votes.
Among the social media respondents, a number of American RTW labels (and big names on the NYFW calendar) ranked in the top 10, including Alexander Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, and Marc Jacobs. Burberry and Prada also just made it into the list's 10 most desired fashion employers (both were beat out by Swedish fast-fashion heavyweight H&M). Old-school, classic American brands ranked much lower than younger names, like Wang: Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein came in 12th and 14th, respectively, while Donna Karan was No. 18, and Coach slid into the 24th spot.
Activewear names comprised an unexpectedly small portion of the list, given the ongoing popularity of athleisure and the embrace of mixing forms of Spandex with more structured, not-just-gymwear styles. Nike, Under Armour, and Lululemon were among the top 25, but names like Adidas and Puma didn't make the cut. (You can check out the full list here.)
Why do so many want Chanel atop their résumé? It has something to do with brand's founder being a kickass role model. "Gabrielle Chanel is my icon," wrote one respondent. Another cited the influential founder's beliefs as an impetus to want to work for the label: "I am a feminist, and so was [Gabrielle Chanel]." It's interesting that the legacy and values of a prestigious company's founder would be a powerful motivator to work there, over four decades after her passing.
Besides the scarcity of sportswear names, it's a bit surprising that there aren't more fast-fashion retailers on the list. Clearly, the allure of iconic, high-end designer names is as potent as ever — not just for shoppers, but for those working in (or trying to break into) the fashion industry, as well.
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