Why parity is strategic for the Italian style

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It is now known that the textile and clothing sector in Italy employs more women than men. In fact, women represent sixty percent of resources, with a gap of over thirty percentage points compared to sectors such as manufacturing. The employment data in absolute terms, however, are not sufficient to establish that women "weigh" more than men in the sector, considering that the data, unfortunately, are not supported by equal opportunities in professional career advancement. It is understood that top positions are reached, or should be reached, based on merit and not gender, yet it is evident that the path of women to the top of fashion remains even more tortuous than that of their male colleagues. A true paradox if we consider that there have been many women who over time have imagined and revolutionized fashion, often with undeniable foresight. It is history that women have always been the main protagonists of the sector, and it would be right to see them more present even among the ranks of those who overturn fashion and, banally, create it. The analyses of the Women and Fashion Barometer 2025, developed by the Research Department of PwC Italia in collaboration with Il “ Foglio della Moda ”, confirm that, at present, less than one top role in three is occupied by a woman. An in-depth reflection is deserved by the fact that, for the Boards of Directors of the big brands associated with the National Chamber of Fashion, there is only one woman for every three men.

There are important signs of change, especially thanks to artisan SMEs which, in contrast to the big luxury brands, are going in another direction. In small businesses, in fact, almost three out of four CEOs are women and women in top positions are on average three years younger than their male colleagues in the same roles. At the helm of companies, women also prove to be more sensitive to social and environmental issues and more willing to work to build a sustainable future, adopting an entrepreneurial vision that combines attention to human capital and long-term economic growth. Small artisan fashion businesses, often family-run, prove to be more advanced than the big brands in terms of gender equality. Half of SMEs have a female-dominated board of directors and 9 out of 10 have at least fifty percent women on their staff. However, critical issues still emerge: more than half of companies do not have welfare tools to support parenthood, and maternity is considered an obstacle to career advancement by almost one company in four . If approached in a systemic way in corporate governance, the female approach, younger and oriented towards the economic and social resilience of the company, can bring strategic value for the relaunch of the entire supply chain and manufacturing districts that represent an excellence of our country, finding expression in actions of industrial and cultural transformation.

In light of the data that has emerged, it is clear that there is an urgent need to act with concrete measures and incentives that accelerate the competitiveness of companies and consequently protect their human capital. Doing so would mean putting women's work at the center of the country's political and economic agenda, generating a positive domino effect that would materialize in the preservation of supply chains, resources for welfare and training, qualified employment and valorization of female skills, including in the technical and Stem fields. A paradigm shift is needed: include fashion among the national strategic sectors, relaunch the districts after a period of crisis to unite industrial and social policies, strengthen training and infrastructure, and promote governance that takes into account the real needs of those who work daily in the Made in Italy supply chain. We need to create a system, and who better than women, who have always had a fundamental role in fashion but not the voice to express themselves at the top, can lead this change? Fashion, with its economic and symbolic strength, can and must become the laboratory of the new Italian economy: more inclusive, sustainable, fair and with a medium and long-term vision.

*partner PwC Italia &EMEA Fashion&Luxury

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