Caitlyn Jenner, Gigi Hadid & Rihanna Top BOF 500
Three years ago, the Business of Fashion released its first official BOF 500, a definitive list of 500 people shaping the $1 trillion fashion industry. Models, editors, photographers, designers, billionaires—the comprehensive guide to who’s who featured Tom Ford on its inaugural cover, then Karl Lagerfeld in 2014. This year, the digital site’s editor-in-chief Imran Amed followed print’s lead and thought social for his cover.
Eight influencers from across the world cover the supplement, which was illustrated by Instagram sensation Helen Downie who, at the handle @unskilledworker, has nearly 200,000 followers. Models Lucky Blue Smith and Gigi Hadid represent the United States, along with Instagram founder Kevin Systrom. From Korea, there’s rapper G-Dragon, while model Bhumika Arora hails from India, popstar Li Yuchun from China, designer Dian Pelangi from Indonesia, and Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing from France.
The biggest names, however, are on the inside, where Caitlyn Jenner and Rihanna top the list of 100 new additions. “When the former Olympic gold-medal winning decathlete announced her transition in Vanity Fair to a transgender activist, a fashion icon was born,” reads the description of the former. “Few artists have managed to penetrate the fashion sphere like Rihanna,” of the latter.
Amal Clooney, Alicia Vikander, Jeremy Scott, and blogger Aimee Song made the cut. As did Peter Copping, whom Julie Gilhart nominated for “gracefully taking the reigns at Oscar.”
Head to Business of Fashion to see who else made the cut.
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