HERE ARE 9 TALENTED FEMALE DESIGNERS WHO ARE SHAPING THE WAY WE LOOK AT FASHION TODAY. WITH THEIR SIGNATURE AESTHETICS, STRONG VALUES, DISTINCTIVE VOICE AND INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNIQUE, THEY HAVE ALL PAVED THE WAY FOR MORE WOMEN TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS AND LAUNCH THEIR OWN BRANDS. IN MY OPINION, THEY SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED -AND OFFERED- TO LEAD TOP HOUSES IN FASHION, BUT IT SEEMS THAT OUR INDUSTRY STILL DOESN'T GIVE WOMEN THE SAME CHANCES AS MEN. INSTEAD, WE HAVE THE LIKES OF SABATO DE SARNO AT GUCCI AND SEAN MCGIRR AT MCQUEEN, DOING WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS MEDIOCRE WORK. IT IS PERHAPS WORTH MENTIONING HERE THAT KIM JONES' WOMENSWEAR AT FENDI WAS A COMPLETE MESS, ESPECIALLY HIS DOWDY 'MOTHER OF THE BRIDE' COUTURE SHOWS. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT LUDOVIC DE SAINT SERNIN DIDN'T EVEN LAST 6 MONTHS AT ANN DEMEULEMEESTER, ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL BRAND FOUNDED BY A WOMAN. SO WHY IS FASHION SO FIXATED ON THE CULT OF THE YOUNG GAY MALE DESIGNER? SORRY TO RUIN YOUR PYGMALION PARTY FOLKS, BUT YVES SAINT LAURENT WAS ONE OF A KIND, AND THERE IS NO POINT CHASING THAT MYTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY. I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE THAN A SARAH BURTON OR LOUISE TROTTER TO ADDRESS -AND EVENTUALLY DISMANTLE- THE GAY LOBBYING THAT PERMEATES OUR INDUSTRY. THIS YEAR, I WAS SHOCKED -AND FURIOUS- TO HEAR FEMALE DESIGNERS TELLING ME IN INTERVIEWS THAT BEING A WOMAN IN FASHION IS CLEARLY A DISADVANTAGE. THIS NEEDS TO END, AND I WILL DO MY BEST NEXT YEAR TO SUPPORT MORE WOMEN IN FASHION, BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, GUTS, DETERMINATION -AND BALLS- TO FIGHT THAT KIND OF SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE.