So Last Season: Nepotism in the Fashion Industry — The Irvington Voice

In many creative industries, the children of talented artists are being given chances to crack into spaces they otherwise wouldn’t have had access to. In the fashion industry, specifically, nepotism reduces overall diversity and innovation. Additionally, a preference for these progeny, or “nepo babies” as they’re called, can lead to fierce competition and facilitate rampant, toxic beauty standards. Commonly seen as a form of corruption and discrimination, nepotism is both expected and encouraged in the fashion industry due to the publicity that nepo babies bring.

When recruiting new talent, modeling agencies look for unique features that allow the model to stand out. According to late Chanel designer Karl Lagerfield, “The secret to modeling… is a face that people can identify in a second.” What a model lacks in unique features, they can make up with status: Lila Moss, daughter of English model Kate Moss, recently walked alongside her mother for the 2024 Victoria Secret Fashion Show. Their similarities extend beyond distinctive bone structure as they often sport matching styles and makeup looks. Though Lila’s debut on the runway might make an exciting tabloid article, she is likely taking away opportunities from a model just as, if not more so, talented, thus isolating the industry from the general public. Additionally, this can also lead to resentment from the public: nepo babies often evoke nostalgia of a ‘better’ time in the industry, and often face much pressure from their audiences to live up to their parent’s standards. According to a survey conducted by the Model Industry Association, only 3% of aspiring models make it to a level where they can work consistently as professional models. How is it fair, then, that so many children of nepotism, such as Kaia Gerber, break into these industries? Due to the prevalence of nepotism, modeling remains one of the most difficult industries to break into, and while some nepo babies may be talented, not all of them deserve their spots.

Besides modeling traditions, fashion dynasties are common in the industry as well. In January 2023, Bernard Arnault, head of French multinational holding company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), promoted his daughter, Delphine Arnault to CEO of Christian Dior Couture. These succession plans ensure LVMH’s success by securing their position as Europe’s largest company. By establishing a fashion dynasty, LVMH can cultivate specialists due to the greater accessibility of opportunities, including education and specialization in the field. While Delphine’s qualifications, including her higher education at the London School of Economics, make her an able CEO, they were primarily possible due to her family connections and status. By keeping the business in the family through fashion dynasties, companies can develop brand images without much external influence. In these cases, nepotism is “necessary” because it allows luxury brands to maintain images of exclusivity. However, these traditions are too elitist, and create obstacles for new faces attempting to make a mark. 

These challenges are severely detrimental to the art of fashion itself, especially in an industry where exposure is key to success. This leads to a loss of diversity in both designs and models. The industry is becoming out of touch with the common people as models are increasingly born into the industry rather than breaking out due to their talent. Although the fashion industry is somewhat elitist by nature, this exclusion of the public is inherently harmful.