As it turns out, a career in fashion can be lucrative after all. Just don't expect it to be easy. A recent study by Business of Fashion revealed the top fashion companies to work for, and it seems that luxury brands were beat out by start-ups and fast-fashion giants, proving the grass isn't always greener at the top of the hill.
Around 2,600 industry professionals were surveyed for the report that objectively assesses over 190 leading fashion companies based off of 20 different data points. That's a lot of people, and a lot of fashion, but don't worry, we're here to break it down for you. The companies were ranked by the following measures: Rewards & Benefits, Leadership & Development, and Working Environment. And, in no particular order, some of our favorite brands topped the list: Adidas, Farfetch, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Berluti, Galeries Lafayette, Levi Strauss & Co., Warby Parker, Calvin Klein, Gap Inc., Loewe, Zalando, Cotton On, Gucci, Nordstrom, and Zara.
In terms of Rewards and Benefits, today's top fashion employers offer more than traditional salaries and benefits. The survey highlighted things like employee share option schemes, like “Farfetch For All,” which offers stock options to employees, and Gap’s evidence-based performance pay scheme, among other reward packages. And when it comes to Leadership and Development, mega-brands are taking steps to increase productivity, encouraging learnings and unique forms of motivation: German e-tailer Zalando tops the list for the way its measures its employee's potential, as opposed to their experience for the job.
All of this, of course, means that working in fashion is — albeit at a glacial pace — getting better, and gone are the days of Andy Sachs' and figuring out just how one does pronounce 'Gabbana.' To learn more about which of your favorite fashion brands are the real masters in the field, head over to BoF to see which labels you should consider for your next chapter in the biz, and which jobs are currently open.