Women in Luxury

In a business that caters predominantly to women, it still seems somehow paradoxical that so many men remain in charge. And yet if you take a closer look at the true pioneers of global luxury, going right back to Coco Chanel, above, it's clear that when a fundamental shift occurs in the industry, it is often the work of a powerful and creative woman. The entrepreneurs, CEOs and designers (there's even a muse) presented on the following pages are most often defined by their determination and fearlessness--from the CEO who is reinventing and reviving the YSL brand to the entrepreneur who brought the Internet big-ticket luxury to the designer who gave Dior fine jewelry a whole New Look.