#BoF500 — The New Class: Catalysts

LONDON, United Kingdom — The global fashion business is animated by the ideas, emotions and actions of a core community of influential insiders. Since 2013, The Business of Fashion has been hand-curating a list of these select influencers, resulting in the annual BoF 500. Each year, we blend our own on-the-ground intelligence with hundreds of nominations from current and former BoF 500 members, unearthing interesting new names from across the world.

This year, the BoF 500 is more diverse than ever before, with 113 new members representing every exciting facet of this trillion-dollar industry. They join a host of established names, from designers, executives and retailers to media professionals, technology entrepreneurs, models and muses. Together, these are the people shaping the global fashion industry in 2016. Here are the 15 newly inducted catalysts.

Anne Hidalgo — Mayor, Paris

Paris’ first female mayor is also the first to take a real interest in the influence of the French capital as fashion’s most important hub.

Ari Emanuel — Co-Chief Executive, WME-IMG, Los Angeles

The head of the world’s biggest modelling agency, he revolutionised Hollywood by consolidating the town’s biggest creative agencies.

Barbara Franchin — Founder, International Talent Support, Trieste

The emerging talent competition she founded has now enrolled over 60,000 applicants, resulting in 550 finalists including Demna Gvasalia and Peter Pilotto.

Chris Gay — President, The Society, New York City

A leading talent scout, he has worked with some of the biggest names in modelling including Naomi Campbell, Liu Wen and Natalia Vodianova.

Christiane Arp — President, Fashion Council Germany, Munich

As a founding member and the president of the Fashion Council Germany, she is campaigning to build the profile of German fashion.

Eva Kruse — Chief Executive & President, Danish Fashion Institute, Copenhagen Fashion Week, Copenhagen

The ex-editor founded the sustainability-focused Copenhagen Fashion Summit, which is now a global event attended by representatives from 50 nations.

Hannah Jones — Chief Sustainability Officer & Vice President of the Innovation Accelerator, Nike, Portland

During her 18-year tenure at the sportswear giant she has helped transform it into a global leader in sustainable innovation.

Hari Nef — Model, Actress, Transgender Activist, New York City

The first trans woman signed to IMG Worldwide, she has built a global following through high-profiling modelling assignments and acting stints.

Julie Brown — Founder & Director, M.A.P Ltd, London

The agency she founded represents many of the hot, young photographic talents shaping the new wave of fashion photography.

Jung Kuho — Director, Seoul Fashion Week, Seoul

A veteran designer in his native Korea, he is the man putting Seoul Fashion Week on the international map.

Lucien Pagès — Founder, Lucien Pagès, Paris

The fashion PR began his business with no formal experience and now represents a stable of well-respected brands, including Sacai and Lemaire.

Lu Xiaolei — Vice Secretary General, Shanghai Fashion Week, Shanghai

She has overseen the evolution of Shanghai Fashion Week into what is increasingly regarded as China’s most important fashion week by both Chinese and international commentators.

Nathalie Dufour — Founder & Director, ANDAM Prize, Paris

The founder of France's most prestigious fashion prize has supported emerging talent for over 25 years, including Martin Margiela, Christophe Lemaire and Anthony Vaccarello.

Pascal Morand — Executive President, Fédération Française de la Couture, Paris

Since his appointment, the accomplished author and academic has injected new energy and modernity into the world’s most important capital for creativity and commerce in fashion.

Stefano Martinetto — Chief Executive, Tomorrow London Ltd., London

His omnichannel business model includes a showroom, a logistics and distribution centre and a marketing arm.

A collectable directory of the people shaping the global fashion industry in 2016 is included in the fourth annual BoF 500 special print edition. Click here to order your copy.