Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Fashion and beauty workplaces are undergoing substantial transformation in 2025: from the rapid implementation of new technologies like generative AI changing the way we work to the evolution of company cultures centred around wellness and sports.
What’s more, global businesses are re-assessing their corporate policies around environmental social governance (ESG) amid a rollback on DEI initiatives and sustainability goals. Now, these pillars — until recently central employee value propositions — are in the spotlight and under scrutiny.
With employers and employees alike seeking to navigate these new working environments and dynamics, BoF Careers hosted a series of events to discuss the changes impacting the fashion and beauty workplace today.
Read on to learn more about the changing workplace and its influencing macro trends, or gain inspiration and gather career advice to upskill today.
Wednesday, April 30
The 2025 Playbook for Employer Branding
BoF’s senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and commercial features editorial director Sophie Soar discussed the future of employer branding and how to champion company values amid rapidly evolving workplaces.
Key insights from the event:
- Butler-Young touched on the importance of appealing to the next generation of talent: “The new generation, Gen Z, they really feel empowered to make a choice about where they work, even if consumer sentiment is down, even if inflation is record high.”
- She encouraged business leaders to facilitate inter-generational interactions, to appeal to a host of demographics in one workplace: “[It’s important to] pay attention to individual contribution, not assuming anything about one generation. But also, having them work together and collaborate across generations.”
- Businesses need to cater to a wide range of employee needs. Butler-Young suggests “creating programming that allows [employee] ideas to flow through your organisation. [...] What [are] the needs of your employees? It all comes back to the idea that the whole person comes to work.”
- Despite DEI rollbacks in the US, and potentially divided workforces on political matters, Butler-Young advises a diplomatic approach: “People are looking at certain values as being very politicised. [...] I think most people still want their workplaces to be inclusive because inclusion means that no one feels left out.”
Thursday, May 1
Building a Career in Beauty with Jennifer Jackson, Deputy General Manager, Global Marketing at NARS Cosmetics
Jennifer Jackson, deputy general manager, global marketing at NARS Cosmetics, spoke with BoF’s Sophie Soar to share insights from her career — and advice for those looking to work in the beauty industry and marketing.
Key insights from the event:
- For a successful career in beauty, Jackson advised “listening and learning — absorbing information, asking questions. Also — raising your hand for a project where you could bring value, [rather than] someone having to ask you to do it.”
- Jackson transitioned to beauty after working in fashion, having gained experience at the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue, Calvin Klein and Alexander McQueen. “It is very important to be open-minded about [...] figuring out what you can bring to the table — I could bring the branding, or the fashion angle."
- She emphasised the value of working in retail in your career. “You’ll be able to talk about insights into what sells well with consumers, like what if you worked at Sephora or Ulta [Beauty] or a department store — you would be able to share that insight in terms of ideas.”
Thursday, May 1
Future-Proofing the Fashion and Beauty Workplace in 2025
A community event in London, BoF content strategists Sophie Soar and Annabel Bolton dove into the trends and evolutions shaping the fashion and beauty workplace in 2025 — and how HR teams can prepare for these changes.
Bolton and Soar touched on three key themes impacting the fashion and beauty workplaces today: fashion and beauty’s sports obsession; integrating AI into workplaces; and evolving the store associate function.
A host of brands were in attendance — from Chanel, Burberry and Alexander McQueen to Cos, On and Asos, as well as groups such as Kering, Capri Holdings and Deckers Brands.
Key insights from the event:
- Job seekers are highlighting personal interests in areas like sports and the arts on their CVs, and applying for jobs in adjacent fields. Recruiters should consider candidates from talent pools with these more varied backgrounds — to unlock opportunities in the synergies of these fields.
- Business leaders expect a 23 percent improvement in productivity in the next 12 to 18 months by generative AI, according to a Gartner survey. But with the space innovating at such a pace, recruiters should focus on the willingness of candidates to learn and develop in this area, rather than prioritising AI proficiency.
- In retail, improving the employee experience can make for more satisfied, tenured workforces — and satisfied customers. Companies with top-quartile employee experience are twice as likely to have top-quartile customer experience.
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Upcoming BoF Careers community events:
The Evolving C-Suite and Hiring for Senior Roles
A digital event for HR professionals, BoF’s senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young will moderate a conversation for attendees to learn the challenges and opportunities they face in hiring for the most senior positions across fashion and beauty companies.
Read more about how the fashion and beauty workplace is changing today through BoF’s Workplace & Talent reporting — and sign up to the Careers Newsletter to stay up-to-date with events and content.
