Women in Retail Leadership Circle  (WIRLC) is proud to partner with Berns Communications Group’s the Retail Influencer Network, The DealmakeHers and The Z Suite to celebrate the third annual list of the 25 Most Inspirational Women Leaders. The list, released ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, recognizes some of the most respected names in global retail. The list includes:

  • Aimon Ali, Founder, Fashion Talks
  • Amanda Baldwin, CEO, Olaplex
  • Lori Coulter, Co-Founder and CEO, Summersalt
  • Britta Cox, Co-Founder, AQUIS and K18 Hair
  • Katie Diasti, Founder and CEO, Viv Period Care
  • Gina Drosos, CEO, Signet Jewelers
  • Mandy Fields, Chief Financial Officer, e.l.f. Beauty
  • April Hennig, Chief Merchant, Moda Operandi
  • Katherine Homuth, CEO, SRTX
  • Stephanie Horton, Senior Director, Global Marketing, Commerce, Google
  • Adrienne Lazarus, President, Madewell
  • Cate Luzio, Founder and CEO, Luminary
  • Fern Mallis, Founder of New York Fashion Week and Fern Mallis LLC
  • Tracy Margolies, Chief Merchandising Officer, Saks
  • Stacey McCormick, Chief Marketing Officer, Aerie
  • Mecca E. Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Leadership, DEI, and Community Impact, Burlington Stores
  • Kerry O’Brien, CEO, Founder and Designer, Commando
  • Elizabeth Preis, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Anthropologie Group
  • Liz Rodbell, President and CEO, Hudson’s Bay
  • Joon Silverstein, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Sustainability at Coach, and Head of Coachtopia
  • Lori Singer, President, Parlux
  • Kecia Steelman, President and Chief Operating Officer, Ulta Beauty
  • Mary van Praag, Global CEO, Milani Cosmetics, and WIRLC Advisory Board Member
  • Carla Vernón, CEO, The Honest Company
  • Annie Young-Scrivner, CEO, Wella Company

This year’s honorees all have a shared passion for driving inclusivity and diversity in leadership, mentoring future generations of female leaders with authenticity and integrity, and shaking up the old ways of doing business to protect the future of our brands and planet.

Their experiences dovetail nicely with this year’s IWD theme, Inspire Inclusion. The theme was chosen to underscore the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality, according to the International Women’s Day website. It calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. It encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalized communities.

Also as part of the honor, Women in Retail asked all honorees what they want their leadership legacy to be. What follows is a series of answers:

Amanda Baldwin, CEO, Olaplex
“Leadership is ever changing, and I treat it as any other skill that I’m always trying to get better at. My dream is to inspire people to do the things maybe they never even dreamed were possible!”

Gina Drosos, CEO, Signet Jewelers 
“I hope my leadership legacy is rooted in the directive that I love from Mamie Earl Sells to ‘lift as we climb.’ It’s my duty as a leader to mentor top talent, prioritize diversity in leadership positions, and empower others to embrace opportunities as they come — both personally and professionally.”

Adrienne Lazarus, President, Madewell
“The most valuable asset we have in this business is people. I am committed to mentoring and supporting talent to reach their fullest potential and inspired most when building a world-class team. I lead with passion for the brand and customer and believe that the clearer your vision, the quicker the path to success.”

Mecca E. Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Leadership and Organizational Development, DEI, and Community Impact, Burlington Stores
“I want my leadership legacy to be one of advocacy. I have dedicated my personal and professional life to ‘fighting the good fight’ for people who need it and causes that were worthy. There is no greater contribution one can make than using your talents and passions to advance and support others.”

Elizabeth Preis, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Anthropologie Group
“Leadership is all about showing up. Literally and figuratively. In body. In mind. In heart. For your team. For your colleagues. For your customers. Because the better you show up for them, the better they will show up for others.”

Joon Silverstein, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Sustainability at Coach, and Head of Coachtopia
“As a leader at Coach and Coachtopia, my vision is to reinvent our ‘usual’ ways of doing things in order to dream more boldly — for our brands, our future, and our planet — and to inspire our communities to act with courage upon the hope of what’s possible.”

Carla Vernón, CEO, The Honest Company
“As CEO of The Honest Company, I have a platform and I have a vision. I’m all about shaking things up in corporate America, and I think part of that means redefining what it looks like to be a leader. I know in my heart that businesses will do better when we make space for people to be authentically themselves, especially those who are different from whatever is the prototypical norm in their industry. I’ve seen firsthand and learned the power of leaning into who I am. And today, I am doing everything I can to open the doors for the next generation and make sure that there is room for everyone to shine.”

Annie Young-Scrivner, CEO, Wella Company
“I’m passionate about driving a more inclusive, diverse leadership landscape for future generations of business leaders — cultivating talent and building world-class teams that can positively impact society.”

The 2024 honorees’ names and photos appeared on the American Eagle billboard in Times Square on March 5 alongside a social campaign on each of the honorees’ leadership legacies.

Congrats to all the honorees, and Happy International Women’s Day!