Silicon Valley tech girls are getting major recognition and I’m not referring to only the media. Fashion designers have also taken notice, inviting many tech heavyweights to VIP fashion events, including front row seating at Fashion Week.
When Marissa Mayer said, “For women, you never have enough excuses to wear great shoes” back in 2008, she wasn’t just making a statement for fashion magazines; she showing off her chic side. In the past, you’d hardly see a tech girl from Silicon Valley making fashion headlines. However, it’s all changing now. If you heard about Chanel’s party last winter, you’d know it had many of Silicon Valley’s finest dining alongside Chanel’s president, John Galantic.
According to an article recently published by The New York Times, Silicon Valley is no boring place to work, especially for women. Tech girls like Alison Pincus and Marissa Mayer are ‘super’ girls not just for their high-tech profiles but also for their high-style. Many working American women take inspiration from these tech ladies not just for their tech savvy and business prowess, but also for their fashion sense. Marissa Mayer, for instance, who recently became CEO of Yahoo, isn’t just the youngest woman to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company, she’s also also pretty darn stylish!
Susan Wojcicki is another American woman in tech who is known for her unconventional and expressive style. She has a five-star career, currently serving as senior vice-president in charge of product management and engineering at Google. She, along with Marissa Mayer, are regularly present at fashion parties and shows.
Silicon Valley isn’t laden with women, so the few that make it to the top make a splash for their C-suite lifestyles. For this reason, designers are eager to target these high profile tech mavens. Not to mention, the demographic market of these ladies not only has money to spend, it’s also a market of women with forward-looking ethos. Allison Speer, founder of Allison Speer Public Relations, was recently quoted saying that her New York clients desperately wanted to target Silicon Valley. Since women in tech are great for the modern business formula, stylists are now realizing the potential to generate massive sales by providing tech girls with styles that make them stand out, without sacrificing decency.
The Alice & Olivia store in San Francisco is targeting tech girls with its career line of peplum tops and cropped pants. Similarly, many other leading fashion stores are now doing the same, with geek inspired clothing and accessories. It’s no longer just gadget makers inquiring into what would most appeal to women; fashion designers are inquiring into what would most appeal to the gadget girl.
That’s because women in tech no longer wear black suits; they are open to try new styles. Tech creativity is trickling into fashion, and the women of tech are experimenting with their clothes (with a desire for sophistication of course, since they want to be taken seriously).
Making up only 25 percent of tech professionals, 11 percent of tech investors and just 5 percent of tech start-up founders, women are still a minority in Silicon Valley. But what an opportunity that represents for tech girls! Sure, a savvy woman will get noticed for her talent; but why not look uber stylish while doing it? Black is out.
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