Fashion, podcasting, and the women changing the conversation 🎙️

Women are leading the conversation in fashion, sustainability, and conscious shopping—but until they own the platforms, they won’t control the narrative

There’s something about the right voice. The kind that draws you in, keeps you listening, and makes you feel like you’re part of the conversation 🗣️

In podcasting, that voice has increasingly belonged to women—women redefining business, fashion, and culture one episode at a time. From deep dives into sustainability to candid conversations about style and identity, female-led podcasts are creating spaces for topics that have long been overlooked.

But despite their influence, women are still massively underrepresented in podcasting entrepreneurship. While they make up nearly 48% of all podcast listeners, they represent just 29% of weekly podcast creators. Even more striking, only 22% of podcasts ranked in the top 100 on major platforms are hosted by women, despite research showing that women-led podcasts often have higher engagement and listener retention 📈 And when it comes to monetization, the gap is even wider—male-led podcasts disproportionately attract higher sponsorship deals, mirroring the funding challenges that exist across media and entrepreneurship.

The Intersection of Fashion and Podcasting

Fashion is storytelling. So is podcasting. And right now, some of the most compelling conversations in fashion—from sustainability to the business of resale—are happening through podcasts.

The rise of secondhand shopping, the resale economy, and sustainable fashion has been driven in part by a shift in how consumers engage with brands and content. Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are prioritizing transparency, education, and behind-the-scenes narratives in their purchasing decisions. A 2024 McKinsey report found that 72% of Gen Z consumers want to buy from brands that provide deeper storytelling and transparency about their products. This shift is fueling demand for podcasts that do more than just talk about trends—they dissect them, challenge them, and provide deeper insight into the ethics of fashion consumption.

Take The Cutting Room Floor by Recho Omondi (i love this one 😍😍😍), which fearlessly unpacks the realities of the fashion industry and breaks down trends beyond the Instagram aesthetic. Meanwhile, resale platforms and sustainable brands are realizing that audio is a powerful way to connect with their audience, leading to more fashion brands sponsoring or launching their own podcasts. The intersection of podcasting and fashion is expanding—but for women to truly benefit, they need to own more of the space.

Why We Need More Female Founders in Fashion Podcasting

The fashion industry is no stranger to gender imbalance at the top, and neither is podcasting. Women-led businesses—whether in fashion or media—receive just 2.1% of venture capital funding, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for over a decade. Women make up less than 15% of decision-makers in major media investment funds, meaning the people determining which podcasts receive big sponsorship deals and promotional boosts are overwhelmingly male 🤦🏻‍♂️

Discovery bias also plays a role. Studies on algorithmic recommendations show that male-led podcasts are more likely to be surfaced on homepages and auto-play feeds, reinforcing their dominance. As a result, even though women-led podcasts have highly engaged audiences, they face an uphill battle in gaining visibility and securing high-value sponsorships.

For fashion-focused podcasts, this imbalance is even more pronounced. Many of the largest and most heavily funded media networks covering fashion are still male-owned, despite fashion being an industry where women drive over 80% of consumer purchasing decisions. Women’s voices are shaping how we think about sustainability, personal style, and shopping smarter, but until they own the media, they won’t control the narrative ‼️

Podcasting as the Next Big Platform for Fashion Entrepreneurs

Fashion podcasting isn’t just about commentary—it’s a business opportunity. The global fashion resale market is expected to reach $84 billion by 2030, outpacing fast fashion, and consumers are demanding more information about the items they buy 🛍️Podcasting is emerging as a way to meet that demand, offering insight into investment-worthy fashion, styling for longevity, and the hidden impact of what we wear.

For fashion entrepreneurs, podcasting offers a more intimate and trust-building way to connect with audiences—far beyond the algorithm roulette of social media. As legacy fashion magazines struggle, podcasts are stepping in to provide industry analysis, trend forecasting, and consumer education. The voices leading this shift should be women’s.

The revenue potential is there, too. The podcast industry is projected to be worth $23 billion by 2027, with advertising revenue continuing to grow 💸 Women-led podcasts tend to attract loyal, niche audiences—something advertisers and fashion brands are actively seeking. In a 2024 study, brands that advertised on female-hosted podcasts saw a 41% higher engagement rate compared to male-hosted podcasts. This means there’s an untapped market waiting for women in fashion to step in and take ownership.

How We Build a Better Future for Women in Podcasting

The demand for female-led, fashion-focused podcasts is already there. The missing piece is more women taking ownership of the space—not just as hosts, but as founders and media entrepreneurs.

Independent networks dedicated to elevating women’s voices in podcasting, like She Podcasts and The Women in Podcasting Network, are making strides, but they need more support. Sponsorships and funding need to be redistributed in a way that reflects the actual listening audience. Platforms need to amplify women’s voices in their recommendations and homepage features. Brands that claim to support diversity should back it up with real advertising dollars on female-led shows.

At an individual level, supporting women in podcasting can be as simple as subscribing, rating, and reviewing female-hosted shows—actions that significantly impact podcast rankings and visibility. More fashion entrepreneurs should also see podcasting as a strategic business move, using it as a way to build their brand, share expertise, and create more meaningful consumer connections.

Why This Matters to You

If you love fashion and care about who shapes its future, supporting women in podcasting is part of that equation. These are the voices driving the conversations about what we buy, why we buy it, and how we shop more consciously. The more women that own the platforms, the better the industry becomes.

So next time you press play on a podcast about fashion, resale, or sustainability—ask yourself: who’s behind the mic? And who’s making the decisions?

Let’s make sure more of them are women.