“I believe the LGBT community continues to inform and inspire much of what makes it to the runway,” says Mary Connelly, American Fashion Director of Vogue Magazine. A native New Yorker, Connelly started her career in advertising at Out Magazine, where she worked on fashion accounts. “This was back in 1992 when only alcohol advertisers were marketing to the gay community,” she recalls. “But we made great strides, and obviously, much has changed in the cultural landscape regarding marketing to gay and lesbian people.” Connelly, who has worked at Vogue for three years, predicts positive change for the LGBT community. “I think that we have become less divisive over time,” she says, “and that as we make progress, for example with states recognizing our unions, we will see a seismic shift in the next generation.” –CL

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