Key Takeaways:
- Patagonia is the only outdoor brand to appear on The Business of Fashion’s 2026 ranking of the ten most desirable fashion companies to work for, alongside Chanel, Hermès and Dior.
- The Business of Fashion’s Careers report surveyed 2,926 professionals across 98 countries and found a widening trust gap between what employers promise and what they deliver.
- The report’s findings on AI training gaps and manager driven attrition apply directly to outdoor and surf retailers competing for the same talent pool.
The Business of Fashion released its annual Careers report this week, naming the most desirable fashion and beauty companies to work for in 2026. The survey drew on 2,926 professionals and found a widening gap between what talent expects and what the industry delivers. Patagonia appeared on the fashion list alongside Chanel, Hermès and Dior, positioned between Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren.
Patagonia‘s placement is notable because it is the only outdoor or action sports brand to appear on a ranking otherwise built entirely around luxury heritage houses.
The report ties that kind of standing to brand reputation and values rather than pay: among fashion respondents naming their first choice employer, 68% cited brand reputation and 70% cited company values and culture, while just 28% cited pay and compensation, even though pay ranked as workers’ top stated priority when asked generally what matters most in an employer.
That gap between what workers say they want and who they actually want to work for could work in Patagonia’s favor given its longstanding environmental and mission driven positioning, a strength shared by other outdoor and surf brands that lean on purpose as a recruiting tool.
Where Outdoor and Surf Employers Should Pay Attention
Several of the report’s broader findings translate directly to outdoor and surf retail hiring.
Worker enthusiasm for AI is outpacing what employers provide. Some 40% of fashion workers and 35% of beauty workers said they want AI training but have received none, and only about a quarter reported access to structured programs. For outdoor and surf brands weighing AI adoption in merchandising, ecommerce or customer service, this signals a competitive opening for employers willing to invest in training.
Direct managers emerged as the most neglected retention lever in the industry. Among current workers dissatisfied with their manager’s support, 72% in fashion and 84% in beauty said they are actively planning to leave within twelve months. Just 14% of fashion workers and 17% of beauty workers said their manager meets all their expectations.
The report also found a broader crisis of trust: only 27% of current fashion workers said their employer’s external reputation strongly aligns with their day-to-day experience, and 80% of workers who perceive that kind of mismatch plan to leave or are open to new roles within a year.
Pay transparency remains uncommon industrywide, with only 17% of current fashion workers and 26% of current beauty workers saying their employer publishes salary bands. With women making up 81% of respondents, family and women’s health benefits, including paid parental leave and fertility and menopause support, surfaced as a recurring demand across the survey.
