Incredible Women of 2025: The Changemakers
Throughout March, we are honoring our Incredible Women of 2025, to mark Women’s History Month and to begin the 25th anniversary celebrations of NET-A-PORTER. Here, we present five changemakers whose courage and commitment, often in the face of adversity, are driving progress and giving reason for hope – even in the most tumultuous times. By VICTORIA NEWTON-SYMS
Leah Thomas
Leah Thomas (aka Green Girl Leah on social media) is redefining climate activism with her powerful message of intersectional environmentalism – a movement that recognizes how environmental and social justice are deeply connected. As the founder of The Intersectional Environmentalist platform and author of a book by the same name, Thomas advocates for policies that protect both people and the planet. In 2025, as climate concerns grow even more urgent, Thomas remains a leader of hope and change. “Learning how to get creative, crafty and make things myself in 2025 is giving me a lot of joy; and I’m finding inspiration from so many women makers, whether they’re ceramicists, sewers and menders, plant eco-dyers or bakers,” she tells PORTER. “It makes me hopeful that creating a sustainable future can also be filled with creativity, fun, learning new skills and sharing them in community.”
Amanda Nguyen
Whether fighting for justice on Capitol Hill or using social media to educate and mobilize, Amanda Nguyen proves that one person’s determination can spark a global movement for change. As a survivor herself, Nguyen is the founder of Rise – a nonprofit organization that was started to protect the civil rights of sexual-assault and rape survivors – and she played a pivotal role in passing the United States’ landmark Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, which has inspired similar legislation worldwide. “No one is powerless when we come together; no one is invisible when we demand to be seen,” she says. This year sees the release of her moving memoir, Saving Five; and, since she is an astronaut as well as an activist, Nguyen is also hoping to become the first Vietnamese woman to go to space – a dream she has had since she was a little girl, she tells PORTER: “Joy is the most radical form of rebellion, and I have found my joy in outer space.”
Destiny Pinto
Pioneering designer Destiny Pinto is transforming the fashion landscape by integrating medical devices into stylish accessories. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis while studying at University of the Arts London in 2021, she recognized a gap in the market for fashionable medical accessories, leading her to launch her own brand, By Destiny Pinto, in 2023. Her innovative designs, such as compression gloves and ostomy-bag covers, empower people with chronic illnesses to express their personal style with confidence. “The people I meet through my brand bring me hope and inspiration – especially those who use my work as a catalyst to share their own stories and experiences with medical devices,” says Pinto. “With each story, I am further inspired to keep creating – because it’s not significant to just me, but also my audience. It is because of these people that my work has turned into something so much bigger than myself or my own story. I am now doing it for all of them as well.”
Gisèle Pelicot
In the face of the unthinkable, Gisèle Pelicot has become a beacon of courage for survivors everywhere. “It’s not for us to have shame, it’s for them,” the French grandmother told reporters during the rape trial of her husband and more than 50 other perpetrators. The case sparked public outcry and sent shockwaves around the world, while Pelicot’s decision to waive her right to anonymity made a powerful statement in the fight against sexual violence. Standing in the public eye, she delivered a headline-making message that “shame must swap sides”. As she puts it: “It’s true that I hear lots of women and men who say you’re very brave. I say it’s not bravery; it’s will and determination to change society.”
Reni Eddo-Lodge
Reni Eddo-Lodge is one of the most defining voices in the conversation about race, power and privilege. The award-winning journalist and author of Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race has helped to shape public discourse, challenging institutions to confront systemic racism – and her impact continues to grow, as she uses her platform to amplify marginalized voices. Her podcast, About Race, is essential listening; and, this year, she is launching her own imprint with publishing house Harper Collins, as “a home for revelatory, original and agenda-setting writing”. She tells PORTER: “I have always been a reader as well as a writer, and was excited by the possibility of bringing books to the world.” As society grapples with complex issues, her voice remains as vital as ever: “Just because things seem bleak right now doesn’t mean that the future isn’t ours to shape,” she says.
Presenting the Incredible Women of 2025
Presenting season 9 of the Incredible Women podcast: Passion & Purpose