^I'm afraid I have to second that... I feel it's impossible to have a meaningful discussion of class and the role it plays in peoples' fashion careers/the ability to take up such careers and leave out the political element altogether.
And like it or not, sometimes money and connections do trump talent - Sarah Mower (yes, that Sarah Mower) has gone on record saying that she entered the Vogue Talent contest when she was young, but the reason she didn't win was because there was a UK Cabinet Minister's niece in the running that year. And this was supposedly an open call for young writers from anywhere - a far cry from keeping a few society girls on the payroll because you want easy access to their stately homes or something.