Ben Barry

Barry was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He attended the independent school, Elmwood School before moving on to Ashbury College,[9] and graduated from the University of Toronto, where he was a member of Trinity College, in 2005 with a BA in Women's Studies and Political Science. He later attended the University of Cambridge and completed an MPhil in Innovation, Strategy, and Organization in 2007 and a PhD with an Ogilvy Foundation research grant at Cambridge Judge Business School in 2012 .[2][10][11][12] Barry's second book, Beyond Beauty: Discovering, Challenging, and Refining Beauty, will examine perceptions of beauty across the world and will be based on his Ph.D. research.[2] He is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Fashion Incubator, and sits on the Board of the Canadian Foundation for Women's Health.[13][14] Barry is an assistant professor of equity, inclusivity and diversity in fashion at the Ryerson University School of Fashion.[12][15] He also writes a bi-weekly small business column for The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper of record.[16]

He began the Ben Barry Agency at the age of 14.[17] The Agency is known for its use of diverse models; those of widely different sizes, races, ages, and abilities. This is in contrast to most modelling agencies which impose strict height, weight, and age requirements.[10] The Agency played a critical role in the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.[2][10][18] Barry has been acknowledged for his efforts to reform the fashion industry to more accurately represent women's diversity, and to end the use of a physical beauty ideal type.[17][19][20]

He is a recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the first male recipient of the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case.[1] Maclean's named him one of "one of twenty-five leaders of tomorrow".[2]

• Ben Barry Agency
• Ben Barry at Speakers Spotlight