Creative directors of major fashion brands: merit or popularity?

Waltz of Creative Directors

The decisions seemed radical, and to some even pointless, but the goal was always to curb uncertainty, not encourage it. And it’s not so random combined with different customer needsmanaging directors of large groups insisted on new faces, and therefore on different ideas.

If Alessandro Michele of Gucci has replaced it, then it is probably because of the loss of the charm that maximalism has on people at more flourishing, albeit critical, moments. The same can be said about Jeremy Scott of Moschino.. However, other reasons led to the departure of Tom Ford from the brand of the same name and Ruigi Villaseñora from Bally, where he lasted several seasons. In short, a completely different story, bordering on unpleasant rumors.

After a not-so-kind revolution that blew up places here and there, there was no shortage of quick replacements, because someone has to design the collections anyway. And I’m right these replacements marked different strategies and scenarios in the fashion sector..

New replacement creative directors

On the one hand, celebrities have taken over. Pharrell Williams replaced Virgil Abloh, closing the circle between celebrities and big brands. If earlier public figures were simple guests of fashion shows or faces of glossy advertising campaigns, now they try themselves as creative directors. Or assistants in the creative process, such as pop star Dua Lipa for Versace and actor Adrien Brody for the aforementioned Bally, with whom she signed a deal that includes a series of capsule collections. However, it is one thing to be placed on billboards, another thing is to become an integral part of a collection or even a brand.

It should also be recognized that some, such as Williams, have previous industry experience, however, little is known about the real contribution of the public figure in question. And it’s a different experience than the canonical stylist.

No longer stylists, but universal stars and creatives

The entrenched celebrity presence in the fashion houses is the result of a much longer process, foreshadowed by Abloh’s own nomination for Louis Vuitton and the collaboration between rapper Kanye West and adidas. By definition, they were not “stylists”, but rather creative people who were involved in fields other than fashion.. With them, the boundaries of this are blurred, and hence the meaning of the fashion designer.

Today, we, the viewers of the system, are trivially watching the development of what was started about ten years ago. Hand in hand with a desperate need for visibility and profit. what you are afraid of not having, creating only clothes, beautiful or ugly, reasonable or meaningless. A doubt that arises from the social dynamics of the industry and everyday life.

On the other hand, however, we are back to “merits”. In Italy, under the current government, meritocracy has sounded several times in schools – without specifying what is worthy and what is not. However, in fashion it seems more intuitive: merit is consistent with experience, training, and sometimes anonymity.. After some choice, driven by curiosity and relative popularity among certain individuals, we started talking about hyped (fashion) designer – the appointments of managing directors were focused on people who were always present behind the scenes of the industry.

Sabato de Sarno, Stefano Gallici and Simone Bellotti, the creative directors of Gucci, Anne Demeulemeister and Balli, respectively, do not boast thousands of followers or famous friends. They are “merely” experts in their field, with experience in the respective style of office and previous research.: Something that seemed no longer valued, usually attributed to merit, but regained its value after bad gambling and a pinch of indiscretion.

Because social media popularity doesn’t necessarily mean being able to understand the brand’s spirit and needs and then translate them into clothing. They also keep out a few friendly celebrities who may or may not contribute to the brand’s sales and success.

Variety of choices in the fashion system

On closer inspection, the two behaviors are parallel. brought together in two large groups of fashion systems: LVMH and Kering.. Then Louis Vuitton and Gucci. The first transition to the side of public figures, the second to the side of merit (whether or not they still need to be seen). Who knows if their huge influence in the sector will spread to the strategies of those who technically manage fashion. However, it is certain that short-term success is limited because you are either an international star or an experienced stylist.

And it is equally certain that fashion has become a beloved game between full nominations and gossip. This was followed by official announcements and expectations of those who dream or work through clothing. Now also the hope of those who can no longer see the big orphaned aesthetic brands and their representatives, because there is a great need for people who convey messages and ideals.