London – As Alexander Wang leaves
a new vacancy at Balenciaga, it reminds us how difficult it is for
designers to leave their mark at a historical fashion house.
Stepping into the shoes of Cristobal Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Guccio
Gucci, or even Alexander McQeen, whose legacies are visual reminders of
their greatness, is both daunting and nigh on impossible. But fashion
houses are keen to stay modern and relevant, and it is precisely those
creatives who can balance the zeitgeist with the archives, that can lead a
fashion house into a new era.
Staying respecctful to the house’s codes
Earlier this year Alessandro Michele turned Gucci around with one fell
swoop, swapping its sex appeal for bohemianism. Like Tom Ford’s monumental
Gucci revamp for AW95, it has thus far been a triumphant success. Despite
the new androgeny and pussy-bow blouses, there were plenty of old school
Gucci references, like the horsebit detailing, red and green colour
scheme, to remind us of its stature. Sales quickly went up 4.9 percent,
after three consecutive losses under its previous designer.
Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent also managed to send sales soaring, tapping
into a new customer that was more downtown LA than Parisian chic. As
controversial as his changes were, Slimane effortlessly modernised the
House’s codes, making it rock and roll chic, even updating the brand’s name
and logo.
Taking over a house now is very different to ten or fifteen years ago.
Thanks to the rapid rise of the internet and social media, fashion show
images are available immediately to everyone, not just industry insiders
and which six months later appear on the pages of magazines. Fashion houses
and its designers must connect with an audience all the time, of which
Olivier Rousteing’s work at Balmain is a key example. Rousteing connected
to a new generation of fashion fans previously ignored by the industry. “My
Instagram is full of young people who go, ‘I want to have your career,’” he
told Dazed last year. “I want to spread this message of believing in
yourself.”
When Jeremy Scott made his debut at Moschino, many did not share his overt
references to American culture. His fashion was filled with images of
McDonald’s, Barbie and breakfast cereals, a hyperreal blend of consumption
and appropriation. Of course Scott received plenty of criticism for his His
Happy Meal handbags and Chanel-inspired t-shirts, but from a financial
perspective his designs boosted Moschino’s sales by 7 percent. He stuck to
the codes but made them his own.
A designer’s vision must therefore be all encompassing. It is not just
about a fashion show or the ensuing seasonal campaign, but to the gang that
surrounds the brand, the music models will walk to, interesting side
projects, collaborations and exhibitions, and how the brand embraces social
media.
Image: Saint Laurent, Gucci
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