Just A Thought
Happy Holidays
I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to make sense of why luxury designers / creative directors are heading to fast fashion brands. What’s the deal with that? It’s happened multiple times this year.
First there was Zac Posen at the beginning of 2024 with Old Navy and Gap where he was announced chief creative officer and creative director respectively, indicating a shift in the industry and ushering a new era in the fast fashion and luxury designer dynamic.
Following Posen, Stefano Pilati who was previously head designer at Yves Saint Laurent and Zegna released a "personal" collection with ZARA. And in September, Samuel Ross of A Cold Wall revealed a longterm collaboration with the same retailer (ZARA) a year or so after selling his brand. Ross is now designing under his SR_A label that he founded in 2019.
Then there’s Clare Waight Keller who’s designed for Gucci, Givenchy and Chloe announcing her new position as creative director of Uniqlo in October after a successful and viral collaboration with the Japanese retailer. It appears fast fashion is bad until it's time for a luxury brand collaboration then it's suddenly acceptable and cool.
The Great Shift
With the current luxury downturn and creative directors being thrown around from one house to the next, it’s not surprising that some are finding other ways to work even if it means jumping ship to fast fashion territory. When Keller announced her appointment at Uniqlo she told BOF that mass retailers offer “an incredible way to get your clothes on a lot of people” since the pricing is much more accessible.
In addition to the reach, other elements that make fast fashion retailers so appealing for today’s luxury creative directors is a sense of appreciation as well as the stability it offers since these designers bring a different kind of value alongside their luxury fashion credentials and oftentimes considerable cult followings.
If there’s anything that 2024 has taught me about the luxury business it’s that its designers are just as disposable as the rest of us. The last 2 to 3 years has been fuelled by ongoing shuffles with creative directors being moved around from one house to the next. As I write this post Matthieu Blazy has just left Bottega Veneta after three years to join Chanel and John Galliano last week announced his departure from Margiela. The list goes on. Perhaps constant change is the new luxury.
This is my last issue of 2024.
Thanks for reading this edition of Africa Fashion Decoded. And happy holidays to all of you! Let’s do this again in 2025.
- Innocent