A complex ecosystem is made up of organisms that interact and work together to restore the balance in an environment. That being said, if one component of of the ecosystem does not fulfil its role, it disturbs the culmination of all the system’s moving parts and changes it altogether. When put into the perspective of the fashion industry, designers’ creative expression and ideas are the key to maintaining the prominence of fashion as we know it today. Why is it important? Although it is easy to dismiss fashion as just clothing, there’s more to it than meets the eye. In reality, the outfits we choose to wear every day are conscious choices we make in order to express ourselves and present ourselves in an appropriate manner. This is where we see the significance of creativity in the fashion world; it provides innovation, new ideas, and approaches that allow one to express an individual’s unique identity, all a result of a designer’s work.
The Haut Couture Week 2020 has just ended, and we’ve seen some of most extravagant and spectacular designs on the runways. Although they are visually stunning but extremeism and luxury don’t equate with creativity. The fashion industry is not a very innovative one. Even with haute couture pieces, designers look back at a house’s archives to pay homage to an establishment with such a rich history. While this has its advantages, the frequency at which the industry has come across designs which can be described as “never seen before” or “revolutionary” has declined, especially in the 2020s. This is due to impeding factors like financial restraints, enduring house codes, and a designers’ desire progress in a prominent fashion house. These challenging setbacks in an ultra-competitive industry are a cog in the fashion machine’s wheel that disrupts the ecosystem’s balance and impedes creative expression.
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Financial restraints
For a young designer’s work to be recognised in the world of fashion, they must strike a balance between business insight and creativity. To get a design into the wardrobes of consumers, a number of processes are required after the product design. These include purchasing fabrics and manufacturing, packaging, and exporting. All of these processes require adequate financial resources. While the development of a design that reaches the hands and hearts of consumers can be a difficult task, it does not promise them success or revenue they may need to break even.
The factors that contribute to a designer’s significance in the industry are dictated by brand awareness and brand identity, factors that allow them reach an expanded audience of potential consumers. To establish their brands and put their names on the map, many young designers host runway shows. Runway shows are a powerful catalyst for the growth of an industry and a mark of success for small, independent brands. By using runway shows as an outlet, brand identity can be reinforced and brand awareness can be broadened by inviting key players in the industry— who aid in publicising and marketing a brand through press coverage on publications and social media. Given that these shows are curated and styled meticulously to adhere to the aesthetic and portray a designer’s narrative, this also aids in marketing the collection to a more targeted audience in hopes of stimulating sales.
Developing and financing a runway show typically comes with a cost of at least six figures to pay for fundamental departments of a show— including venue, models, hair and makeup, amongst numerous other facets of a high-profile event. Financial implications can be too high for a small company that already has a limited budget, not to mention marketing and manufacturing expenses. Brexit has also made it much more difficult for UK designers to deal with financial issues due to the increased costs for manufacturing and exporting to Europe. Fashion houses use runway shows to market their products, leveraging advantages such as well-known names, supermodels, and lavish venues. Due to financial constraints, young designers are unable to stage a runway show that would garner the same public attention as well-known fashion houses. They therefore get overshadowed. Due to lack of funds and time, their designs are not recognised.
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Referential work
Referential work is undoubtedly important in the fashion world, the Business of Fashion even asserts that the “study of history is imperative for a successful career in fashion”. Referential work inspired from archival looks are especially common in houses with enduring codes and rich histories. Designers like Maria Grazia Chiuri, Miuccia Prada and Daniel Roseberry are frequenters of referential designs, reworking the creations inspired by archival collections to honour the house’s heritage or pay homage to an iconic figure in fashion. Referential designs are executed by renowned designers in meaningful ways, showcasing their respect for influential figures. The way this is achieved is by showing tangible examples of the ways in which these figures have changed fashion.
We are seeing fewer and fewer creations which are completely novel to the fashion industry. Take Christian Dior’s “Junon” dress for example, a dress that was originally created in 1949 and became famous for his innovative execution of intricate beading and embroidery that emulated the beauty and appearance of peacock feathers. Maria Grazia Chiuri remade this dress for Dior ambassador Natalie Portman. Another notable example is Daniel Roseberry’s ode to the artistry and creativity of Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali through the lobster motif that made frequent appearances in his Spring 2024 show. The creations may be works of art but they are not new. Thus, designers’ love for drawing inspiration from fashion pioneers has impeded creativity and new contributions to the fashion world today.
Conversely, there are designers that have breathed new life into houses and have taken a leap of faith in modernising the image of a house, like Daniel Lee for Bottega Veneta and Alessandro Michele’s new work for Valentino. These designers had reworked the distinct characteristics of a brand’s DNA and modernised it to appeal to a younger audience, by contributing their artistic flair. One could argue that these examples are of total creative freedom because these designers have reworked household staples. It is true that these designers have been restricted by the house codes. In order to create new collections, it is important to consider fundamental factors such as the commercial success of a brand and its target demographic. Thus, designers are must to implement a brand’s most distinctive features and partly adhere to an established DNA to achieve these goals. Due to the importance and longevity of house codes and brand identity, a designer who does not have an eponymous name may find that their creative freedom is limited.
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Shifting focus
Designers who work for prominent fashion houses enjoy both success and power. It is understandable that designers would want to work with a brand that has achieved global prominence, success and power. This is especially true because these brands have a high level of recognition and credibility. Moreover, the fashion industry takes more seriously the talent that works under the big fashion houses as their association has a significant impact on the individual’s perception and position.
Some designers that we love and know today chose to close their own label to focus on their vision for well-known brands. We have seen this with Chris Van Ash’s closure of his own label, CRISVANASSCHE, to fulfil his desire to solely focus on his role at Dior Homme as creative director. Prada’s co-creative director Raf Simmons with his name brand and Balenciaga’s Demna with Vetements, both of whom decided to halt their own labels to enable them to expand their horizons under a prominent fashion house. Despite the massive success of these designers’ eponymous labels, shifting focus onto progressing with big fashion houses has in fact, elevated their status in the industry and relieved them of the stressors and challenges that comes with running their own atelier. Although being part of a prominent house comes with many perks for designers, they chose to sacrifice their creativity to achieve guaranteed growth. In reality, adhering closely to house codes and design aesthetics that are well-known is crucial to staying true to a brand’s essence and core values. These factors can be advantageous for houses, but the unofficial criteria inhibits the true expression of a designer.
You can also read our conclusion.
With all points considered, while the fashion industry’s ecosystem has impeded the creative expression of the world’s designers and hindered the true capabilities of the revolving door full of talented young designers, this is the harsh reality of the industry. Designers, like everyone else, need to earn a living and build a reputation. To ensure that you can progress in this competitive industry, it is reasonable to adhere to strict house codes, and to prioritize work with well-known houses. To truly embrace the untapped talent and encourage the growth of young designers in their journey of self-expression and creative freedom, the industry must incorporate more support networks such as grants and mentorships to alleviate financial burdens and invest in fashion’s future.
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