Brands That Need a Makeover/Overhaul

[dior_couture1245]

Dior. Raf just can't pull it together. He had one hit - his first Couture, and it's been downhill since...confusing, uncomfortable, ugly and awkward. I'm all for experimentation and pushing for newness...but Raf's expirmentations at Dior always seem to lack confidence of conviction. Plus, he doesn't seem to have any love for the history of the house. He approaches the Dior archives as an academic. The results suffer because of this.

Olivier Theyskens would be an absolute dream as Dior Creative Director.

I agree with Spike that Lanvin needs a shake up. Alber is on autopilot since 2010. He has shown us newness every now and again, but it's always at the beginning of the show and then halfway through, it's back to the frills and costume jewelry again, so the impact of the newness is completely lost. The house definitely needs a new attitude.

Versace definitely needs an update...AND a new casting director...

 

[Phuel]

ANYONE -> Chanel

LOL

Anyone can do Chanel.

It hasn't been about the designs at all for so long. It's all about the talented, skilled and supremely experienced in-house team that's able to turn Karl's stupid chicken scribbles he passes as designs into actual, luxurious garments, or as convincingly close as possible to that. And it's all about the branding: I think subconsciously their clientele want Chanel because of those double-Cs on everything and also because of what it represents for them more than for the designs.

When Karl says that he hates hard workers, I believe him. He doesn't do any work really, let alone know what hard work even is: it's his atelier that has to put it and keep it all together. There's a doc about HC where the lovely but homely ladies that work at the atelier playfully sigh and roll their eyes when Karl brings them his scribbles to be transformed into... clothes.

He's the worst designer in the world to me.

 

[perhydrol]

What about DVF? Diane hired a new creative director and since that DVF has been so bad, boring and just ugly.

Dior, of course, and I think Theyskens would be the best choice.

Versace- Donatella isn't able to put a good collection anymore. Her last resort was a nail to her coffin.

Givenchy- I'm sorry, but Riccardo hasn't been as cool as he thinks since few years so that brand needs a new director IMHO.

Rodarte should be closed, I don't see any hope in them.

Chloé- such a borehouse, Claire should be out. I loved her first collections for the brand, bit now she's been trying to copy Philo in a way and she's worse than MacGibbon with that.

Balenciaga- but it's obvious that Wang isn't as talented as Ghesquiere.

Burberry- really, I don't even care about their collections. H&M is more exciting than their show.

 

[bluea]

(no explanation needed)

 

[squilliam]

I feel like olivier and Riccardo should just go away for a while and focus on being designers and not celebrities, they both reduced the reputation of their respective houses by trying to cling on to every d - list celeb they can find. Givenchy went from Audrey Hepburn to Kim Kardashian, does anyone else find that a bit disturbing?

 

[Deleted member 130879]

The "Ballers" campaign is better than the actual Balmain campaign. Gross.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Dior. Raf just can't pull it together. He had one hit - his first Couture, and it's been downhill since...confusing, uncomfortable, ugly and awkward. I'm all for experimentation and pushing for newness...but Raf's expirmentations at Dior always seem to lack confidence of conviction. Plus, he doesn't seem to have any love for the history of the house. He approaches the Dior archives as an academic. The results suffer because of this.

Olivier Theyskens would be an absolute dream as Dior Creative Director.

I agree with Spike that Lanvin needs a shake up. Alber is on autopilot since 2010. He has shown us newness every now and again, but it's always at the beginning of the show and then halfway through, it's back to the frills and costume jewelry again, so the impact of the newness is completely lost. The house definitely needs a new attitude.

Versace definitely needs an update...AND a new casting director...

I thought the latest Moroccan-themed show with the classic YSL vibe was far from auto-pilot. I think it would be a good thing for Alber to learn to take vacations, but I find even his most 'uninspired' work to be far better than the majority of the rest. I really don't see what's wrong with the attitude as it is now.

 

[dior_couture1245]

^^Well, maybe with Lanvin, it's more a feeling that the styling, the shows, the whole package needs a little update...the clothes are generally good, but it doesn't feel like the overall vision of Lanvin has evolved much in the last 5 or so years.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Is that intentional? He's spoken about how he never wants to be "Miss America," never of the moment, because the moment ends ...

 

[StoneSkipper]

I find it interesting that a lot of people that loved Alber's latest collection for Lanvin and put it in their season's favorites are now complaining that the house needs a revamp. Does fashion really need to always reinvent the wheel? This whole obsession with neweness is what's bringing us revolving doors and designers hungry for social media status. Quality clothes are quality clothes, and you can't deny that Allber's work is quality - I think that's what matters the most in the end.

Anyway, I'm very surprised Kenzo hasn't been mentioned in this thread. The current approach is basically glorified streetwear, and it's not working at all for me.

 

[dior_couture1245]

I am guilty of loving the most recent Lanvin collection, but coming here and complaining about Alber's approach at Lanvin.

Maybe I didn't explain myself so well.

Lanvin is consistently some of the most refined clothes on the market when the collection hits the sales floor. And I do feel like Alber DOES expirment and puts it in his collections...but I do find that the overall brand image is less and less relevant.

The runway presentations, the styling, the ad campaigns, the store merchandising and displays, the lookbooks....there's something missing in all of it now...it feels off the pulse in a certain way. I don't know if I can put my finger on exactly what feels off, but even when he puts out a good collection, it all somehow ends up being forgettable at this point.

I'm not suggesting Alber should leave at all...I just think he needs a jolt of energy or maybe bring in a new stylist, a new campaign photographer...SOMETHING to shake things up.

He's too talented to not be pushing himself in those realms of design/creative direction. The clothes are good...but it could be better at this point.

 

[Steddycam91]

You make good points, but at the end of the day I appreciate Alber in the way I do Dries Van Noten: they both seem to think about adding to a pre-existing wardrobe, while sticking to their interests and strengths.

I can't help but feel genuinely conflicted about this notion of being "on the pulse." I mean really, what is "the pulse?" I see the approaches of someone like Olivier at Balmain in his attempts to capture the moment in all of its celeb-mongering and pervasive use of social media, but is that very good or productive or long-lasting? There are a few other brands that seem to be having identity crises recently, and seem to be trying to be many things to many people without adhering to a core sensibility. It just feels desperate. Why be on the pulse when you can be ahead of the curve? Or at least stick to your style, sensibility and idiosyncrasies.

 

[gossiping]

i totally agree Stoneskipper, Kenzo is very bad right now. when those 2 took over, their first few collections were great and then they lost their direction. i stopped visiting stores a couple of years ago.

I think hermes is a bit monotonous right now

dolce & gabbana is an obvious one

ralph lauren is very dull right now

so is calvin klein

ferragamo is going that way

 

[perhydrol]

^To my mind Ferragamo's direction doesn't exist, they just copy different designers every season and build a collection on that look, but still you can recognize that piece. Just like they did for the last season with some jackets inspired by Balenciaga. They don't have any DNA and don't try to create it. If you look at their collections as a timeline, you won't see any connection between particular seasons. And their collections are incredibly forgettable. That's their problem.

 

[Scotty]

Not surprised to see people wanting Ungaro gone, but i'd rather see it get a new creative director like Stefano Pilati and maybe re-open menswear under his direction.

 

[Spike413]

(no explanation needed)

But let's break this down a bit: The Kim/Kanye involvement -- mostly the Kim involvement if we're being honest -- has more to do with the fact that by photographing her and by inviting her to shows and gifting her clothes to wear on the streets, Balmain gets something very crucial: brand recognition. For better or for worse we live in a world where, even when it comes to models, how many followers you have and how many likes you accrue on social media is just as (or in some cases more) important than how beautiful or talented you are. Haven't you noticed that many of the bigger shows now use the Riccardo Tisci formula of peppering in well-established older models among the hottest girls of the moment and a smattering of new faces? It's because those models -- the Adriana Limas, Alessandra Ambrosios and Naomi Campbells -- have not only runway credibility but also huge presences on social media.

As for the t-shirt, it's no different than any of the other countless designer brands who have done similar t-shirts all for the sake of cashing in on a trend and turning a profit.

Believe me, I don't like some of what's become of fashion, but Balmain is FAR from the only house doing it and it's not likely to change any time soon. So to complain about it and saying the brand needs an overhaul, well...that's not going to happen because Balmain is playing by the new rules of the game. It's us who are resisting the change and accepting it for the reality that it is.

 

[StoneSkipper]

^Remember that whole #PleinWarriors circus? I'm glad that Plein is doing what he likes and being succesful at it... but if I had the power to close Philipp Plein, I would (Beautifully said about us resisting change and struggling to accept the reality, btw.)

I am guilty of loving the most recent Lanvin collection, but coming here and complaining about Alber's approach at Lanvin.

Maybe I didn't explain myself so well.

Lanvin is consistently some of the most refined clothes on the market when the collection hits the sales floor. And I do feel like Alber DOES expirment and puts it in his collections...but I do find that the overall brand image is less and less relevant.

The runway presentations, the styling, the ad campaigns, the store merchandising and displays, the lookbooks....there's something missing in all of it now...it feels off the pulse in a certain way. I don't know if I can put my finger on exactly what feels off, but even when he puts out a good collection, it all somehow ends up being forgettable at this point.

I'm not suggesting Alber should leave at all...I just think he needs a jolt of energy or maybe bring in a new stylist, a new campaign photographer...SOMETHING to shake things up.

He's too talented to not be pushing himself in those realms of design/creative direction. The clothes are good...but it could be better at this point.

I get what you're saying, and I think it is good to challenge yourself, but I think Alber's at a point where he just doesn't need to prove himself anymore. He knows what his strenghts are, and he's sticking to them. It's not like Lanvin is becoming some kind of Dolce & Gabbana, anyway - it's just that he's doing what he does best, and at this point, there's nothing really wrong with that. (And I wouldn't agree that Lanvin is becoming less relevant, but this is an opinion, so we're each entitled to our own here.)

Also, I think Mugler kind of needs a rebranding. Not a complete overhaul, 'cuz I don't think Koma's a bad fit for the brand (though if it were up to me, he'd be at Versus right now), but he's not letting his talent run free over there. I don't know if it's his problem or strict orders from the powers that be, but I think he needs to push it ever so slightly.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ That is the point where I am ... I don't chase trends, in fact I avoid them, and I'm wearing what works for me at this point. That doesn't mean shopping is easy, or everything is formulaic ... it would be interesting to know how many of his customers feel the same way.

 

[Phuel]

Also, I think Mugler kind of needs a rebranding. Not a complete overhaul, 'cuz I don't think Koma's a bad fit for the brand (though if it were up to me, he'd be at Versus right now), but he's not letting his talent run free over there. I don't know if it's his problem or strict orders from the powers that be, but I think he needs to push it ever so slightly.

Mugler will be a very hard one to bring back into relevance with a new desigenr. Much like Gaultier, he was a one-of-a-kind who's influences, both in design and showmanship, are still very much relevant. And when the spirit, energy of such a designer is still so much a part of high fashion's collective, it'll be hard to take such a concept and try to replace it into the context of a modern collection that either, lives up to that high standard, or create something entirely different that is just as great-- let alone exceed it. I have no idea who would be ideal to take on such a task. I was never really a fan of Mugler since his menswear were more accents to his women's creations, but there's no doubt he was a giant and so far, all the ones working under his name have been completely forgettable.

I don't know if it's because Alber has exhausted his creative arsenal, or... he's just pacing himself for the right time to innovate and lead again.

As long as the label is still in demand by the consumer and doing well-- and as long as lesser designers are still ripping him off and we're still saying "looks like Lanvin", I think he can afford to ride the same template he's created. I've noticed from time to time, certain leaders of the pack will slack a little, then offer a burst of creative innovation that will have the hardened types be impressed and be praising them once again. Like I don't believe for a second that Ghesquiere's output for Vuitton is the best he can do. He's just reigning back and offering what will work for a giant tyrant like Louis Vuitton, because this time around, the clothes are also selling well alongside the bags and footwear, which I'm certain was their plan.

Alber and Ghsequiere are very much aware of how much the fashionscape has changed in the last several years, and aren't delicate flowers that can only design and nothing else.I just believe Alber and Ghesquiere are keen and smart businessmen as well as talented designers, and know how to pace themselves for the long, grueling haul.

 

[VogueDisciple93]

My vote would have to be Burberry. It enjoyed a revival few years ago but now it is the design equivalent of Groundhog Day and is starting to hemorrhage money.

Burberry used to litter off-price department stores until Christopher Bailey and Angela Ahrendts came along and breathed new life into the brand. With Bailey's creative prowess and Ahrendts ingenuity the brand was back in grand standing. Shows were anticipated and the finances started to flourish, enabling them enter new markets - beauty and skincare - and increase their retail foot prints. The newly successful Burberry stretched their presence wide, and that came back to haunt them as it did once before. The brand got trapped in the quick sand of overexposure, losing its exclusivity.

I think the brand suffered a serious blow when they lost Ahrendts to Apple and expanded Bailey's DOR to CEO, but the corroding injury is Bailey's failure to excite, to introduce newness to his designs. The brand grew quickly and wide, and Bailey has not been able to keep up creatively. Now the company is forced to close stores across America, Australia, and in East Asia - their biggest markets with China accounting for 50% of the brand's sales. Between 2010-2014 the brand opened 20 new stores in China alone (bringing the total to 69 in the country, this number has since decreased with recent closings). In 2014 they planned 25 new stores around the world. This textbook market saturation started to eat away at their luxury image. Burberry grew to become of China's most prominent luxury brand because it was easily identified and confirmed to wealth, but as the Chinese consumers became more educated on luxury and fashion they started to reject common brands that screamed their presence. They started to neglect brands with ever-present logos and notable features like Burberry's iconic plaid (which the brand started to stop producing in an attempt to save its standing like Coach and Louis Vuitton did with their canvas pieces). These Chinese customer started to invest in brands that were the embodiment of luxury and exclusivity, like Hermes (which has 1/3rd the amount of stores in China as Burberry).
The market just does not find Burberry worth while anymore, the brand is stretched too thin and the product selection in the stores are almost the same season after season.

For a fix, they need to hire a new CEO, it is just too much for one person to manage a multi-billion dollar corporation and direct all creative facets of the brand from runway collection to packaging. Bailey will need to refocus on regenerating the buzz he culminated seasons ago with new designs or I am afraid he must be shown the door. Burberry is still a formidable fashion and business entity but with sales falling every quarter it is only a matter of time before your local Marshalls is once again brimming with that signature khaki, red, and black plaid.