Designers and Originality: Debate

[Arturo21]

This idea came to me from seeing the many varied comments from the postings of the different men's and women's collections of this year along with general discussions about designers.

It seems to me (and I may be wrong, you tell me) that it's not commonly accepted or more likely, not commonly expressed that the different designers only create their interpretations of fashion.

In doing this, they may present fresh ideas, without exactly being original. I personally respect this, I like to look at a designers concept equally along with the overall aesthetic of the collection when judging (Interesting fabric choices and so on are pluses).

However, I find originality to be almost completely lacking in fashion. Let's face it, it's almost all been done before. Example, one designer creates something we haven't seen in a while - someone comes along and points out that someone already did that say, two seasons ago.

Wouldn't collections be completely bizarre, over-done, and absurd if aesthetically they were completely original, though? I find that, to me, originality is more important in the outlook and concept of a designer, rather than the "look"

Opinions? Ideas? Thoughts? Brainwaves?

Thx

 

[Guessgirl96]

I agree with you that it seems everything been done by now. It seems nearly impossible to me so create something totally original yet wearable. I try not to get caught up on who copied who, I dont think it's wrong to be inspired by a collection. A few of the lace jackets and dresses from balenciaga were clearly inspired by pieces of cristobal but they seemed to still get rave reviews..

 

[j´adore dior]

a design teacher once told us something that is absolutelly true, he said that today fashion is about recreating instead of creating, i´ve come to realise that because it had happen to me that sometimes you design something thinking that you have discovered something new and then you see a random collection from a designer you haven´t seen before and there it is, or that sometimes i have had an idea and then i see it on a catwalk, eg: those button straps at ysl summer 04, i think that today what´s interesting in fashion and original or refreshing is when a certain designer takes a certain era or silhouette at the precise moment or when is able to do a certain slight change that makes it all look new and desirable.

 

[dizzytacks]

i couldn't have said it better myself, but your point is the originality in the design itself, and most designers create with the expectation that something will sell, rather than using "fashion" as an outlet for expression. We have to remember that fashion mainly is the most "business" of art forms, even if you view it as an art form, but with the intention to sell, its hard to meet creativity halfway without scaring a horde of people away. This is when styling comes in, which is a whole other story....

 

[green.tea]

a design teacher once told us something that is absolutelly true, he said that today fashion is about recreating instead of creating...

that's completely true! It seems as if the whole fashion industry is in somewhat of a creative rut what with the lack of new supermodels and new designs, make up, etc...everything is inspired by something already seen instead of imagination.

 

[Bidwell]

Design originality is also propelled other innovations like fabric, construction methods, etc. Our approach to clothing is archaic in many ways. We need to discover other methods ( Miyake's A-poc line an example) that remain wearable and offer unique values that haven't existed before.
Modernity by definition means it is based on function, speed, and the minimal amount for the maximum result. This leaves little room for Excess in design.
Instant digesting and relaying of information has also led to a quick assimilation of ideas. The half life of any new development in fashion is drastically shortened. Our disposable mentality allows us to move on before a trend has properly run it's course, reducing it to a mere fad and ultimately being reused (read retro) later down the road when, gosh, it seems so fresh again.
Great thread, Arturo21

 

[MaLkAv]

I think it's all about the personality and vision of the designer... I don't really care if something has already been done: if something gets re-visited in a somehow "new" way it's still fine, nice to see, lovely, whatever!

The same debate about originality as the main feature of a piece of art is strong for other human way of expression, like music, cinema, literature, figurative arts... but if it all came down just to originality then I think we would be missing some other important sides of the overall shape.

Speaking about the fashion industry, I tend to like everything that comes with a strong message... I think fashion is a good way of expressing thoughts and visions, rather than just making the customers look "cool" or things like that.

Also, sometimes I wonder if reviewers are more concerned with the brand names rather than with how good the collection is... you see... There are a lot of things that one could point out about the "wicked" side of fashion industry.

Anyway... back on topic: I think that we are still going to witness a lot of innovations, but I think that they will not be (mainly) about the shapes and tayloring of dresses... probably they will be about new fabric, new materials... it's still innovating, isn't it?

Phew... it has been so hard to write a post this long
I hope somebody could undestand what I was trying to say!

 

[ultramarine]

I'll take uniqueness over perfection anytime!

 

[finalfashion]

Originality is overrated. Everyone wants to be original and creative, and most are doomed for failure because as you say, it's all been done.

That's why I love to see timely twists on classics, and simple ideas executed well. It's more about the execution and the timeliness (because fashion is all about defining the "now") than originality in my opinion. It bugs me when people take a collection down as "unoriginal" because that's besides the point in my book - the real question is "does it work", does it seem fresh and contemporary and wearable?

It's more of a challenge to do a simple thing well than to be "creative" and throw the kitchen sink in there in a vain effort to be original. Don't get me wrong the wacky shows are entertaining. It's just that I prefer to see a certain amount of focus in what I consider Good Design.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Originality is overrated. Everyone wants to be original and creative, and most are doomed for failure because as you say, it's all been done.

That's why I love to see timely twists on classics, and simple ideas executed well. It's more about the execution and the timeliness (because fashion is all about defining the "now") than originality in my opinion. It bugs me when people take a collection down as "unoriginal" because that's besides the point in my book - the real question is "does it work", does it seem fresh and contemporary and wearable?

It's more of a challenge to do a simple thing well than to be "creative" and throw the kitchen sink in there in a vain effort to be original. Don't get me wrong the wacky shows are entertaining. It's just that I prefer to see a certain amount of focus in what I consider Good Design.

You summed it up really nicely here

 

[dizzytacks]

strength in engineering is why some designers have risen to succes, jil sander for example, raf simons most recent collection is impecabble, i could not stop myself from looking at each look at both the womens and mens shows,but its hard to maintain substance when attempting originality in fashion, take art for example, imo there are a lot less medums to consider when creating art, form, line, color while fashion maintains all these things "sellability" is thrown in the mix and i think as humans we take comfort in the establishment, our politics, our food, our clothes, so it really is hard to be completely original. and editors often compare you to your contemporaries so never believe there prejudice, when someone comes out with vivid color when all your peers are sombre you instantly become a hit with editors, i think they are at times the achilles heel of fashion, leaving it in a crutch becuase no one wants to upset Wintour, Menkes, etc.

 

[fashionologie]

Originality is overrated. Everyone wants to be original and creative, and most are doomed for failure because as you say, it's all been done.

That's why I love to see timely twists on classics, and simple ideas executed well. It's more about the execution and the timeliness (because fashion is all about defining the "now") than originality in my opinion. It bugs me when people take a collection down as "unoriginal" because that's besides the point in my book - the real question is "does it work", does it seem fresh and contemporary and wearable?

It's more of a challenge to do a simple thing well than to be "creative" and throw the kitchen sink in there in a vain effort to be original. Don't get me wrong the wacky shows are entertaining. It's just that I prefer to see a certain amount of focus in what I consider Good Design.

i agree wholeheartedly -- take Shakespeare, for instance...
all of his plot ideas were by no means original -- he had Greek and Roman sources for most of his plays

so he was doing the same thing -- "timely twists on classics" -- and yet no one would call Shakespeare anything but original. it's not the story that made Shakespeare who he is today, it's how he told the story -- with word play, theatrical elements, and such

so it's the same with design -- there's only so many ways that designers can make clothes shapes that people will wear on a day-to-day basis. it's how that they can manipulate these shapes that counts.

 

[mdankwah]

The trouble wiht originality is that it requires a certain amount of perfection and the difficulty with perferction is what do you do for a encore? Besides most original ideas are based on the recycling on old ones.

 

[Scott]

I agree with bidwell. For me,it not always about what one sees explicity. Craftsmanship and fabrication has increasingly become more innovative and creative than something completely absurd,one sees. Cutting techniques,patterns etc. And as for taking things from the past,I think things which are derived from certain points of the past can very well be original! Everything is about interpreting things in one's own way. And it's all about the elements too. Creative designers will never express those things blatantly. And besides...traditions,history,classicsm...they set up a nice foundation for designers experiment upon. Like Belgian designers for instance.

 

[softgrey]

i see new things all the time...
that is what i am always looking for and if you look for it you usually find it..

 

[melt977]

Originality doesn't necessarily mean a brand new idea... what I'm looking for in terms of originality is actually "signature"... to be able to distinguish the designer's personal style, mood and creativity... and in order for a designer to establish a signature he has to have an original sort of manipulating or presenting a trend, a design etc...

 

[Whitelinen]

Everything has been done.

 

[Miss Galliano]

Originality doesn't necessarily mean a brand new idea... what I'm looking for in terms of originality is actually "signature"... to be able to distinguish the designer's personal style, mood and creativity... and in order for a designer to establish a signature he has to have an original sort of manipulating or presenting a trend, a design etc...

you know you are so right .. thank you

 

[MUXU]

Originality doesn't necessarily mean a brand new idea... what I'm looking for in terms of originality is actually "signature"... to be able to distinguish the designer's personal style, mood and creativity... and in order for a designer to establish a signature he has to have an original sort of manipulating or presenting a trend, a design etc...

haha
i thought i had an original opinion on this subject until i came upon your post

 

[kikidior]

Originality is overrated. Everyone wants to be original and creative, and most are doomed for failure because as you say, it's all been done.

That's why I love to see timely twists on classics, and simple ideas executed well. It's more about the execution and the timeliness (because fashion is all about defining the "now") than originality in my opinion. It bugs me when people take a collection down as "unoriginal" because that's besides the point in my book - the real question is "does it work", does it seem fresh and contemporary and wearable?

It's more of a challenge to do a simple thing well than to be "creative" and throw the kitchen sink in there in a vain effort to be original. Don't get me wrong the wacky shows are entertaining. It's just that I prefer to see a certain amount of focus in what I consider Good Design.

exactly. i think it's always been about reinterpretation with an added twist reflecting the current mood of a certain time. also, i personally like it when a house's or designer's aesthetic is shown in the work that it can easily be identified. i am not a fan of blatant ripoffs i must say.