Dilara Findikoglu F/W 2025.26 London

[Monsieur Cristobal]

Many references but it doesn't feel like plagiarism.
It is a more interesting way to work with lingerie than the too literal Balenciaga ss25.
I was impressed by the second look. Lovely crazy sea-shell top.
I spent a couple of minutes trying to find out if the trousers were in real python (by how the light reflects on it, it looks real).
And then, towards the end, came the Margiela hair jacket with the nude trousers, this time undoubtedly in real python.
Nice.

 

[Lola701]

A McQueen audition. Which wouldn’t look odd considering that now they are trying to get back to the « origins » of McQueen.

 

[Darko]

This is sooooo Madge late 90s early 00s
Porny Vampirella chic
Boring 😴 😴😴

 

[jeanclaude]

I don't really see Theyskens, love him but he did not invent goth or corsets.

Of course he did not invent gothic style...but you can tell Theyskens was in Dilara´s mind (and moodboard as well) :

blogger.googleusercontent.com
twimg.com

 

[EDEN21]

The construction is an improvement from her previous collections, and I appreciate she's trying to do something that requires some innovation and irreverence rather than taking the easy way out and being another quiet luxury Pheobe clone, however I think a continuing problem with her is her interpretations of her inspirations are waaay too literal.

The Birth of Venus inspired you, so you send one model down wrapped in nothing but a red rapunzel wig, and half the collection is seashells superglued onto some lingerie...? That's a child's level of interpretation.

I like some of the jeans however.

 

[TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]

The construction is an improvement from her previous collections, and I appreciate she's trying to do something that requires some innovation and irreverence rather than taking the easy way out and being another quiet luxury Pheobe clone, however I think a continuing problem with her is her interpretations of her inspirations are waaay too literal.

The Birth of Venus inspired you, so you send one model down wrapped in nothing but a red rapunzel wig, and half the collection is seashells superglued onto some lingerie...? That's a child's level of interpretation.

I like some of the jeans however.

Upon a second look, I still like most of it, such as the leather, but it's true that her glue gun shells and safety pin dress (cough Galliano) feel very DIY and don't justify the insane amount of hype on Instagram.

 

[Alquimista]

She should just design costumes for singers. As a fashion designer she's average.

 

[chalayan]

bumping this thread because i only just came across her balance sheet, which is available to the public as per british law.

the entire operation is total smoke and mirrors. over two million pounds of debt accrued in two years and zero profit. and only one employee (including herself), which explains the many allegations of physical and verbal harassment made by interns.

 

[Avonlea]

I am not surprised. Smoke and mirrors is the best way to describe her as a designer. A lot of yapping but no substance.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

That makes me feel bad but I’m not surprised because having your own label is even less of a sustainable way to make a living these days. I commend her. It’s a next to impossible thing to do.

 

[Monsieur Cristobal]

... having your own label is even less of a sustainable way to make a living these days.

You might be right, but why?

Till recently, the normal path of a designer with a vision was to build a namesake house: Versace, Jil Sander, Mugler, Rykiel, Armani, Dries, Diane von Furstenberg, the Japanese, Galliano, McQueen...

I have the feeling that in the 15 last years to build your own house has become such an odyssey that very few dare, not even the obvious choices (Hedi, Nicolas).

Sometimes the namesake brand is shut down once the designer has reached a comfortable position in the corporate world.

What have we done wrong?

 

[susseinmcswanny]

... who is the customer?

 

[chalayan]

... who is the customer?

i couldn't find an income statement (probably because any income that exists has been offset by the enormous debts, thereby creating minus profit) but there isn't a customer at all. i mean if you take a look at those collections, who do those clothes actually appeal to? most of them are one-off showpieces. her 'inspirations' are beyond obvious. i'll leave a screenshot below of something that a former intern of hers sent to someone i know.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I wasn't necessarily talking about her, I meant who is the customer for an independent clothing label?

 

[chalayan]

I wasn't necessarily talking about her, I meant who is the customer for an independent clothing label?

that's an incredibly broad and generalised question since there are many independent clothing labels and they all offer something different to their client bases. you need to be more specific about which labels you're talking about lol

 

[Lola701]

I wasn't necessarily talking about her, I meant who is the customer for an independent clothing label?

The answer is probably in which stores or e-shops carry the label and what are the realities in terms of retail presence.

It does seems like the buzz online is in total disconnect with the reality and it’s always the case. I often feel like some independent designers designs clothes for their crowd, their tribe, that is essentially small and that couldn’t always afford the clothes. And then the question is how to turn a strong runway statement into clothes that may be a bit boring but that a fan of a brand can wear in their everyday life.

Except maybe for Sunnei, Plan C, Lutz and N21, all the independent brands I bought from were through products, going to DSM or browsing on NAP. But an independent designer needs that product that will be a launch pad for the whole thing.

And I get that it’s really somehow hard for a designer to think that they have to make a « tacky commercial product » to make it. But I also feel like sometimes independent labels are launch pads for a prestigious job.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Someone like Sharon Wauchob, has maintained a loyal and dedicated following that’s enabled her the privilege of catering to her clientele while still growing her vision of effortless dressing, free of logo’d/monogrammed/outlet merch disguised with silly showpieces/costumes that’s increasingly become the lifeline of every corporate brand. She seems to have cultivated a much deserved exclusivity, confidence, distinction and stability to forego the tiresome, bloated horse-and pony show; showpieces for celbe-baiting and editorial-baiting; bought hype of dressing even more tiresome celebs; paying for advertising pages to maintain that hype, and just produce a modest but directional heaping of fashions seasonally. I’d imagine her clientele are also women that wear other designers and mix-and-match her offerings to suit their individuality. Her sensibility isn’t for everywomen— but it’s for a very real woman, and that’s exactly why she’s got a loyal following that will likely support her to her label’s very end.

And yes-- this person’s heavy debt seems to all be a gambled investment in being installed at some fabled house by the corporations: If Sean/Harris/Duran with their equally reductive, dated designs have suckered fabled houses to have them lead, why not her…??? I can’t imagine anyone over the age of 15 wouldn’t find her McQueen/Galliano/Westwood ripoffs excruciatingly dated. I worked with indie talents when I started out, and their showpieces would be pulled for SHOWStudio/AnOther/i-D, and styled for Bjork/Rihanna/that gaga person etc, while they’d hustle very basic merch, mostly accessories because none of the showpieces would sell except to Daphne Guinness. And as supportive as that may be of her, she alone couldn’t sustain anyone’s career LOL I wonder if that’s what this person is doing in terms of pushing affordable and accessible merch— because why would anyone over the age of 25 pay for these knockoffs when they can snatch up the real thing???. Our much beloved Elena Velez is a maestro of original talent next to this person (… but not really LMFAO).

 

[Lola701]

^^^ Someone like Sharon Wauchob, has maintained a loyal and dedicated following that’s enabled her the privilege of catering to her clientele while still growing her vision of effortless dressing, free of logo’d/monogrammed/outlet merch disguised with silly showpieces/costumes that’s increasingly become the lifeline of every corporate brand. She seems to have cultivated a much deserved exclusivity, confidence, distinction and stability to forego the tiresome, bloated horse-and pony show; showpieces for celbe-baiting and editorial-baiting; bought hype of dressing even more tiresome celebs; paying for advertising pages to maintain that hype, and just produce a modest but directional heaping of fashions seasonally. I’d imagine her clientele are also women that wear other designers and mix-and-match her offerings to suit their individuality. Her sensibility isn’t for everywomen— but it’s for a very real woman, and that’s exactly why she’s got a loyal following that will likely support her to her label’s very end.

Exactly. She is a good example. There are even a lot more. I think about Rabih Kayrouz and people like Martin Grant but for me, they are almost separated from that « young fashion designer » conversation we have in parallel.
They designs for their clientele. The clientele is loyal, sometimes very prestigious and they operates on a human size level without the dramas and buzz given to the young crowd.

Those independent designers could eventually aspire to be big a la Elie Saab if they wants the big big thing but they are able to substain their business.

On the flip side, we have the Rodarte, the Thomas Tait, The HBH and others like Dilara who comes with a disruptor posture bring the statement and buzz and then have to think about ways to eventually make it work. And in general, the disruptors are the ones who have to compromise a lot when it comes to commercialism.

 

[Darko]

... who is the customer?

Madge probably in her post post post menopausal reinvention phase