One Hit Wonder Designers?

[Diorling]

What designers are one hit wonders? Designers that became famous/popular for only one thing or look and then faded out because they couldn't produce anything else notable.

The first one I can think of is Matthew Williamson, he became popular when he tapped the whole boho look and was hitting on all the points, but it seems like he can't evolve from the look he created for himself. Another Im thinking is DSquared, though they seem to be evolving.

(Im not sure if this is the correct place for this)

 

[travis_nw8]

What designers are one hit wonders? Designers that became famous/popular for only one thing or look and then faded out because they couldn't produce anything else notable.

The first one I can think of is Matthew Williamson, he became popular when he tapped the whole boho look and was hitting on all the points, but it seems like he can't evolve from the look he created for himself. Another Im thinking is DSquared, though they seem to be evolving.

(Im not sure if this is the correct place for this)

i have to agree with matthew williamson- he has never moved on and charges an obscene amount for essentially market-stall clothing.
also
hussain chalayan- peaked early with the graduate collection and a couple of well staged catwalk shows- but now dull and stuck in a rut (especially menswear)
and of course stella mccartney- although was she a hit in the first place

 

[QuirkyCool]

I'm thinking Rick Owens and Marc Jacobs here.Rick Owens hasn't done any new things since I first notcied him over a year ago,and I just do not understand the appeal (or the prices) of the Jacobs look.And it hasn't changed in forever,either.

I wouldn't call Stella a one-hit wonder...I've enjoyed each of her collections so far and there is always something I find a little surprising!! I like the second line of Hussein Chalayan too: it has good quality and actual design.

I think that Chloe is going to have to do something different soon,because every item in the last few collections has been so overexposed that it's becoming rather nauseating.

 

[Lena]

oh no, even though i'm certainly not in their fanclub, i won't agree with any of those names mentioned..

*Williamson is selling like 'water' his 'second line' which is distributed all over europe, he also has a new flagstore boutique in London, he certainly isnt 'forgotten'
*Chalayan will go down to history as one of the most inovative designers of his generation, he also has a new 'cheaper' line now
*Owens has a real faithful -see fanatic- clientele
*DSquared are getting bigger and bigger with 'socia-lites' here in EU
*Stella is losing her strength but i wouldnt say she's one hit designer

one hit wonder designers? i also wonder who they are ..

 

[kit]

one hit wonder designers? i also wonder who they are ..

There was a highly trumpeted American duo in menswear , a few years ago - RICHARD EDWARDS , who had HUGE ads in the glossies , Vogue Hommes International , Arena Homme + , etc , whocame and went over about 3 seasons .
I think that they lost the support of their Italian backers .

Lots of British designers get a huge boost , last a few seasons , then disappear , eg Owen Gastor , House of Jazz etc .

But the very best example was ROBERT MERLOZ , the protegee of Pierre Berge , who had visions of setting him up as the successor to Yves Saint Laurent ( going through one of his frequent mental crises at the time ) , even going to the extent of financing two collections of Yves-like clothes . I remember seeing most of the first collection on TV with an interview with Yves' redoubtable mother who was having difficulty in holding back her anger .Berge tried to blackmail Barneys NYC into buying the collection , on the promise that they could also have YSL Rive Gauche , up till then , being exclusive to Saks .
Barneys bought , but when the Rive Gauche did not follow , they sent the whole Merloz collection back .

It was perceived in France that Berge was being disloyal to Yves , which indeed he was , hatching this plot to install Merloz as Yves successor , with Yves letting it be known that he himself was far from happy .
Berge financed one more Merloz collection , acting as fairy godmother , but this one bombed as catastrophically the first .

I've taken this from a wonderful book called ' The Designer Scam ' , by Colin Macdowell - a ' must ' read .

Hope this fits the bill , Lena

 

[Spike413]

One hit wonders....that's kind of tough. I wanna say Miguel Androver because he was just here and gone practically overnight. But I think that's really his only qualification as a one hit wonder.

 

[birdofparadise]

Miguel had the unforunate luck of bad timing, producing a collection with references to Islam around the time of 9/11 and its backlash. A beautiful tailor, nonetheless. And Marc Jacobs as a one hit wonder??? Are you kidding me??? I miss House of Jazz...

 

[eugenius]

I vote for Jared Gold...I remember all this hoopla about him when he first came out, around the same time that Zak Posen came out too, even a cameo appearance on Absolutely Fabulous...then, nothing.

Wonder what happened there...

 

[Spacemiu]

oh no, even though i'm certainly not in their fanclub, i won't agree with any of those names mentioned..

*Williamson is selling like 'water' his 'second line' which is distributed all over europe, he also has a new flagstore boutique in London, he certainly isnt 'forgotten'
*Chalayan will go down to history as one of the most inovative designers of his generation, he also has a new 'cheaper' line now
*Owens has a real faithful -see fanatic- clientele
*DSquared are getting bigger and bigger with 'socia-lites' here in EU
*Stella is losing her strength but i wouldnt say she's one hit designer

one hit wonder designers? i also wonder who they are ..

I agree, I think msot of these deisgners have their own thing going on and are sucessful.
I don't know, may be I just don't like to catagorise and write people off easily.

Chalayan main line seems alot more wahsed up than his 2nd line , wich looks cute and fresh to me, especially comapred to all the other diffusion lines.

 

[MulletProof]

One hit wonders....that's kind of tough. I wanna say Miguel Androver because he was just here and gone practically overnight. But I think that's really his only qualification as a one hit wonder.

there's an interview with miguel adrover in the may issue of spanish vogue and he said he just basically wanted to make an impression overseas so he's moved back to Spain to work on his main line..i saw some of the pics, it doesnt look bad but it certainly wont get as big as in NYC.

 

[rach2jlc]

Despite the fact that I actually like his stuff, I find that Neil Barrett got famous for doing the same thing and continues to do that every season. So, I might label him a "one hit wonder" even though he is still quite popular.

He made some nice black cotton pants with lots of zippers and keeps making them in minor variations every season, pairing them with other black items that look sporty. Nice stuff, but it just looks the same.

John

 

[ultramarine]

Miguel had the unforunate luck of bad timing, producing a collection with references to Islam around the time of 9/11 and its backlash. A beautiful tailor, nonetheless. And Marc Jacobs as a one hit wonder??? Are you kidding me??? I miss House of Jazz...

I agree! What about Arkadius?

 

[Lena]

Arkadius is also still around, i actually met him in March, he's real cool.. maybe too cool to make it 'big'
I'm a big time Adrover fan.. he may have not said his last word yet

could Berardi be a one hit designer ? he seems very 'silent' at the moment..

 

[birdofparadise]

Yeah, what has happened to Antonio B.? I knew there were comparisons drawn to McQueen and maybe Galliano...I thought he made some beautiful pieces here and there and he certainly looked good on camera...

 

[travolta]

alice roi?

chalayan will not be a one hit wonder...

 

[baklanyc]

Alice Roi sounds about right. She hasn't made press as much (if at all) as when she first exploded on the scene for her 80s redux around '99. She's showing again, but no one seems to be interested in covering her.

When I think of one-hit wonders, I think of the late Stephen Sprouse. He never got past his first collection or two, and tried a couple of times to resuscitate his faded career, but unsuccessfully.

Sandy Dalal comes to mind. He got tons fo press but never seemed to sell.

 

[ultramarine]

That's true! What happened to Sandy Dalal?

 

[baklanyc]

That's true! What happened to Sandy Dalal?

I read recently that he was relaunching his line, but then I never heard about it again.

 

[Erzébeth II]

marc's had too many successes in various seasons to be a one hit wonder.

 

[vintagegurl]

What about Jeremy Scott? Is he still around?