The Death Of A Designer...

[ebowleg]

I recently watched a biography on HBO about Gianni Versace, and there was a segment when Alexander McQueen commented that he believes that when a designer dies, his/her house should go with them (which is kind of ironic because at the time of the taping, he was with Givenchy!). But should that really happen? That would mean no more Gucci, Versace, Chanel, Dior, Bill Blass, or Balenciaga! What's your take on the whole thing?

 

[PrinceOfCats]

If another designer, based on merit, gains the position then the house may live. But, as in the case of Versace, if the nearest relative takes the position then it's quite possible that aforesaid relative is not competent enough to live up to the name of the label.

 

[kit]

Originally posted by ebowleg@Dec 20th, 2003 - 12:39 pm
I recently watched a biography on HBO about Gianni Versace, and there was a segment when Alexander McQueen commented that he believes that when a designer dies, his/her house should go with them (which is kind of ironic because at the time of the taping, he was with Givenchy!). But should that really happen? That would mean no more Gucci, Versace, Chanel, Dior, Bill Blass, or Balenciaga! What's your take on the whole thing?

Hi Ebowleg and Prince of Cats

A COUPLE OF POINTS

1. GIVENCHY retired ,he's still very much alive !

2. A house can survive with an ' inspired ' designer , but that is the operative word,
MOSCHINO as a house survived his death , under his close assistant , but the word has it that his ' kookiness ' that they have tried to maintain has grown stale.

ARMANI recently said that his house will survive him under those he has trained, once he has retired , but it would still be different . Is Tom Ford really an entirely suitable designer to shoulder Yves Saint Laurent's legacy , for instance ?

I agree with you in every way , Prince of Cats as regards Versace .

regards KIT

 

[Lena]

i agree with McQueen, who can do Chanel like Mlle? or YSL like M.Laurent? Dior like Christian Dior did, or Balenciaga.. Cristobal Balenciaga was such a genius.

worst thing regarding revamping old houses is that this makes it extremelly hard for new designers to succesfully launch new labels>> new original signature styles.

At the end of the day, a designer like e.g. galliano does not really design 'dior' he just does galliano two times each season and his style has nothing of the Christian Dior freshnesh, remember how Dior was a real revolutionary lux house. Lagerfeld is more 'true' to Chanel's style roots, still, his work will never reach the level of mlle ...

leave space (and invest money) for new labels to grow, thats my view, enough with the old houses, rip.

 

[Spacemiu]

I definetly think fi a designer retires or dies the hsoue should die as well.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

I suppose if a designer epitomised a certain style it allows a younger designer to expand on that and renew it while keeping the old style...

 

[Lena]

yes but we dont get any new 'houses' anymore, all money gets fueled to those old lux labels & their investors see?

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Yes, Lena...I was just rambling again

 

[pinkcouture]

I don't think the houses should necessarily die with the designers, but they also only keep going if they can find a suitable replacement. I definetly agree with Prince Of Cats about Versace! Donatella is definetly not doing Gianni justice!!

 

[ebowleg]

I have to disagree with you guys. I find Versace to be better now than when Gianni designed it. Don't get me wrong, he did create fabulous looks never seen in the industry before, but Versace is more wearable than it ever was. Case in point: the Fall 2003 Collection...
FirstView.com
FirstView.com

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Even if you consider Versace to be better now, which I certainly don't, it is a financial failure...I'm almost certain that with Gianni at the helm Versace would have a much bigger profile and much bigger sales....

 

[Lena]

Versace was absolutely "Versace" only while Gianni designed for the house, regardless if one likes more or less Donatella's take on the label, good evidence to the McQueen reasoning

 

[PrinceOfCats]

But perhaps someone like Roberto Cavalli could do a very good imitation of Versace? But he doesn't, he has his own house, which is probably good (apart from the fact that he's on a leopard skin and gold-chains power trip at the moment...).

So you're right...yay

 

[ebowleg]

Roberto Cavalli doing Versace: are you mad ? His stuff isn't at all wearable, and looks to trashy at times (and yes, I know- Versace can to lol).

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Cavalli is pratically Versace in disguise without the same technical skills and slightly more trashy (come on even the best of Versace verges on a bit trashy with its' kitch-ness).

.

 

[ebowleg]

I'll give you that one...LOL (see the picture below)

 

[leyla m.]

DEF NOT!!!!!

why should the "fashion house" die off just because the designer died...
i agree that almost 100% of the NEW designers never get the exact same thing/feeling/ce-petit-je-ne-sais-quoi back. but what would we do without them.
im thinking of CHANEL. i really think KARL is doing an excellent job to keep up with COCO herself.
as for the other houses, such as VERSACE : now thats real sad cause its not even a complete stranger who is designing but the MASTER'S own sister .. i mean she should have respected his style a bit more

anyway, i partially agree but only because i think the "new and young/ up and coming" designers should be given a chance to open their own emporium and maybe one day become the new DIOR ??!! who knows, would be nice

 

[ebowleg]

as for the other houses, such as VERSACE : now thats real sad cause its not even a complete stranger who is designing but the MASTER'S own sister .. i mean she should have respected his style a bit more

Leyla m.- what do you mean she should have respected Gianni more? She still creates sexy clothes with tons of prints, color and excess just like he did. No, she is not Gianni, but we cannot expect her to be. She is bringing something new to the house, more feminity that Gianni himself could not. Look at what Nicholas Ghesquier (i know i spelled it wrong) is doing at Balenciaga. It looks nothing like what Cristobal did, yet he gets rave reviews.

 

[tiffany]

Originally posted by PrinceOfCats@Dec 20th, 2003 - 12:43 pm
If another designer, based on merit, gains the position then the house may live. But, as in the case of Versace, if the nearest relative takes the position then it's quite possible that aforesaid relative is not competent enough to live up to the name of the label.

I agree, if there's someone good enough then the House should by all means continue to make clothes
but if there isn't it seems like an insult to the previous designer and to the house itself to produce mediocre clothes
mcqueen is right in that regard. I think he did givenchy because it was a great opportunity, and I do think he was very good

 

[PrinceOfCats]

It was rather amusing when he said that the Marquis Hubert de Givenchy's contribution to fashion was irrelevant and then produced a terrible collection himself. (although I think he's a great guy in general)