The Most Overrated Designers...

[CharmingNicky]

Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren! I havent seen change from either one of these designers in years! Kors annoys me because of Project runway and stuff and thats why I dont even bother look into his collections. Kors is one of the least innovative designers I know. Ralph Lauren seems to present the same collection every season, it is beautiful in theory but it does get old.

 

[Spike413]

I'm just going to point out that the three velvet Balenciaga tops posted aren't even close to being the same except for the fact that they're made of velvet and the velvet is draped. But the patterns are entirely different, the way the velvet moves and the silk underneath is worked into it...they're three very different tops and I guarantee that were they not each shown with the same pants, and shown one right after the other, people would be less likely to complain about them being "the same".

 

[FashionPower]

Versace SS09 was absolutely innovative in my opinion.The zippers and the heart details added a touch of edge to the whole collection,it was also a younger collection and Donatella focused more on little dresses rather than on her signature gowns.
Versace is all about glamour and Donatella is probably the best desìgner who can create stunning glamorous clothing.I don't mind if she doesn't move fashion forward because that's not her pursuit.She just wants to show how a woman can be sexy,trendy and self-confident without trying too hard,choosing simple(maybe not innovative at all)but incisive clothes

 

[Squizree]

Squirzee,

Even though Donatella is one of my favorites, she's not really innovative at all. She's great at presenting beautiful clothing but her clothing doesn't really set the trends or move fashion forward. I don't recall her creating innovative fabrics or techniques really at all. S/S 2009 and F/W 2008 were beautiful and while they might have been something new for Versace, it wasn't anything that we haven't seen before.

I understand your point Reese, but by this definition then I dont think anyone is moving fashion forward. Certainly not the likes of Dacarnin, who seems to be permanently trapped in a previous decade, or Lagerfeld, who seems to be going backwards.
I dont know about anyone else but those zipper dresses from Versace S/S 09 are pretty innovative, Ive just never seen zipper shapes and cutouts before.
Although she's probably not the most original designer I think she's more innovative than many others.

And what do you guys think of Phoebe Philo for Chloe? I've always loved her but Im trying to decide whether she's driving the label forward or whether shes just repeating what she had already done before. But its probably difficult to tell just from the Fall 2009 collection.

 

[irulan]

Do you mean Philo for Celine or McGibbon for Chloé?

I missed out on the Philo madness, but I wasn't that impressed with the first things she did at Celine.

 

[Squizree]

lol sorry I mean Hannah McGibbon.

 

[BerlinRocks]

this thread is reviving for some days now ...

and we often seen the same name ...

i won't talk about Marc Jacobs or Nicolas Ghesquière ... people are fighting over them enough there ...

But about Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren and all those american designers (First time around I kind of support them ...)
Not sure what I'll say is clear, but anyway ... giving my thought ...

Michael Kors is not there to do anything creative !! He's there To sell items to a certain range of customers on High Streets ! I can understand not everyone is looking after simple things or furry Manhattan looks ... But he has his customers and I am sure he's doing well and please them very well ...
And anyway where is overrating ? Coz sincerely I barely hear about him .........
And just for the record, he is for the moment the only guy who's done good for Céline ! (now we are waiting for Philo !)

Ralph Lauren is definitely not overrated ... Just open a Fashion History book and then we'll talk about it !
Maybe his designs don't appeal to you, maybe his image and aesthetics and 'references' don't please you ... but this man is sort of genius in American Fashion (with Armani in Italy, YSL in France) ...
He has built an EMPIRE ! He has built an IMAGE !
He is like Calvin Klein, Donna Karan ...
Image first, designs after !

That's the business ! These guys are NOT making art !
Get use to it ! And don't come there to complain about them .... They have never been called, named, stamped or whatever 'Innovative Designers' (certainly in their marketing and business initiatives !) ... So why discuss about them in here ?


* in all this, "you" is general ! not pointing someone in particular ! *

 

[FashionPower]

Oh yes!
ARMANI is SUPER DUPER overrated.
His clothes are so crappy...I don't know why he's so coveted here in Italy

 

[BerlinRocks]

^.... heu perhaps because he has dressed tons of people in the whole world from Hollywood to Milan in the whole 80s and early 90s ....

you guys have to think more generally ... put it in context ...

perhaps Armani is now overrated ... but if he's there now, means he has done something great in the past ...
it doesn't happen this way all the time ...

but you guys have to think more generaly ... not only now ... and try to understand things ...

some people like Jurgi Persoons (where is Scott ?) has never been into the generalistic fashion press, because they used to have their tiny numbers of customers ... and because perhaps it wasn't their purpose to spread the world with their designs ...

some other think differently ...

think about this ...

overrated doesn't mean bad !

Picasso is overrated (to me) but it doesn't mean he is bad ! he has done great things for art ... I just think now it's time to find other artists of his period who hasn't been rated at all and needs their step in art history !

Warhol in France is now overrated but in the late 80s and 90s he was very very badly presented by the french art press and his painting could go on sale for almost nothing ... that's the way it is ... now his paintings price go insane ...

when you talk about old designers (like RL or Armani) please keep in mind they have an History behind them ... They haven't come there by purpose ...
Their designs is not always involved !

 

[irulan]

lol sorry I mean Hannah McGibbon.

I really love what she's doing for Chloé at the moment, but I think all the critics are still holding back and wait to form an opinion.
Right now she's flying under the radar, unfortunately, even though she did what a fashion designer who overtakes an already established house should do: Take the gist, add something new, make it wearable, make it covetable, sell it. Chloé is finally present again. If she takes it from there, I see good times for Chloé. Wait and see, but in my book she's a bit underrated.

And BR, I agree, don't just call out names of designers you don't like. Take a closer look. There's more to a good name in fashion than just bi-annual collections. Some have worked for decades on their houses and deserve some recognition no matter whether you think they suck or not.

 

[gimmethatbag]

Donatella Versace and Roberto Cavalli. Everything's the same every single season. Michael Kors bores me to friggin' death. And I like Phillip Lim, but people are raising him to God-like status, and his clothes are not that amazing. They are cool and chic and urban, but he is not the Messiah. He's good and I like his clothes, but he's still overrated a bit.

 

[nocturne]

Decarnin

 

[kowie]

Alexander Wang

 

[LolaSvelt]

Don't agree AT ALL !! Costa is doing one of the most amazing work those days! and manages to stay in the label's mind ...

I actually agree now. Since I wrote that, I've looked at Costa's work more and I like it more.

 

[Andymoon]

ZAC POSEN! omg, gross!

 

[VersaceLuva586]

Versace SS09 was absolutely innovative in my opinion.The zippers and the heart details added a touch of edge to the whole collection,it was also a younger collection and Donatella focused more on little dresses rather than on her signature gowns.
Versace is all about glamour and Donatella is probably the best desìgner who can create stunning glamorous clothing.I don't mind if she doesn't move fashion forward because that's not her pursuit.She just wants to show how a woman can be sexy,trendy and self-confident without trying too hard,choosing simple(maybe not innovative at all)but incisive clothes

Totally agree, but then i'm a Versace fan

I love seeing clothes that don't need to be explained, they are just beautiful to look at. Simplicity is the key in my opinion, I love Versace and Kors because they designs clothes that are luxe and make a woman look (and feel) sexy. Effortless and timeless

 

[VersaceLuva586]

I also have to agree with the whole "Armani" thing too!

That is one designer who is VERY overrated IMO. (along with Marc Jacobs) Some Armani designs are just so dull and lifeless, they look like they are meant for old women. Not inspiring or glamourous at all.

There is simple in a good way, and then there is simple verging on dull.

 

[Escale Cherie II]

Nicolas Ghesquière is the first to come to mind at the moment

 

[MyNameIs]

Dior. Especially in the last few seasons. It's always those same over the top gowns, etc.

Marc Jacobs. I just don't know what the big deal is.

 

[Dior Dream]

Pierpaolo Piccioli and Peter Dundas (yeah there are trash sellers like MGC and Abloh for Off-White but it's the just the rich non-fashion followers who care about them)