Who really innovates in fashion now?

[bellavita]

It seems no one is innovating on a broad enough basis. To be a full innovator you should take the world by storm, not just those 'in the know' as a few have mentioned before. I think fashion has leveled off because of mass marketing and big brands toted around by celebrities - it is about the money.. it's always about the money nowadays. Perhaps if the designers have stopped innovating, we must start. Find new ways to work old pieces. Add couture details to ready to wear clothes. We cannot complain if we haven't tried to change it ourselves.

 

[Lena]

It seems no one is innovating on a broad enough basis. To be a full innovator you should take the world by storm, not just those 'in the know' as a few have mentioned before. I think fashion has leveled off because of mass marketing and big brands toted around by celebrities - it is about the money.. it's always about the money nowadays. Perhaps if the designers have stopped innovating, we must start. Find new ways to work old pieces. Add couture details to ready to wear clothes. We cannot complain if we haven't tried to change it ourselves.

exactly, thats why i've stated that the economic situation at the moment does not allow too much 'innovation' to get through to general public..
boutique owners are cutting down budgets and just want to invest in ordering 'safe' this has a very real effect
marketing makes a difference
even if there are designers with REAL innovative work its too herd to know their work since boutiques play safe

welcome to tFS bellavita

 

[Spacemiu]

I wonder if avant garde designers really ever influenced mass fashion anymore. I think it's really only people like, as menchend befor, heidi sliamen who has a 'diffrent' astehtic but has enough PR and money.

As far as true inovation I think Rei Kawakubo is still at the top. Theres also junya, miyake, (early) chalayan and others. Personally I think the socialy aware 'post modern' designs of bernhard willhelm, wendy&jim, raf simons, undercover are also very inovative, and anne sofie back for chalanging what is 'beautiful', willhelm has been doing this a little to.

 

[bellavita]

Ah, thank you Lena, it's always nice to be welcomed

And you are very right. Exposure is key.. I wonder what I'd do if I was in the position of one of those few innovating designers. It'd be so frustrating knowing (or hoping at least) that you have the styles of the future even though everyone is paying attention to old outdated ideas. I think I'd try to latch on to a big name until I get enough credentials for people to notice, but that's slightly awful isn't it?

I think I'd boycott all big overused lines and stick to the unkown innovators who go against the norm... if only my budget would allow it. I do believe it's time for change, but I fear that few others outside fashion would agree.

 

[travolta]

miguel androver

 

[Melisande]

It seems no one is innovating on a broad enough basis. To be a full innovator you should take the world by storm, not just those 'in the know' as a few have mentioned before. I think fashion has leveled off because of mass marketing and big brands toted around by celebrities - it is about the money.. it's always about the money nowadays. Perhaps if the designers have stopped innovating, we must start. Find new ways to work old pieces. Add couture details to ready to wear clothes. We cannot complain if we haven't tried to change it ourselves.

Welcome Bellavita! I totally agree that we need the new ideas to take the world by storm, not just esoterically. The modern flapper girl, Dior New Look, psychedelic hippies and Marie Quant minis, shoulder-padded suits and geometric designs...every decade in the last century has had a new and defining style. But ever since the 90's there has been nothing but a series of revivals. I don't think this could be entirely because of the economy, since in the past, even during times of recession we have had innovative fashion. I think it's something else...can't put my finger on it...is it a growing creative stagnation, not only in designers but in the public? Is it a time of quick and easy solutions numbing our souls? Is it the celebrity thing? What do you think?

 

[mcQueen]

taking innovation more as who is moving fashion forwards and defining what we wear today I would have to say Nicholas Ghesquiere for balenciaga is one of the most influential. Although he is refrencing past innovations in structure and principle of cristobal, over the past few seasons he has pretty much redefined how we look at fashion and what is beginning to happen on the chain store level. After seasons of floaty, feminine and whimsical, his more masculine detailing and emphasis on shape and volume rather than colour and texture which has dominated in fashion over the past 5 years, has influenced the return of the more distinguished silhouette which we last saw in the 80s. Looking at all the collections over the past 5 years, I would say Ghesquiere's, in my opinion looks one of the most modern and fresh- he is moving fashion forward, especially in comparison to so many literal vintage and ethnic inspired collections.

 

[Mr-Dale]

This is a really good question Helena. Who really innovates fashion? If you'd ask who innovates his own fashion, I'd say McQueen. He comes with something raducally new every season as opposed to his last collection. But I don't think that he is innovating fashion in general. Basically because his work doesn't really seem to melt down into the fashion of what the Mr. Everyday wears. At least, in my perspective. Someone who has been innovating in the past few years is Junya Watanabe. Or Rei Kawakubo and Hussein Chalayan on the same basis. But also with them, I mostly only see personal innovation. Not innovation on the whole fashion establishment.

I'm afraid I cannot really answer the question, wether to who is really innovating the whole movement of fashion. Bits and pieces melt into daywear and streetwear from couture collection from such designers as Lagerfeld, Gaultier or Galliano. But even that is more influencing than innovating. I still don't know the answer....

 

[nqth]

Nobody mentioned Prada with her minimalism:-P Not that she invented that (Jil Sander and Helmut Lang?) but she made it a symbol of the decade.


Maybe it's "business" innovates lately:-)? It's Zara, HM in Europe and other "brands" in the US that really have an impact on everyday wear, like someone has said in this thread. It offers "fashionable" clothes for low prices. Then Comme's Guerrilla. If the chains are offering low priced clothes, Rei Kawakubo makes "low priced stores".

I think the big thing is never just in cut, fabrics and design. It's must be whole concept, "vision", sth that reflects and leaves the time behind.

Btw, how much fashion has changed. Remember when "length" is the most important word in fashion:-P?

 

[mischievous]

Hollywood (though an oppressed state of genuinenessfueled by a marketing strategy and self images resulting in illusions of fashion rather than fashion itself) is responsible for worldwide impact and dictates the trends today which results in a somewhat innovative state.

But I am not really sure its real innovation.

 

[Mr-Dale]

Hollywood (though an oppressed state of genuinenessfueled by a marketing strategy and self images resulting in illusions of fashion rather than fashion itself) is responsible for worldwide impact and dictates the trends today which results in a somewhat innovative state.

But I am not really sure its real innovation.

OT, but the fact that it dictates and is being followed means to me that it is not a fashion illusion, but just another part of fashion. I don't think it's innovation either. It's, again, influence, not innovation.

 

[faust]

For example, the fraying/raw seam/heavy distressing trend mentioned earlier ... is that really a good thing? Doesn't it ultimately lead to poorer overall quality/durability in the industry? Isn't at least a lot of it just additional planned obsolescence ... delivering the goods half worn-out already?

You obviously have never seen a Comme des Garcons piece in your life . The whole point is that the garment only LOOKS deconstructed. It wasn't about showing half made clothes, it was about giving prim-and-proper borgouis Paris the boot with a different aesthetic at the time.

 

[faust]

I think travolta pretty much nailed it (and let's keep in mind that the question was about TODAY)


I would only like to add one designer to the Watanabe, Chalayan, Miyake list - Maurizio Altieri. I want to credit him with innovating how the fabric is treated, how the garment is cut and made (like his single piece of material creations with no seams, which is done BY HAND, unlike Miyake's computirised creations), and reviving the whole idea of artisanship that has been largely lost .

 

[Scott]

^That and it gave people the perspective of how clothes look "raw";showing the inside on the outside,if you will,and also showing the process of how they're constructed & crafted. Which in turn was also an introspective reflection of the designer's soul.

 

[faust]

^That and it gave people the perspective of how clothes look "raw";showing the inside on the outside,if you will,and also showing the process of how they're constructed & crafted. Which in turn was also an introspective reflection of the designer's soul.

You are quite poetic this morning

 

[Scott]

You are quite poetic this morning

Oh,thanks

 

[Johnny]

^That and it gave people the perspective of how clothes look "raw";showing the inside on the outside,if you will,and also showing the process of how they're constructed & crafted. Which in turn was also an introspective reflection of the designer's soul.

I think Scott, that the inside out thing was very much a Kawakubo idea. She was apparently very influenced by the Rogers' Centre Pompidou in Paris, where all of the workings of the building were exposed and open for everyoine to see rather than hidden away. Her view was that the workings of a structure were jaesthetically just as valid as the outside appearance. I think this was a genuinely innovative idea in clothing, and has been hugely influential, from streetwear to highbrow carpe diem etc (see also the CCP overcoats with seaming details on the inside but without lining).

 

[nqth]

Yes, she also said that "the inside is more important than the outside":-)

 

[Scott]

Oh definitely,Johnny...I agree. I also think the Belgians sort of carried that in different, more cottage-like way with their traditional injections.

Speaking of which,although I might get some arguements,Jurgi Persoons was quite the innovator with his sometimes deranged handworking(particularly at the beginning) and almost motheaten heirloom sensibility atop all this immaculate tailoring.

 

[travolta]

^That and it gave people the perspective of how clothes look "raw";showing the inside on the outside,if you will,and also showing the process of how they're constructed & crafted. Which in turn was also an introspective reflection of the designer's soul.

another poet..whoo hoo!