Why Didn't Haider Ackermann's Label Achieve Greater Success?

[nationalsalt]

He's unquestionably one of the best designers out there; he has an immediately recognisable style (which is pretty wearable compared to someone like Lacroix, who made beautiful yet somewhat impractical clothing) and is loved by A-list celebrities.

So why wasn't his own label more successful?

I know he had issues with his investor who effectively fired him, but even before this I was surprised he never seemed to take off in the way Rick Owens did, for example.

Any thoughts on why?

 

[Norden]

His shows where beautiful, one of the best with color. But the translation to retail was wrong on all levels. Often badly made or flat out impractical. I was surprised he lasted so long. I remember a store in Antwerp around 2009/10(I think it was Louis Dijkman) buying almost the whole collection. And it was all these mega heavy pieces with steel
Embroidery. Super expensive and downright ugly.

 

[Lola701]

First of all, was Anne Chapelle really a good business partner?
Has she worked for the best interest of the brand? She has that grand reputation of being next to the most elusive and creative voices of fashion but have we seen businesses thrives in other ways than with creative and critical acclaim?

I think some designers are great creators and maybe not so great merchandisers.

I think Haider is totally capable as a designer to deliver great ideas and great products but you also need a merchandiser to help you structure that. His designs looked complicated with the pliages and draping but you could extract a pair of pants, a blazer, a jacket, knitwear…etc. A sort of wardrobe of essentials that people would come for.

When you add the issues mentioned by @Norden it was a recipe for disaster.

Rick Owens is a great merchandiser but also, he is someone who control the whole chain. From the creation to the arrival of the clothes in the stores, he is involved.

And as an American, he is probably very pragmatic and so there’s really an idea of a wardrobe at RO. You go to RO and can find a white shirt, a pair of jeans, a cashmere sweater, a double breasted coat, a gown…etc.
Yes, it sounds basic but the cut of those pieces is specific to RO. And that’s also the part of a success of a brand. And particularly when you are a fashion brand and not a luxury house (even if merchandizing is essential anyway).

 

[Olaffo]

That’s a very very good question. As a great admirer of Haider I saw that myself but also talked to people who were interns there etc that the entire structure wasn’t going to sustain itself. His business partner was dreadful, no translatable products and I believe not a real desire to make it something bigger. Like c’mon how many embroidered hoodies and bomber jacket you can sell to grow your own brand ? Besides that Haider is quite a lazy designer, bless him…he is not committed to building his brand and I think COVID and his business problems were great excuses to finish that part of his career. He is happiest either in well established but small house (Berluti) or freelancing. He is ultimately free spirit who hates any structure so we won’t get him much more other than making gigs. At this point I lost my faith in him taking over any fashion house or any brand for a long time. This Canada Goose stunt will conclude probably after 2 or 3 seasons. Shame bc he is one of the best designers alive imho.

 

[runner]

but even before this I was surprised he never seemed to take off in the way Rick Owens did, for example.

those designers had used japanese money (including japanese customers) as a springboard. for example, margiela/mitsubishi, dries/raika, raf/world co ltd, etc (vivienne westwood/orizzonti, thom browne/kurosu company, etc).
rick cooperated with sanki from his first mens collection, that is, around when he gained momentum.
and around that time, although haider was being regarded as one of the most rising designers, he didn't seem to like to be a smooth operator.
also that time was when taking off started being difficult for new designers from belgium or that school.
they didn't get to have good factories who can undertake production. local factories didn't have room for them.
that way haider didn't get to fully utilize the momentum.
angelo figus too was unlucky.

 

[Kanzai]

He's one of my favourite too! Tbf with all the recognition he has received so far, and with the incredibly valuable the circles of relationships he possesses, I think achieving success (or at least becoming a prominent name in the industry) is just a matter of time... But who knows what his motives or goals are? If what he has now is what he sought from the very beginning, then perhaps he has already fulfilled his wish... After all, not everyone is as ambitious as... say, Hedi.

 

[Lola701]

That’s a very very good question. As a great admirer of Haider I saw that myself but also talked to people who were interns there etc that the entire structure wasn’t going to sustain itself. His business partner was dreadful, no translatable products and I believe not a real desire to make it something bigger. Like c’mon how many embroidered hoodies and bomber jacket you can sell to grow your own brand ? Besides that Haider is quite a lazy designer, bless him…he is not committed to building his brand and I think COVID and his business problems were great excuses to finish that part of his career. He is happiest either in well established but small house (Berluti) or freelancing. He is ultimately free spirit who hates any structure so we won’t get him much more other than making gigs. At this point I lost my faith in him taking over any fashion house or any brand for a long time. This Canada Goose stunt will conclude probably after 2 or 3 seasons. Shame bc he is one of the best designers alive imho.

Yes, you are right about the Lazy designer thing because I have heard about him being courted and playing hard. At the height of his hype, when Karl made that compliment, he kept saying how he liked his status of independent designer (which is a very romantic thing to say) and it seems like the fashion industry has always had more ambition for him than he did.

I have the feeling that he enjoyed doing the Gaultier collection and he enjoyed doing those customs looks for Tilda and Timothée but in a way, the magic of those projects is that it’s totally detached from any financial questions.
At Gaultier, Couture, even if it’s selling and operating, is a marketing tool. So no questions of numbers either in terms of creation or performance and I guess the customs looks for his friends are him on his own I guess.

The Fila collab and Canada Goose is money in the pocket, no hard demanding work (based on the nature of the business) and for the most part, « the fun stuff »: he will probably do the campaigns, promote the brand through his celebrity friends and all.

I don’t think he willing to give his creativity away for a large operation.

That’s why I have always said that he would be good at Hermes. His Berluti was very Hermes like but more than that, it’s a perfect brand where he could have that nice balance in terms of responsibility.

 

[Olaffo]

^ that would work amazing, him at Hermes! But at the same time, we are all romanticising him and his abilities. As much as I love Haider, I can’t imagine him doing 8 collections a year for Chanel or Dior. You need to be a machine for that and either cast aside your life (Karl) or any talent (MGC)…He is still hyped and will be as a magician who appears and disappears whenever he likes but the @Lola701 comment about fashion having more ambition for him than he for himself is spot on. He was, is, and will be wild fashion spirit and I think that’s why any grounded / stable position won’t work for him. All we can do is to wait for more invitations from couture houses or elevated gigs ;-)

 

[alwaysademo]

He's one of my favourite too! Tbf with all the recognition he has received so far, and with the incredibly valuable the circles of relationships he possesses, I think achieving success (or at least becoming a prominent name in the industry) is just a matter of time... But who knows what his motives or goals are? If what he has now is what he sought from the very beginning, then perhaps he has already fulfilled his wish... After all, not everyone is as ambitious as... say, Hedi.

He does not seem unambitious to me though. he has a healthy ego like every other top designer, just his idea of ambition is prestige and not just a good contract. Canada Goose is the first time he makes a practical move (which I personally cheered for), it makes sense after he almost lost his name, going through that must have humbled him quite a bit.

Put Nicolas Ghesquière and him side by side, they were peers, similar in some ways in their early careers, with their own wildly impractical proposals. Nicolas' vision was contemporary while his is more noble and nostalgic... Nicolas also got plenty of corporate know-hows within Kering and Haider did not. While NG learned to play the game really well after Balenciaga and surrounded himself with capable supporters/ no.2s, I think Haider was pretty much alone and uncomfortable with his stint at Berluti and he backed out.
The System article was a depressing read.. it suddenly made things very unromantic for him. Especially at this stage of his career when he has to rely on a couple of actor friends (and his new recruit Kylie). Looking from the outside, he seems like a creative with his integrity intact, but I have the impression his colleagues just think he's a lazy snob.
It makes Dries' success all the more impressive really.
Haider & Hermes sounds perfect, nomad chic is a timely panacea to counter the current IG aesthetic.