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WRITING & COMMUNICATIONS 1
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Fashion Personality: Alessandro Michele
Alessandro Michele is an Italian Designer and the Creative Director for Gucci who currently resides in an 18th century house in Rome with his partner, Giovanni Attili. He has received multiple awards particularly the 2015 International Designer Award at the British Fashion Awards, International Award by the CFDA in 2016 and the British GQ Designer of the Year Award. Originally hailing from Rome, Michele studied Costume Design at the prestigious Costume e Moda and got his first Fashion job in Les Copains making knitwear before moving to work under Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini Fendi at Fendi in the 1990s where he achieved notable success with the leather goods. Michele’s story then began in 2002 where he assisted Tom Ford in designing bags and became an associate designer to Frida Giannini in 2011. He eventually went on to take over her post in 2015.
Michele is given free reign to bring his idiosyncratic sense of visual stimuli in Gucci by Marco Bizzari, Gucci’s president and chief executive. He immensely helped Gucci’s resurgence after years of struggling with underwhelming sales in the competitive industry. The Italian house currently have exceptionally financial performance that is strongest in 20 years and has doubled the revenue in the past 4 years thanks to Michele.
Michele revealed an entirely new aesthetic and direction for Gucci and instilled his sense of eccentricity and eclectically while pivoting to gender fluidity and maximalism. This bode well with the current largest buying customers, Millennials, who needed a fresh perspective that was contemporary and less rigid.
Michele has a unique way of juxtapositioning history with contemporary elements. For Gucci’s Autumn/Winter 2016, Michele collaborated with graffiti artist Trevor Andrew also known as Gucci Ghost who in late 2013 did street art with Gucci signature logos all over Brooklyn and Manhattan. While for Fall Winter 2018, he collaborated with Dapper Dan. A legendary 1980s Harlem designer who introduced “counterfeit” high fashion to the hiphop world.
In contrast to Frida Giannini, Michele’s Gucci has constantly communicated with his audience especially on social media and has used Gucci as a “platform” to allow people to feel inclusive, be it different genders, sexual identity, race and nationality and giving them a brand to express themselves visually.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/how-alessandro-michele-made-gucci-relevant-again-20181126-p50id1.html
https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/met-gala-2019-alessandro-michele-a4132991.html
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Fashion Personality - Law Roach
Commonly known as @/luxurylaw to his 494,000 Instagram followers, Law Roach is a celebrity stylist based in Los Angeles who is best known for his styling works on icons such as Ariana Grande, Celine Dion and Zendaya. Considering the term stylist to be overused, Roach prefers to think of himself as an “image architect” instead. “What I do is similar to what an architect does,” Roach explains. “The surveying, building a blueprint, sourcing materials, all that. But I’m doing it with clothes, jewellery, hair and makeup.” Moreover, regarding the word image, the term itself depicts the transformative role of celebrity stylists where one look going viral on social media can lead to overnight fame.
A TV star in his own right, Roach is also famously known for being a judge on America’s Next Top Model for cycles 23 and 24.
Unlike many other stylists, how Law Roach came to fame was rather unconventional. It was Roach’s Grandmother, Eloise, who introduced him to vintage shopping (or what she would call “junking”) that enabled his curiousity behind thrifting clothes. As Roach’s collection grew, he started stashing the clothes in the boot of his car. This then later inspired him to start his own vintage boutique located in Chicago called Deliciously Vintage. The idea came to him when he saw how his girlfriends fought over pieces during one of his many makeshift boot sales. It was then when he thought to himself, ‘Oh shit, this is a business.’.
However, luck also played a small part in Roach’s journey to becoming the stylist he is today. It was through a serendipitous encounter with a 14-year-old Zendaya and her father that led to his breakthrough in the celebrity styling scene.
Back then, no one wanted to dress Zendaya as she was still rather fresh to the celebrity scene. Upon hearing this, Roach then seized this opportunity to style her and since then, has moulded her into a fashion force to be reckoned with. This is evident through the many iconic looks we see Zendaya sporting and her brand collaborations such as her TommyxZendaya capsule collection and her most recent Lancôme Idôle perfume campaign. Through styling Zendaya, Roach not only gives her a better sense of identity but also makes her appear more relatable to her young and impressionable fans.
Furthermore, Roach’s tactic in getting Zendaya noticed is simply ingenious. He would dress her in garments that other people had already worn so as to earn her exposure in the celebrity weeklies and Who Wore It Better columns. Soon enough, people started knowing her name.
More of Roach’s remarkable works can be seen on famous singers such as Celine Dion and Ariana Grande. These are just a few noteworthy examples as he takes these singers and transforms them into fashion mavens overnight. (Evidently, Ariana Grande as Givenchy’s new face for their A/W 19 campaign)
To sum up, Law Roach is an example of what a celebrity stylist/image architect should and can be. Roach doesn’t just style women to be beautiful but he empowers them as well. His works are a reflection that he himself understands the consumers of his clientele and in that sense, he styles and dresses these iconic people to become the role models that so many of us have come to love while still keeping them true to themselves. That to me is an effective celebrity stylist.
Lastly, it’s important to note that Law Roach is only one out of five black people to be recognised on the Hollywood Reporter’s stylists list. (Him being the highest-ranking of course.) I hope in future, we’d be able to see more people of colour and different ethnicities highlighted in this industry.
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Jonny Johansson:
Meet the man behind Acne Studios.
From identifying as a maximal minimalist to marrying eccentric and essential, everything about Jonny Johansson screams juxtaposition.
Having risen to the title of creative director since he co-founded ACNE in 1996, everything about the brand has grown to revolve around his multidisciplinary approach to fashion. The brand has evolved so much since it first produced its 100 pairs of unisex jeans; and yet at the same time, it has remained constant in its fashion direction. The first jeans became a local hit, creating full progress lines by 1998 which immediately landed the brand to be featured in magazines like Wallpaper, French Vogue, and Elle Sweden.
In an industry that is continually growing to idolise fashion as a means of glorifying glamour and status, it is such a breath of fresh air to encounter a perspective such as Johansson’s. It was apparent, even from the beginning, that Johansson does not do fashion to impress. Both his value in ‘honest fashion’ and his love for art contribute to his unique points of view. In fact, the brand’s name ‘ACNE’ was coined in order to give a new meaning to a word that is so often associated with ugliness. The same mindset applies to their iconic pink packaging, all the way to their method of advertising. Celebrity culture is not part of Johansson’s DNA.
“The whole celebrity circus has always scared me—you would like somebody to ask for your clothing rather than forcing them to wear your clothing. I like the celebrities to stay at a distance. I’d rather watch them or just enjoy what they do, than label them. You become very bored, I think even when the celebrities go to the fashion shows in the clothing that is made for them from that brand—do people really buy that? I’m not sure.” -Jonny Johansson, GQ interview, 2016
He instead conceptualises his campaigns more unconventionally, with animals as models, or people with stories. His down-to-earth perspective on who represents his clothes allows the brand to be beyond just unique-- he makes the brand relatable. Inspiration is everywhere for him, from photography, art, architecture and contemporary culture. To Johansson, fashion has no boundaries. It is what makes the brand so dynamic and wholistic.
The fashion industry is very saturated with people who are so into making the headlines these days. Many people see fashion as art, but more and more I see people using “art” as a way to further exclude people and build a higher pedestal for themselves. Art, to me, is a platform and a space that is inclusive, diverse, and genuine despite differences. It is because of this I resonate deeply with Jonny Johansson’s mindset. He has respect for both fashion and the public, and his ability to step back and see the bigger picture of things is admirable and rare. His genuineness leads to authentic creativity, and that is the kind of person I aspire to be.
References:
https://www.gq.com/story/acne-studios-designer-jonny-johansson-interview
https://www.acnestudios.com/dk/en/about/about.html
https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/jonny-johansson
https://tributetomagazine.com/meet-jonny-johansson-the-creative-mind-behind-acne-studios/
https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/jonny-johansson-acne-studios-master-class
https://www.numero.com/en/fashion/acne-studios-interview-Jonny-Johansson#_
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Anna Wintour
“You either know fashion or you don't.” ― Anna Wintour
Magazine editor Dame Anna Wintour has become an international fashion icon in her role as editor-in-chief of the highly influential Vogue magazine. Since 1988, she has held down the position for a stunning 31 years and counting and is known for her oversized dark glasses, high heels, sharp bob hairstyle, and icy demeanor. She exerts a great deal of control over the magazine's visual content.
Wintour started off as one of Harper’s and Queen's first editorial assistants and later bounced to Harper’s Bazaar and later to New York Magazine where she became the fashion editor. There, the fashion spreads and photoshoots she had been putting together for years finally began attracting attention.
"There is a new kind of woman out there. She's interested in business and money. She doesn't have time to shop anymore. She wants to know what and why and where and how."
Wintour demonstrated fearlessness about forging new ground. During her first issue as editor of American Vogue, her debut cover in November 1988 included a 19-year-old Israeli model outfitted in a pair of $50 jeans and a $10,000 jewel-encrusted t-shirt. The first to truly mix low-end fashion items with more expensive pieces in her photoshoots. She decisively called an end to the supermodel era, showcasing a preference for celebrities rather than models on her covers. Her main targetted audience was for “a new kind of women out there,” she told the Evening Standard. "She's interested in business and money. She doesn't have time to shop anymore. She wants to know what and why and where and how." Wintour became a force in the fashion world, not only through her decisions about what to feature in her magazine but also by breaking in newer designers and celebrating their styles. Designers such as Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, and Thom Browne. Aside from beauty, Vogue also recognizes influential women in society who have achieved greatness in their fields such as Serena Williams, Michelle Obama and Amal Clooney.
Wintour lives in a four-story townhouse on Sullivan Street in Greenwich Village, New York. The home dates back to 1899 and has some 3,960 square feet of space.
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Demna Gvasalia
Demna Gvasalia is a Georgian fashion designer. He studied at Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He led design teams at Maison Martin Margiela and Louis Vuitton. Currently he is the creative director of Balenciaga and head designer of Vetements.
Demna Gvasalia’s collection in his own brand Vetements was very quickly recognized by industry experts and also how he vision fashion in his very own unique way.
Vetements became very much well-known due to its aesthetics and pushing boundaries design approach. Ever since the release of SS 2016 collection, it had caught a lot of fashion insiders’ attentions and quickly people have started noticing this brand’s potential due to its uncommon location for its fashion shows at underground sex club as well as their fashion clothing. Many celebrities were also spotted wearing his brand like Kanye West.
Demna Gvasalia has started this ‘Ugly Fashion’ trend called out by fashion critics. He had slammed the DHL printed t-shirt during his Vetements SS16 presentation and Gosha Rubchinsky was sent down the runway. Subsequently he started embroidering logo on the hood whereby many other brand took on this design. His oversized and elongated aesthetics were also over replicated at many other brands. Since then, he became one of the most influential fashion designer and many brands started to follow his footsteps.
Demna Gvasalia was appointed as the creative director of Balenciaga in late 2015. He led creative direction in Balenciaga by creating the extraordinary huge chunky sneakers Triple-s that had caused internet sensation after the runway show. Many people criticized the sneakers being ugly but yet it was the most popular shoes during 2017. During FW18, he sent the models down the runway with super-layering which once again caused many controversial.
In the recent years, Demna has began shifting his focus onto internet by curating a collection that will spark sensational visual contents. He realized how important it is to be relevant in the current digital age. He began to create things referencing in the internet era. He would unintentionally create things that have a memes worth behind it. Where people on the internet will come across his brand and make them want to find out more. It is actually a strategic way of marketing through online without spending tons of money through proper channel.
References https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/demna-gvasalia-talks-appropriation-ugly-sneakers-and-the-curse-of-pre-collections-1203001305/
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Grace Coddington
"Every billboard, fashion magazine spread, every advertisement we see today has been influenced by Grace Coddington.", RJ Cutler, director of The September Issue, on Grace Coddington.
Grace Coddington is the creative director-at-large for Vogue America. Formerly a young British Vogue model and Creative Director of American Vogue.
Coddington grew up in a small town in Welsh where her only access to high fashion was through Vogue. Which then kickstarted her dreams of being a model. Having entered modelling school, her photos were submitted for Vogue's young models competition. Coddington won and was offered a role as a young model at Vogue. With her fiery red hair and high cheekbones, she was adored by many in the fashion industry. Hence, Coddington quickly rose to fame.
Unfortunately, that period was shortlived. Coddington met with a tragic accident at the young age of 26 and had to undergo 2 years of constructive surgery – bringing her modelling career to an end.
Moving past her misfortune, Coddington pursued the fashion career once again. This time as a junior fashion editor at British Vogue. Thus, beginning her journey as she takes the fashion world by storm.
As a model, Coddington thrived in an era where models styled themselves. Hence, aiding her in creating wonderful editorials for Vogue. Starting in British Vogue, Coddington steadily rose in ranks and became a senior fashion editor.
Looking for a change, she became the Design Director for Calvin Klein where Klein claimed that Coddington "was the first European fashion editor to fully appreciate American design."
Thereafter, she was asked by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, to join as Creative Director as Wintour felt that "her vision was and is very close to mine."
Coddington's impact in the fashion industry was forged deeply during her time as Creative Director in American Vogue. It was through American Vogue where she truly brought her fantasies to life through her editorials, enchanting readers globally. Her creative vision is how she got to be one of the most respected people in the fashion industry.
Despite being in her glorious 70s now, Coddington is still greatly relevant in the fashion industry today. Being greatly respected by fashion people all around the world and of all ages, Coddington remains as relevant as she was decades ago. With aspiring fashion creatives and enthusiasts admiring and following her path in rising to the top of the industry. Coddington was a visionary whom everyone would love to learn from.
With relevance comes influence. Through her masterpieces of editorials, she brought the featured garments to the next level. Raising the appeal of the pieces with each spread, thus influencing readers in purchasing the apparels. Coddington's eye for the unorthodox was what made her who she is today. For example her project for Tiffany & Co., she changed the whole direction of what Tiffany & Co. has always stuck to whilst never veering from the essence of Tiffany & Co. Coddington brought in celebrities instead of just models. She did headshots instead of showing a romantic scene. It allowed Tiffany & Co. to appeal to a more current and modern audience – bringing Tiffany & Co. back into relevance.
Grace Coddington charmed the global readers of Vogue and the world with her projects – a figure that we should all look up to and learn from.
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Guo Pei - Rising Queen of Couture
Hailed as the Chinese Coco Chanel, Guo Pei aged 52, is well recognised as China’s couturier extraordinaire. Her designs present a mix of fine traditional Chinese craftsmanship, the exploration of contemporary innovation and Western-style. She is a modern representation of her cultural heritage, where she translates new life into embroidery and painting are taken from old traditions.
(image from: Julienne Schaer for China Institute)
Born in China in 1967, Guo Pei is passionate about dressmaking ever since she started sewing at a young tender age of two. She continued to excel and graduated at the top of her class from the Beijing School of Industrial Fashion. In 1997, she even launched her brand - Rose Studio. However, her success did not come easy. Being a designer in China where it was uniform dominated, it did not value handcrafts such as embroidery. Thus, she had to be left alone to teach herself most of the skills she is known for today. Her strong dedication in perfecting her designs despite the long hours inspires people to push beyond their expectations or limits; create pieces of work that timeless and fueled by the beauty of pure passion and creativity.
Breaking all odds, Guo Pei’s name emerged when Rihanna chose to wear one of her extravagant designs in the 2015 Met Gala. It exploded on the internet, becoming a worldwide sensation with people commenting on how it looks like “roti-prata” or an “omelette egg”.
(image from: AP Images)
Her journey as a designer grew more in the same year. Other than holding her first solo exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in July, she was also honoured to become an invited member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the chief governing body of the high-fashion industry, allowing her to show on the Paris Haute Couture Week calendar. In January 2016, she made her Paris Haute Couture debut, showcasing her show-stopper “Courtyard” collection. With her continuous line ups of success in a short expanse of time, she was quickly accredited as TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and one of the Business of Fashion's 500 most influential people shaping the global fashion industry.
(image from: Fashionisers - Courtyard Collection SS16)
Guo Pei is currently known to be one of China’s most prolific designers, having an iconic reputation for high-quality, bespoke designs. Her influences have been shown from daywear for successful businesswomen, to elegant gowns for the red carpet, to elaborate wedding gowns, or costumes for films, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the annual CCTV New Year’s gala. Ultimately, Guo Pei is a passionate artisan, evoking people’s emotions and inspiring them through her art. She is one designer everyone needs to know, be inspired and to learn from.
(image from: Getty Images & AFP - fashionstudiomagazine)
Links:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesasia/2015/12/03/chinas-queen-of-couture/#6ffcf61173bb
http://www.guo-pei.fr/fw2019/2020-alternate-universe
https://www.thatsmags.com/shanghai/post/22624/tbt-an-exclusive-interview-with-fashion-empress-guo-pei
http://www.guo-pei.fr/bio
https://fashionista.com/2016/09/guo-pei-china-paris-couture-rose-studio
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Fashion Personality: Jason Wu 吳季剛
“I CREATE CLOTHES FOR WOMEN WHO ARE NOT ONLY FIERCELY FASHIONABLE BUT ALSO OWN THEIR POWER AND FEMININITY.”
Jason Wu, born in Taiwan and raised in Vancouver, a fashion designer based in New York City. In 2001 Wu attended the prestigious Parson’s School of Design, and after that was trained under Narciso Rodriquez. In 2006, using all his savings, he set up his own label.
Through merging classic American sportswear elements with a sophisticated global attitude, he has created an internationally recognised brand in just 10 years. He is best known for designing the dresses of Michelle Obama on several occasions. In 2008, Jason Wu was selected as the recipient of the "Rising Star Award" for women’s ready-to-wear at the annual Fashion Group International awards and also Selected as a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist that same year. He has achieved many of his aspirations at the age of 36. His collection is well known globally and he dresses some of the most influential women in the world like Michelle Obama, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, Diane Kruger, Liu Wen and Christy Turlington.
Jason Wu once said that his philosophy has always been to building a garment that are beautifully crafted from the inside out, he will focus on exquisite quality and traditional craftsmanship. His collection was founded with a commitment of making beautiful garment with a modern sophistication. He is always curious to learn about something new, about workmanship, construction and perfecting the details of every design.
What sets him apart from the other is that he design cloths that can really define a woman's identity. He demonstrated a sharply attuned instinct for how the women today want to feel and be perceived, which belies a talent more timeless than timely.
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More than just a Good Girl Gone Bad
Hong Kong’s Vogue September Issue 2019,
featuring Rihanna as the first woman of colour on its front cover
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, otherwise known as BadGalRiRi needs no further introduction. At age 31, Rihanna has influenced all industries, some even label her a quintuple threat — a music artist, clothing designer, beauty guru, an actress and philanthropist.
Born in Saint Michael, raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, RiRi moved to USA in 2005 to kickstart her music career. Fusing genres and endless experimentation of musical styles, she topped countless charts, sold over 250 million records and become one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
Rihanna for Fenty Beauty
Music aside, Rihanna is also no stranger to the world of beauty. Let’s not forget about how she single handedly revolutionised the beauty industry in 2017 with Fenty Beauty’s 40 shade range debut paired together with stunning campaign visuals featuring people of all colours. It sparked a “Fenty Effect” where many other brands jumped on the shade wagon, featuring people of colour in their campaign covers. Fenty Beauty was then crowned as one of “The 25 Best Inventions of 2017” by Time magazine.
Getting past the icing on the cake, we finally touch on some of Rihanna’s most iconic fashion moments. For starters, our girl RiRi broke the Internet with Adam Selman’s legendary Swarovski gown at the 2014 CFDA Awards where she received the Fashion Icon Award. In a league of her own, RiRi has also served looks at the Met Gala time and time again.
2018 came another Fenty frenzy, we have lingerie line “Savage X Fenty” where her mission was to celebrate fearless individuality and broadening the definition of what is beautiful. Showcased in September 2018’s New York Fashion Week, her runway included pregnant and plus sized models.
Rihanna for Fenty
The following year, Fenty launched as a fashion line under LVMH, Rihanna became the first woman of colour to run a major luxury fashion house. The line brought in an impressive range of sizes and exclusively featuring models of colour in her catalogue images. Her Fenty empire has always kept true to their core: inclusivity.
All in all, RiRi keeps things real — she speaks up about the things that matter and practices what she preach. She actively uses her platforms, both online and offline to constantly challenge norms, take business ventures and fully embrace herself through thicc or thin.
BadGalRiRi is truly the change of our time, a force to be reckoned with.
References:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/20/t-magazine/rihanna-fenty-louis-vuitton.html
https://time.com/5023212/best-inventions-of-2017/
https://www.vogue.com/article/rihanna-met-gala-fashion-red-carpet
https://www.fentybeauty.com/
https://www.fenty.com/us/en/home
https://www.instagram.com/badgalriri/
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The Living Legend Rei Kawakubo.
Avant Garde designer, Creative Director, Entrepreneur, Mentor, Fashion Anarchist are just some of the labels given to Rei Kawakubo. But just like categorizing Comme des Garçons under a certain aesthetic, to label Rei Kawakubo as one thing just simply feels wrong
Rei Kawakubo, with a background in Arts and Literature and none in fashion design. Rei Kawakubo started off her career in the advertising department under Asahi Kasei a textile manufacturer and then went on to be a freelance stylist. Where she would make garments for her shoots due to the lack of what was available. This then resulted in the birth of Comme des Garçons in 1969 followed by the first Tokyo Boutique in 1975 and a Paris Debut in 1981.
Usually seen as a fashion rebel Rei Kawakubo has a cult following of Anti Fashion fans that were known as “The Crows”. She was always unafraid to push boundaries, disregard trends and challenge the status quo. Having her first few collections in all black, using deconstructed looks and even having garments that distort the human figure as seen in the S/S 97 Collection. These collections often challenge people’s idea of beauty.
The amount of influence Rei Kawakubo has is extensive. Having an impact in many respectable designers. From her proteges that have labels under the Comme des Garçons group such as Jun Takahasi, Fumito Ganryu, Kei Ninomiya to proteges that started their own labels such as Chitose Abe of Sacai. Even designers such as Martin Margela and Helmut Lang have credited her as an influence to their careers.
Rei Kawakubo has also manage to stay relevant with current times having a multitude of lines known as the “Comme Universe” making the brand much more accessible to the masses, as well as the opening of Dover Street Market a multi brand store that is curated to compliment CDG. Along with the large amount of collaborations with the CDG label ranging from Supreme to Pharrel to H&M.
With an extensive repertoire under her belt, she has recently clinched the Isamu Noguchi Award making her the first ever fashion designer to do so. With all of these being said Rei Kawakubo is undoubtedly a Legend of out time.
References:
https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/rei-kawakubo
https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/comme-des-garcons-brand-guide
http://www.mtv.com/news/3009328/meet-the-crows-fans-of-rei-kawakubo-discuss-her-eternal-appeal/
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Issey Miyake
“There are no boundaries for what can be fabric.”
A survivor and witness of the devastating Hiroshima bombing in 1945, Issey Miyake is a technology-driven fashion designer from Japan. He is recognized worldwide for his contemporary, industrial and innovative apparel designs, fragrances and exhibitions. He stands out from other fashion designers as his work uniquely cuts the edge of science and fashion, combining the two into a harmonizing symphony using unconventional materials.
Because of Miyake’s education in Tokyo at the Tama Art University majoring in graphic designing, he became niche at applying mathematical, structured and technical skills he learnt in his fashion as well.
The runway finale of his spring/summer 1999 women’s collection.
This was when he started experimenting with fresh ideas and methods of a stitching technique, called pleating after the mid 1980s. Miyake aimed to discover types of pleats that would increase the flexibility in movement for the people who wore his outfits. His goal was always to invent something that could be easily produced and appeared comfortable to the customers at the same time.
From left: J.W. Anderson, Boss and Proenza Schouler
“I became a fashion designer to make clothes for the people, not to be a top couturier in the French tradition.”
From his iconic heat-pressed pleats to his garments made from a trademark concept, a single piece of cloth, Miyake continuously explores fabric and its relationship with the body, as well as how clothes connect to the culture of our times. At 77 years old, Miyake has become more prominent and relevant than ever influencing a new generation of designers with his work.
Miyake’s unwavering approach to creation is the freedom to have ideas, unconstrained by any preexisting rules or framework, and to be able to make them realities through a tenacious process of research and experimentation.
Miyake’s exhibition showcasing garments made from one piece of cloth.
Miyake’s work and concepts transcend genres, and continue to draw global attention. In 1986, his clothing appeared on the cover of America’s Time Magazine (January 27th issue), along with an article entitled “Changing Clothes: Issey Miyake,” which dug deeply into his approach to creation. Later he was chosen alongside Mahatma Gandhi, Mao Zedong, the Dalai Lama, and Emperor Hirohito for a special 1999 Time feature on the “Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century” (August 23-30 issue).The article stated, “With the future as his guide and nature his inspiration, the path-breaking Japanese designer has created clothing with enduring, global appeal.”
Miyake was inspired and attempted to create pleated clothing that would move, using a new lightweight knitted material. He rose to prominence when he introduced a new technique called “garment pleating.” Traditionally, pleated clothing is made by pleating fabric, then cutting and sewing the individual garments. Rather, Miyake take an oversized piece of cloth cut and sew it in the shape of the desired garment. He then sandwiched the cloth between two layers of washi paper and fed it into a heat-press. Unlike previous methods, these pleats are permanently secured and bonded to the fabric and will not risk re-pleating.
Pieces from PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE Spring/Summer 2019 collection.
In 1993, the line PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE was born. The label offered clothing as a product that was easy to wear, care for and to travel with; PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE was the perfect, elegant, yet practical and affordable solution for the needs of a modern woman, translating effortlessly from work to play to suit her diverse needs. Hence, Miyake has been largely influential to the mass public and global market as he is able to cater and meet the needs of women everywhere.
Miyake’s relentless search for new and more advanced designs is to serve and enhance the 21st century: Making ideas, making things that have never been made before; making new realities while ensuring it is practical and comfortable to wear for the everyday contemporary woman.
“I realised I wanted to make clothing which was as universal as jeans and T-shirts.”
References:
http://mds.isseymiyake.com/im/en/work/
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/issey-miyake-quotes
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-cult-of-designer-issey-miyake-1454959605
https://www.isseymiyake.com/en/brands/pleatsplease/looks
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Fashion Personality: Leandra M. Cohen
Leandra M. Cohen is the founder of Man Repeller, an online fashion publication and media company. The website mainly features fashion topics and trends, culture, lifestyle as well as social and political issues such as feminism.
Source: New York Times
Cohen started Man Repeller in 2010 whilst studying journalism at The New School, as a means to add value to her portfolio for a potential career as a reporter or fashion editor after graduating. What she didn’t expect was to be featured on Refinery29 days after the blog’s release.
Along with the likes of pioneer influencers Bryanboy and Susanna Lau, Cohen became a street style star and frequently fronted the rows at fashion shows.
Man Repeller began to pick up speed and found commercial success. Cohen soon found a way to monetise the company with sponsored collaborations and advertisements without selling out the integrity and realness of her words.
Through Man Repeller, Leandra M. Cohen started a conversation of how women in fashion are portrayed in media. She brings wit and humour into her writing and convinces her audience that having “an interest in fashion does not minimise one’s intellect”.
Source: Man Repeller
Cohen has created and encouraged a wholesome community through Man Repeller where inclusivity is key. People from all walks of life will be able to waltz and relate with at least some of Man Repeller’s content.
Currently, Cohen lives in New York City, United States. She works at Man Repeller’s headquarters in New York City and writes regularly at www.manrepeller.com.
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Fashion Personality: John Rankin Waddell (aka Rankin)
John Rankin is one of the world's most famous photographers. The British portrait and fashion photographer and founder of two influential magazines, „Dazed“ a youth culture magazine, as well as the „Hunger"magazine, is a luminary in the marketing and fashion industry.
If the name itself doesn’t ring bells, certain Photographs would definitely do. He photographed various famous models and celebrities of all industries such as Gisele Bündchen, Heidi Klum, Kate Moss, David bowie, madonna and no one less than Queen Elizabeth II. In the spectrum of commercial works he worked wonders with the real women campaign from Dove and the movie cover of James Bond „Spectre“. For editorials he shot covers of ELLE, Esquire, VOGUE, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ and Rolling Stone.
Gisele Bündchen
Queen Elizabeth II
Unilever Dove Campaign
Rankin started his photography career when he was only 21 years old. „The minute I picked up a camera, I was hooked, almost like a drug“ he says. Eventhough nowadays he only works with well known names and personalities, he also started small, taking photos of normal people. On his website he says that there was „no big break moment“ in which he suddenly became successful but that he consistently worked hard and knocked on doors until they seemed to open all at once. Nowadays, in his daily Routine the 53 year old photographer starts the day off at 5am with e-mail, pre-production and post production of shoots. After that he shoots the rest of the day until 7:30pm, usually followed by conference calls until 9:30pm. He lives in a penthouse above his studio in London for the most of the time.
His biggest achievement is employing over 150 people in the creative industry and founding his magazines, which are viewed by more than 4 Million people a month. Being one of the world’s most successful Photographers, Rankin has been giving people a chance to leave their footprints in the fashion industry, which can be seen all around the world.
His statement „I think the most important thing in photography is that your work survives the test of time“ is definitely part of what shapes his great importance in the industry as he never fails to reinvent himself and get inspired by people he works with.
Reference:
https://www.businessinsider.com/rankin-inside-the-the-life-of-britains-greatest-fashion-photographer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rankin_(photographer)
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Ezra Miller: Genderfluid Style Icon
Ezra Miller is an American actor and musician, and one of the most refreshing faces in the current fashion scene. While it was the role of Credence in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that started his rise to mainstream fame in 2016, Ezra quickly became well known for something else- his style.
Ezra has been widely praised by critics and fans alike for his gender-fluid, experimental style. At this year's camp-themed Met Gala, he arrived dressed in a custom pin-striped Burberry suit, complete with a long train trailing behind him. Over it, he wore rhinestone cage corset. A handheld mask (moulded to look like his own face), bright red lipstick, a bouffant hairdo and five eyes painted onto his face with special effects makeup completed the look.
Ezra Miller at the 2019 Met Gala, theme Camp: Notes on Fashion
Ezra isn’t new to turning heads on the red carpet, either. He quickly gained the attention of the public eye with his campy, over-the-top red carpet looks.
Ezra Miller for the Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald press tour (2018)
For the longest time, the traditional suit and tie ensemble has dominated men's red carpet fashion. However, Ezra Miller leads a new wave of progressive, androgynous style, along with others like Cody Fern and Keiynan Lonsdale.
Keiynan Lonsdale and Ezra Miller for Vogue. (2019)
Ezra Miller’s style is a confident, effortless merge of masculine and feminine, and his influence extends past mere fashion inspiration. Through his style, Ezra Miller subverts and breaks down traditional expectations and stereotypes for both men and women. His style is unapologetic, defiant, yet polished and elegant. He breaks society’s structures down, and normalises this new form of fluid fashion, all at once. Ezra Miller is a huge inspiration to many, and his influence on today’s fashion scene, as well as society as a whole, is undeniable.
Ezra Miller for Playboy Magazine (2018)
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G-Dragon - Kwon Ji Yong
G-Dragon (Kwon Ji Yong) is a South Korean artist who is known as the Leader of K-Pop group, Big Bang, who also produces and writes his groups’ and his own songs, sings and raps, owns multiple businesses and is a trend-setter to many.
GD’s influences include Pharrell Williams, who is also known to be a great producer and quite the fashionista too, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Blackstreet, and Wu-Tang Clan. He has had so much influence in the fashion scene within South Korea itself.
With his many different hairstyles and hair colors to the different accessories he adorns himself with and how he wears his clothes, his fashion influence is really out of this world.
He never cared about looking weird, he always liked to experiment with his own style. He even wore women’s clothes as long as they fit him. In an interview with Dazed about Chanel in 2017, he mentioned that men thought that Chanel at that time was a “woman’s thing”, but since he was relatively skinny, he was able to fit into the women’s clothing without a problem and concluded that for him it is unisex. His fashion always included mixing and matching things but not just the garments itself but also masculinity with femininity and even different brands as well.
GD loved Chanel, he wore pieces in his music videos and soon he was invited to Chanel shows during Paris Fashion Week where he became close to Karl Lagerfield. In 2016, he became a Chanel ambassador for Korea alongside many others such as Pharrell Williams, Kristen Stewart, Cara Delevingne, etc. In addition to that, he was featured in a campaign by Chanel for the Gabrielle bag.
Additionally, Vans actually created a version of their well-known Old Skool shoes because of him. He was seen wearing the shoes by stepping on the backs as he was in a rush and out of convenience. Soon after many people started following after him and eventually Vans designed a pair with a lower back.
GD started his own fashion brand called PEACEMINUSONE, which included caps, accessories and a range of tees, which is designed by him and his stylist Gee Eun. And even though GD is currently serving his national service in South Korea, his brand has collaborated with Nike for the shoe, Nike Air Force 1 ‘07 “Para?Noise”.
It is hard not to believe his influence over many in the fashion scene. I am personally really influenced by him in the sense that he is not afraid to experiment with new things. I like how to him it does not matter whether it is women’s or men’s clothes, as long as it fits and suits his taste he will wear it. Sometimes, it is quite easy to give in to the thought of the “safer” choice, one that is less outlandish or eye-catching, be it about fashion or general choices we make in life. Which is why I appreciate his confidence and the “it doesn’t matter what you think” attitude that he has, especially in his fashion.
References:
https://www.hallyusg.net/2018/04/23/knews-vansoldskoolmule/
https://www.mariefranceasia.com/fashion/latest-news/fashion-news/g-dragon-chanel-new-ambassador-218884.html#item=3
https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/37667/1/k-pop-superstar-g-dragon-on-chanel-karl-and-gender-ss18-show-interview
https://fashion.luxury/style/4-asian-ambassadors-elevating-the-top-fashion-houses/
https://hypebae.com/2019/8/g-dragon-peaceminusone-nike-air-force-1-07-paranoise-sneakers-collaboration-big-bang
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Fashion Personality - Olivier Rousteing
Olivier Rousteing is a French-born fashion designer and creative director who grew up in Bordeaux and later, moved to Paris to study and work. Started off as a designer for Balmain’s women’s ready-to-wear line in 2009, Rousteing was then appointed to the helm of Balmain in 2011, at a young age of 24, making him the youngest creative director in Paris since Yves Saint Laurent.
Known for his engagement with social media, Rousteing has over 5 million followers on Instagram, making him the most followed French designer on the platform. Together with the introduction of the Balmain Army, a group of celebrities and influences including Kanye West, Kim Kardashian West, Rihana, and other famous personalities, he has managed to raise Balmain’s global brand awareness and to reach a new, younger audience.
Rousteing took it upon himself, as the new creative director, to lead the then traditional Balmain into the digital age - In order to increase the brand’s visibility and to engage efficiently with customers and admirers, in 2012, Rousteing started taking pictures of himself wearing garments that he designed and also revealed his creative process and progression by posting pictures of his collections prior to the official release date, which allowed Balmain to evaluate and assess customers' reaction. These efforts were a mean to potentially democratize fashion and to make the brand accessible to everybody.
Rousteing is a strong advocate for diversity within the fashion industry, making Balmain the forerunner in promoting diversity in an otherwise all-white industry. He is an inspiration to a number of aspiring designers, who lacked a successful mixed race role model to look up to.
“A woman who is going to wear Balmain is a warrior,”
Rousteing is constantly inspired by the strength of women, and aims to empower them with his bold designs. His vision to turn Balmain into a global, strong and powerful empire inspires many of us who are looking to be both a well-rounded designer and entrepreneur.
References:
https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/olivier-rousteing
https://www.out.com/fashion/2015/4/02/olivier-rousteing-selfie-made-man
https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/26807/1/balmain-s-instagram-reach-is-bigger-than-the-uk-population
https://www.thedailybeast.com/balmains-olivier-rousteing-french-fashions-race-breakthrough
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Rei Kawakubo ——The Woman Who Works In Three Shades Of Black
“I work in three shades of black.” —Rei Kawakubo
Self/Other: Male/Female
Rei Kawakubo is a Japanese fashion designer whose energy comes from freedom and her rebellious spirit.
Rei Kawakubo didn't study fashion design in the university, instead, she studied literature and fine art which directly expands her horizon and the knowledge, and her artistic accomplishment she gained from studying literature and fine art became the foundation of her later design, which make her one of the most influential fashion designer in the world.
In 1969, after graduating from the university, Rei Kawakubo started to work in the textile company. In 1967, she became an individual fashion designer. In 1973, the brand called Comme des garçons is finally founded by her. She is the second living fashion designer (after Yves Saint Laurent) to have a solo show at the Met. Not only did she not study fashion at her major before she started her fashion career, she is also one of the minor Asian fashion designer that didn’t go abroad to study fashion.
Design/Not Design: The Future of Silhouette
Comme des garçons means ‘like some boys’ in French, the concept of this brand for me is to be very devastating, bold and free like the boys. So, the clothing of Comme des garçons are always not dimensional and ordered. Instead, the clothing have strange configuration. Instead of believing in perfectionism, what many of the designers trying to reach to accomplish, Rei Kawakubo prefers to display the imperfection of human body and clothes. Some women garments of Comme des garçons don't even show the women’s curve.“I make clothes for a woman who is not swayed by what her husband thinks.” This is one of the most influential quote by Rei Kawakubo that moves and influence me in my very early stage of studying about fashion. Comme des garçons’s fashion concept: wearing like the boys do, also make her become one of the earliest fashion designer that clearly show the idea of feminism into her own fashion. Her clothes are not made to accentuate women’s curves, but like a work of installation.
Reference:
https://theline.com/blogs/stories/rei-kawakubo-at-the-met
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