Why Do Luxury Brands Need High Profile Creative Directors?

 

When the venerable fashion labels of this world first opened their doors to a discerning clientele, their raison d’être was as purveyors of premium goods to connoisseurs, and, as such, the skillsets that were the foundations of their business provided the stepping stones to the success of their business. The workmanship and quality of their product spoke for itself, acting as innate marketing for the brand.

 

 Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci, Burberry, Prada, Bottega Venetta and their ilk began their lives as specialist artisan workshops, handcrafting the very best luggage, saddles and raincoats for the wealthy elite. It was only once that loyal custom was established that they diversified their offer to optimize revenue potential for their now well-known and highly-regarded brands.

 

Likewise, when the likes of Yves St Laurent, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy and Valentino Garavani began their fledgling careers as couturiers, little did they know that their legacy would be multi-million dollar global businesses that bore their names and produced a plethora of product for every element of modern lifestyles.

Each had at the core of their operation a specialism, be it a mission to create the ultimate trunks for aristocratic travellers, or to design and make the most exquisite gowns to go in them. Yet, as these businesses evolved to sell a complete lifestyle, and the original talents behind their existence passed on, there was a need to create new vision for the future.

 

When a 21 year-old Yves St Laurent took the helm at Christian Dior after the couturier’s death in 1957, he gained critical acclaim for his first collection and firmly established a template for luxury goods businesses thereon in. So, the concept of a creative director evolved, with a remit to deliver sustainability and growth, built on the heritage of the brand while moving it forward for new audiences. And today, it is a crucial role in the world of selling luxury goods.

 

Today, those who hold the coveted title at the world’s premium ateliers have the future of those brands in their hands. They have immense power: the appointment of a new Creative Director, before they’ve even pinned a piece of fabric or sketched a bag, can make or break a business. And the designers in contention for such roles are industry commodities who command super salaries and a package of perks that can include penthouse apartments, six-figure grooming allowances, boarding school fees and first class tickets to commute between family and fashion house.

 

Earlier this year, in a court battle with his former employer Christian Dior, the disgraced John Galliano was revealed to have enjoyed a salary of one million euros, plus annual bonuses of up to 700,000 euros (or about $906,400), depending on sales figures. The label, owned by LVMH, also gave the flamboyant creative director a grooming budget of 60,000 euros for public appearances, as well as a clothing allowance of 30,000 euros. Galliano perfectly illustrates the difference between a designer and a creative director: if he had simply been a designer, his anti-Semitic rant wouldn’t have affected the business in the same way, but his personality was so intrinsically woven into the fabric of Dior’s brand values that they chose to distance themselves from him.

 

Was he worth the investment? Clearly, when he was appointed, they felt his vision had a high value, and the growth of their business during his 14 year tenure reflected his status as one of the iconic creative directors of our time. It remains to be seen whether Raf Simons, Creative Director at Dior since last year, can fill those shoes.

 

I also look at Tomas Maier, who joined Bottega Veneta as Creative Director in June 2001, as another who is the perfect fit for his brand. He wasn’t an obvious choice when he was appointed by the then head of the Gucci Group, Tom Ford, but he has grown in stature along with the business, bringing his experience at Hermès to their operation and nurturing a niche artisan business to become a global luxury lifestyle brand. I really admire the way he focused initially on accessories, and the cornerstones of craftsmanship and quality, before finally launching a ready to wear collection in 2005, when he had honed his vision for that part of the business.

 

Since 1983 Karl Lagerfeld has kept Chanel relevant to contemporary audiences, moulding Coco Chanel’s signature style to suit modern women and their lifestyles. For me, he epitomizes the art of a good Creative Director, innovating the vision while remaining true to its roots. To be a good fit in the role, you need to have an innate passion for the beating heart of the brand. You need to respect the archive of the atelier – that should be paramount – but be committed to driving it forward. That balance must be finely-tuned and equal – focusing too much on one or the other is potentially very dangerous.

 

You need someone who has a personality that sits well with the brand philosophy and operational structure, and whose design handwriting echoes the long-standing character of the business.
So, the remit of Creative Director is more than just designing product: it’s about an overall vision that takes into account the marketing and advertising strategy, the retail environments, the format of the catwalk presentations, the lifestyle that their new label is selling. They can alienate legions of loyal clients, or introduce a plethora of new ones, simply by being appointed. It can launch the career of a young designer when a big brand endorses their talent by signing them, and is often a stepping stone to launching their eponymous own label collections.

 

It is potentially a high risk appointment, and we’ve witnessed disasters in the past: for example, Julien Macdonald, who was simply the antithesis of everything that Givenchy stood for, and should never have been instilled in the position there. When Alber Elbaz joined YSL Rive Gauche, he never really got the chance to demonstrate whether he was right for the job, because the business was bought by the Gucci Group and he was dismissed. However, in 2001, he was appointed Artistic Director at Lanvin, defining a fresh vision for the fashion house, and has since won a legion of fans for the label, transforming it from fusty to fashionable. Likewise, Phoebe Philo has found her spiritual home at Celine, whose personality perfectly suits her own pared down, slightly angrogynous aesthetic.

 

The current merry-go-round of signings has led to intense speculation as to who is right for what role. Hedi Slimane has been a controversial appointment at YSL, moving the design team to Los Angeles and dramatically changing the handwriting of the classic French label. And Marc Jacobs is looking at the imminent end of his contract at Louis Vuitton where he’s credited with making a somewhat tired business aspirational amongst the cool crowd. Admittedly, Vuitton’s desirability is being challenged again, so his replacement will have a big task ahead.

 

We’ve seen Emma Hill’s departure from Mulberry, and the appointment of her predecessor at the British brand, Stuart Vevers, at American accessories company Coach – he moves there from the same role at Spanish brand, Loewe. Jason Wu has recently taken the reins at Hugo Boss, which I’m sure will add design credibility and style kudos to what has been a fairly anonymous brand.
Luella Bartley and Katie Hillier, her former design partner at her own ill-fated label, have been recruited to head up the Marc by Marc Jacobs line, bringing a funky youthful spirit to the brand.
But, in a desperate bid to add that elusive street cred, many brands make bizarre appointments and I question the Brand integrity of them: Justin Timberlake as Creative Director for Bud Light? Alicia Keys in a similar role at Blackberry? Victoria Beckham at Range Rover? These incongruous collaborations simply don’t work for me. 

 

They are PR stunts, rather than true creative roles. They bring power, but it’s superficial and short-sighted. It’s like putting Angelina Jolie or Nicole Kidman in the lead role of a movie: it might draw people to the Box Office, but it doesn’t mean the film will be good. And too many flops dilute the actor’s reputation.
Better to appoint a lesser-known visionary who has the right synergy with your brand and let them grow so they are synonymous with your business. When Tomas Maier joined Bottega Veneta, he wasn’t high profile but had already demonstrated a heartfelt passion for leather. When I appointed Clare Waight Keller as Creative Director at Pringle, she had proved herself as someone who had knitwear at the core of her designing. When I first met with her, I knew she was right for Pringle, but recognized even then that she had a style about her work that said ‘Chloe’ to me. Her appointment there has been a natural career progression. If you can find someone whose heart beats in time with your brand, then they will set everyone else’s pulse racing.