In the wake of Burberry Spring/Summer 2023 collection showing, the British luxury house announced that its present Chief Creative Officer, Riccardo Tisci, would be stepping down from the company. Daniel Lee would succeed the role as the brand seeks to accelerate growth under a new CEO, Jonathan Akeroyd.
Daniel Lee was no new player. He previously worked for Bottega Veneta as creative director for three years and received many accolades for transforming the brand with his reinterpretation of an undeniably stunning and modern elegance luxury brand. This statement mirrors the brand's sales in 2019 that has managed to rise 2.2% to nearly $1.4 billion and continue to grow during the pandemic. Lee also designed the Pouch clutch bag which became the fastest selling bag in the history of the brand.
However, it's safe to say that there comes a pattern that is easily noticed where fashion houses are merely swapping designers for one another. For instance, Riccardo Tisci, Daniel Lee's predecessor at Burberry, ruled haute couture of Givenchy beforehand for 12 years. Tisci's appointment at Burberry reunited him with then CEO Marco Gobbetti, who held the same role at Givenchy during the designer's tenure there.
Another example is Louis Vuitton's creative director for womenswear, Nicholas Ghesquiere whose contract will officially be renewed next year, previously soared his career at Balenciaga for 15 years. One question raises: why does the system work like this? Why do fashion houses seemingly play with the same stack of cards despite controversies these white men have brought to the brand's face?
In 2002, Ghesquiere was tangled in a controversy when he was accused of plagiarizing a patchwork vest from deceased designer Kaisik Wong for his Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2002 collection. Both Tisci and Gobbetti issued an apology for showcasing a brown hoodie that features a noose in Burberry Autumn/Winter 2019 runway collection. Daniel Lee was no different, his departure from Bottega last November was abrupt and unexplained; it left the industry in shock and circulating speculation that he might be cut off.
Indeed, sense of style, past works, and achievements are few of key factors that contributed to fashion houses' decision in appointing new directors every several years. However, instead of hiring new faces and giving young designers the chance to have a taste in showcasing their brilliancy, fashion houses are simply just a playground for fellow senior creative directors.
This may indicate how tough the barrier was set for young designers to break through this system of familiarity. Hence, will there ever be a crack in the hole for new faces to enter the glamorous world of high fashion?
On the other hand, one of the rumors that's currently spreading around the industry is in regards to Louis Vuitton's successor. Almost one year has passed since the passing of Virgil Abloh, and the French luxury house hasn't named his substitute to fill the position of creative director of the menswear collection. But among several candidates, Telfar Clemens is rumored to be in the running for the throne.
His rather democratic approach within his own brand, Telfar, was able to successfully create an "it bag" that is accessible for everyone. Its friendly-cost is what makes Telfar tote bags easily slip into everyone's favorite day-to-day bag. Underlining the fact that LV has considered Clemens as their new creative director might signify a possibility that luxury houses will move into a new light and hopefully bring something different to the table.
(HAI/alm)