We are meant to believe that luxury fashion brands are the highest level of craft. Or design. Or maybe both. We are also in some way lead to believe that these brands suffer – that there aren’t enough customers to keep them going. That they need to cut down on craftsmanship. I think this story constantly told, and believed, could be harmful to your own creativity. Why? Let me try to explain.
First, these large luxury brands are no-way near in need – Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Maison Margiela, and so forth. They are owned by huge private or corporate investment companies. (LVMH with Dior. Chanel S.A owned by Alain & Gérard Wertheimer. Kering owns Saint Lauren, OTB owns Diesel & Maison Margiela, and we could go on.) Second, their goal is profit. On any product available. Sold and disguised behind a fairytale-like story about craft and craftsmen. T-shirts, jeans, whatever.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of a classic fashion house where your whole garment can be made up from the fabric chosen, completely, under one roof, and where you can follow the process and interact wholeheartedly. Isn’t that great! But unless you are one of the extremely few – if any – Haute Couture customers in the world, what you usually get instead is a factory-made garment, not made for you or even with you in mind at all. Just an ordinary, and sometimes even a quite unenthusiastically made, garment. From a factory. With a large logo plastered on top of it.
But aren’t they the pinnacle of craft and design then, these luxury companies? Well, maybe. But why should we even care? Who are they to tell us what quality is? Their ateliers gets smaller and smaller. And the craftsmen more than often are not well paid. If paid at all. The focus is on attention. Stirring the pot. And certainly not on wearability.
So I say, let’s focus on our own path instead! Let’s not get distracted by all smoke and mirrors. Decide who you are, or want to be, and create it yourself! Be you! Create your own level of craftsmanship!
Learn what good quality clothing is, and make fun (or serious) choices about your own personal look. And ask a craftsperson to help you – there are plenty of them out there! Thousands! Let’s be creative together and see the beauty around us! And stop giving a damn about those multi-billion companies.
We can create on our own. Because we are proud of who we are. Right?
– Sten Martin / DTTA