What creates an emotional response for you in fashion today?
When a designer’s vision and the times we live in align, when it makes sense and just “works”. When you’re sitting at a show, sometimes, you feel it. It can be hard to understand why it works, it just does. And I notice that I can get quite emotional when designers come out with their studio at the end of shows. I like when the people behind the scenes get some well-deserved credit.
What are you most curious to know about how designers work, how a collection comes together?
I’m interested in inspirations and the starting point. But the most fascinating part for me is how those ideas translate into actual clothes, what techniques are used and how the designers pick them… I feel like this is the most critical moment in the making of a collection. A good idea with poor execution never works. A meh idea with great execution, however, can…
In what ways are you seeing progress in fashion mirroring progress in the wider world?
The industry has improved on a variety of questions, from sustainability to diversity. But it still has a lot of work to do on all these points, and the industry as a whole needs to ensure that progress is not just a façade and image - for example, I don’t think there is enough diversity in the management positions. The fact that there are so few women designers in the big houses, for example, is a problem.
If you could change one aspect of how we experience fashion today, what would it be?
Fashion is a spectacle, and of course needs the “thrill” that comes with a moment, a big show. But I think brands try too hard to be viral these days: too many “tricks”, too many celebrities on the front row that do not always align with what the brand is… It dilutes the message (when there is one, which is rare). Creativity then becomes secondary and I think it is unfortunate. We just need to chill and slow down a little.
What stands out as the most potentially disruptive influence on fashion in the near future?
Obviously, artificial intelligence will bring important changes to the industry. But what I find the most interesting is the state of social media right now: on TikTok, everyone is a critic and has an opinion on shows, collections… And as they are completely free (before being absorbed by the industry), those influencers are able to say things that a lot of people in traditional media are afraid to write. This will have, in my opinion, a strong influence on how fashion media works in the future. And it also has a huge impact on trends: there are so many niches, micro-subcultures and social media phenomena that it’s getting harder and harder for the industry to catch up.
This interview has been lightly edited.
