Get the Reference? (Published in INDEX Magazine)

Featuring Interview with Vanessa Friedman (Head Fashion Director at NYT)

You, the ever-stylish readers of Index, don’t need to be reminded that this season in fashion has been the most dramatic in years. Over a dozen creative directors were abruptly reshuffled last year in what has been called “The great game of fashion musical chairs.” These shakeups pose a

real challenge for debuting designers: How does one follow in the footsteps of literal legends

while still bringing something fresh to the table? To better understand this precarious balancing act, I spoke with Vanessa Friedman, the head fashion director of the New York Times, who offered her insights on the changing landscape of fashion and the push and pull between progress and homage.

One thing is for sure: from New York to Milan to the glittering fashion capital of Paris, the dust

has officially settled. Now, it’s time to take a look at who got it right, who missed the mark, and what it means for the fashion world when everyone wants to get the reference.

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Dior: In fashion, the signature elements of a brand are known as a house code, and every

creative director is expected to place their new work somewhere in the context of the designers who came before them. The pressure to pay sufficient homage was not lost on Jonathan Anderson. Before his womenswear debut at Dior, Anderson played a short film depicting horror movie scenes intercut with archival footage of past Dior shows. Yes, it was a bit on the nose, but the metaphor is clear: It’s literally terrifying to follow the likes of Heidi Slimane and RAF Simons. Jonathan Anderson’s debut at Dior made for one of the largest spectacles of the season. One fashion influencer, Elias Medina, even hosted a Super Bowl-style watch party on the streets of Paris to celebrate Anderson’s menswear line. Both menswear and womenswear shows featured absurdist revivals of iconic Dior designs. Anderson drew heavy inspiration from Belle Époque panniers, tricorn hats, and the all-too-famous Dior bar jacket. Anderson was under a particularly intense microscope this season with expectations at an all-time high. Despite the abstracted references made to Dior’s house code, both of Anderson’s collections came off too scattered to land with full impact. With a demanding debut now behind him, Anderson’s next moves will be pivotal as he establishes his legacy at Dior.

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Gucci: One of the biggest shocks of the year was undoubtedly Gucci’s decision to hire the

mononymous menace, Demna. Whether you know him from his self-started label, Vetements, or for his more outlandish antics at Balenciaga, the decision to move Demna to Italy’s most

lucrative label would leave anyone scratching their head. But this might be just what Gucci

needs. After years of floundering sales, bringing in Demna’s fresh (often outrageous) perspective sparked new hopes that Gucci might not be down for the count after all. So what did Demna do?He eschewed a traditional runway, choosing to throw a red carpet event for a 30-minute short film starring the clothes themselves, styled on Demi Moore, Elliot Page, and Ed Norton. Demna’s first capsule collection at Gucci was an exploration of various Italian archetypes and, true to form, Demna surprised all by keeping the collection fairly subdued. The looks were chic renditions of Gucci gone-by: Monogrammed leather trenches, oversized sunglasses, head scarves, and haughty gowns. A pair of skimpy Speedos and a blue fur coat hinted at possible Demna-isms to come, but for now, things are eerily quiet on the Italian front.

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Bottega Veneta: This season, all but one of the debut designers were men. So, leave it to

Bottega Veneta’s Louise Trotter to show everyone how it’s done. Coming off a successful stint at Lacoste, Trotter perfected the balance between house code adherence and the innovation of Bottega’s Intreciatto design. Though the lattice-style patterning has historically been reserved forBottega’s coveted bags, Trotter broadened the Intreciatto horizon, flooding the runway with inventive beyond-the-bag manifestations. One floor-length cape, threaded together in strips of 3 millimeter Intreciatto leather, took over 4,000 hours to make. Trotter implemented upcycled fiberglass into lush, voluminous tops, and carefully mixed Intreciatto into even the smallest touches of each and every garment. Much like her stunning collection, Trotter's vision of a Bottega Veneta woman is strong, tasteful, and well put-together. Louise Trotter couldn’t have asked for a better debut: Between gorgeous clothes, a clear voice, and expert tailoring, she is the one to watch.

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Mugler: Miguel Castro Freitas is the newest creative director at Mugler, and he has a slightly

different idea of what an “it-girl” looks like. Though the new Mugler was presented in a

subterranean parking garage, the looks were Hollywood showgirl meets intergalactic deity— sort of a star meets star moment. Freitas made clear references to the groundbreaking aviary

collections of a ‘90s era Mugler, presenting several feathered jackets and skirts which were

gracefully fitted to the skin. And speaking of skin, Freitas’ use of the color beige was impossible

to ignore, as models rocked molded looks in camel and ecru, intercut by occasional glimpses of

the real skin below. This was an indisputably strong debut for Freitas, albeit an ambitious one.

The collection was cohesive, allusive, and at the very best of times, smothered in rhinestones.

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Versace: Let’s get controversial. Dario Vitale has taken the helm at Versace, marking the first

non-Versace family member to lead the brand since its inception. The pressure was on to honor the family’s legacy, and Vitale chose to throw almost all of that completely out the window. Vitale’s collection was sexy, colorful, and a refreshing switch-up when so many new creative directors seem hesitant to stray from house codes. The first dozen looks were boldly colored in tones of scarlet, canary yellow, green, and purple. From there, the show leaned into leather jackets, with thick stripes and checker-patterned layering. Between purposeful wrinkles and unzipped flies, it’s hard to ignore the raw sensuality that oozed from Vitale’s Versace. Sure a few looks appeared unfinished. Sure, there were some who felt the show was an egregious departure from Donatella’s Versace. But Dario Vitale let the clothes say it all: Whether it's sex or a debut runway, it’s always better to have fun and be messy.

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Balenciaga: There is a Demna-sized hole at Balenciaga, and Italian designer Pierpaolo Piccioli

is stepping in to fill it. Given the radical changes Demna brought to the house, Piccioli’s debut

made for a uniquely difficult challenge. Likely wanting to establish his own voice, Piccioli

leaned toward the pre-Demna days, referencing Cristóbal Balenciaga gowns. The garments were infused with couture detailing that, while polished, remained fairly uninteresting. There were highlights: bright feather skirts and fringes that hinted at Piccioli’s own voice. But Demna’s impact on the brand is too strong. Even the lightest references that Piccioli threw in, (bug-eyed sunglasses, for one) served as reminders of a time when, for better or worse, Balenciaga was genuinely exciting.

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Jean Paul Gaultier: Some called it the biggest flop of the season and, truth be told, they’re

probably right. Duran Lantink presented his debut at Jean Paul Gaultier, and it was campy with a capital C. Jean Paul Gaultier collections have always played into rebellion, but Lantink’s

collection took it to a new level, bastardizing Gaultier’s greatest hits in a move that, love it or

hate it, is exactly what Jean Paul would do (he sat front row). Whether or not the execution was

there is another story entirely. Gaultier’s infamous tendency to showcase exposed breasts was

turned on its head as Lantink presented women wearing hyper-realistic skin suits depictingfully-exposed, decidedly hairy male bodies (yes… fully exposed). The Gaultier staples were all there, only warped to the extreme. Cone bras and Breton stripes met leather manikinis and chaps, and it all felt off. To Lantink’s credit, he refused to dip into Gaultier’s extensive archives, instead presenting what he imagined might live behind the archive door. This made for a radical move, one you’re almost apt to respect. That is, until you catch another glimpse at those skin suits.

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Chanel: The big finale of this year's Paris Fashion Week was undoubtedly Matthieu Blazy’s

debut at Chanel. Blazy, himself, comes with incredible credentials. He’s worked under Raf

Simons, designed for Maison Margiela, and created iconic pieces such as Kanye’s bejeweled

Yeezus tour mask. More recently, he led Bottega Veneta to worldwide acclaim, and having

arrived at Chanel, he hoped to continue in his long string of successes. According to ensuing

acclaim, Blazy can now chalk another win into his books. First and foremost, Blazy’s Chanel

collection was modern, something that Chanel has struggled with in the past few years. House

codes were followed: All skirts fell below the knees and there was a profusion of tweed on tweed on tweed. Blazy also tapped into a fresh side of the Chanel legacy, one that felt a little less rigid. The collection was a full embrace of Blazy’s own works-in-progress and this, in turn, allowed for the clothes themselves to literally feel more approachable—more real. Blazy’s debut was every part Chanel, only elegantly zhuzhed into something remarkably modern.

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This list is hardly exhaustive. Both Loewe and Jil Sander saw new creative directors stepping up to the plate. Although these changes appear closely linked to the culture of style, Vanessa

Friedman, The New York Times’ head fashion director, gave a more blunt assessment as to why

this year’s creative director shakeup unfolded in such a wide-sweeping way.

“It has to do with economy more than culture,” Friedman explained. “These companies have

experienced a slowdown or drop in their revenues…Almost always, the knee-jerk reaction is to

change the designer.”

“Because this downturn has hit every single brand, they happen to be switching at the same

time.”

Somewhere in between all the discourse over what designer stuck the landing, there is a deeper challenge when it comes to new designers taking the charge at a major house. Invariably, their collections will be held up to the collections that came before because, as Friedman put it, “Fashion is a way to reflect the evolution of social identity.” House codes and homage will continue to rule the runway, long as fashion remains an always developing art.This can be a good thing, as was the case with Louise Trotter and Matthieu Blazy. “When you

get it right as a designer, it’s because you produced a new garment that feels resonant and

relevant to how people think about themselves at the particular moment,” Friedman explained.

This was certainly the case with a select few, but there are also designers who would likely have been better off bringing something to the table that is completely their own—their unfiltered vision of what the brand can become. When the critics pan Duran Lantink’s Jean Paul Gaultier, it’s worth considering that at least he was trying something that was fully his own. Of course, he was still making references, but he was making them from a place of artistic liberty, a place where homage means more of a dreamy suggestion.

Maybe Lantink is a bad example considering the reality of his show. So let’s take Jonathan

Anderson instead, a designer who made it overwhelmingly clear that the weight of homage

hangs heavy on his conscience. It’s totally understandable that Anderson’s debut came across as scatter-brained because, at the end of the day, he’s appealing to Western fashion criticism, which is perpetually viewed through the lens of reference. When cultural fluency can only be proven if you get the reference, any statement essentially becomes stripped of any true meaning. However, taking a hardline cultural stance is often a difficult thing for European luxury houses to execute. “Largely, people working at European heritage brands don’t see Chanel as a place to comment on social inequity. It’s complicated for luxury brands to deal with inequality when they are very much representative of an enclosed, inaccessible world,” said Friedman. If you’re in search of designers who choose not to eschew direct commentary, Friedman believes you should be looking toward America. “If you’re looking at New York, Raul Lopez at Luar really grapples with that [political commentary]…New York has produced a crop of designers of color that have started their own brands often outside of the fashion system. Who didn’t go to Parsons, who didn’t go to Central St. Martins. And that’s happened here in a way that doesn’t happen in Europe.”

In spite of looming cultural questions, fashion hype has never been higher among young people, and it’s safe to say we won’t soon forget one of the most electric fashion weeks in recent memory. Across the globe, creative directors continue to build their new legacies; it’s up to you, the readers of Index, to decide where you stand. Do you see fashion as a continuing conversation between artists and their craft? Or when all is said and done, is it really just about whether or not you got the reference?