A New Designer

Vanessa Friedman writes fashion reviews for the New York Times. I read her regularly, but I’ve always found her commentary to be somewhat tough to comprehend. She clearly understands the industry and fully recognizes the vision presented in each show of each season, but she can often, perhaps too often, deliver it in a way that is too “inside baseball.” (Wow, mixing sports and haute couture! Who the hell is going to understand what I’m trying to say?) Regardless, her comments in her February 26, 2023 review are crystal clear. (Diesel is Here to Show Us Why Designers Matter) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/style/diesel-glenn-martens-milan-fashion-week.html?searchResultPosition=1

Pharrell Williams, a musician with a clear understanding of fashion has been appointed Creative Director of Louis Vuitton men’s wear, but what in god’s name does a musician know about creating fashion? (An in-depth feature on his first season was subsequently featured in another Times article on June 18, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/18/style/louis-vuitton-menswear-pharrell-williams-louis-vuittons.html?searchResultPosition=1 ) Do fashion houses even need a designer now? Why not just appoint a well-dressed celebrity?

Through her observation of the work of Glenn Martens, Creative Director of Diesel, she helps even the most aesthetically-oblivious to understand what a designer brings to a line. In detailed examples, without a negative assertion toward Mr. Williams, she helps her readers to comprehend the impact that Mr. Martens has had on Diesel in two short years and why things are better when a mature designer is in command.

As an old (old) retired guy, I am often asked to comment on lighting design trends. Why are certain companies or specific lines so popular? Why is [fill-in-the-blank] trending up now? Inevitably, the queries boil down to some celebrity “designer” and their involvement in the line. In their mind, success is based on the celebrity involvement. Without Ellen Degeneres or Kathy Ireland, the company would not be such a hot property.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. As Ms. Friedman carefully points out, the kernel of an idea hatched by some famous name is just that. Diesel integrated a co-branding with a condom company into their recent Milan Fashion Week 2023 offerings. No doubt some marketing guru realized the possible synergy between a sex-forward brand like Diesel and condom maker Durex, but it was up to Glenn Martens to figure out HOW. Some lighting manufacturer, likewise thought it a good idea to invite Degeneres to “design” a luminaire. In the background of the manufacturer is a real designer who figured out how to translate a sketch, photo, 3-D image or whatever Degeneres’ people submitted into a functional, viable lighting product that could actually be manufactured and could also be built for a reasonable cost. Long after Williams and Degeneres cash their check, work will continue and that work will be accomplished by a trained designer.

Kathy Ireland, Ellen Degeneres, Parrell Williams and even Donald Trump know how to plaster their names on all types of goods and services, beyond the reach of their core capabilities. A bedding designer mopped-up after Ireland dropped off her sheet and pillow case sketches, a fashion designer will be responsible for gathering William’s thoughts at Louis Vuitton and making them a reality and a professional golf course designer must translate the mush delivered by Trump and turn it into a playable 18-hole course. Let’s send out a little respect to the unknown designers, who make the celebrities who play designers on TV, look good.