Revamping A Fashion House...

[ebowleg]

I'm confused. Whenever I here that another designer comes to take over an old design house, after their first collection, I usually here that they are not doing what so and so would have done. Case in point: Julien McDonald at Givenchy. When he was called upon to give a new edge to the house, we all knew what he was about: rock and roll, sex, bright colors, extravagence (I know I spelled that wrong ), but after his first HC collection tanked, he decided to take a different approach and when he did, people still weren't satisfied. What does it really mean to revamp a fashion house? Does it mean taking a completely different approach, or does it mean doing what the previous designer did?

[ebowleg]

no.2

[ebowleg]

no.3

[ebowleg]

no.4

[PrinceOfCats]

Maybe John Galliano just has the Midas touch

I think it takes a new take on the old houses styles...Tom Ford totally revamped Gucci.

[purplelucrezia]

I actually like number three. If I was to take over Giverchy, I would work with their traditions while making it a bit more fun. For example, I would bring back some of the great outfits he designed for Audrey Hepburn and take advantage of the retroish feeling. I would make it a bit like Chanel, which takes the classic looks they are known for (like the tweed suit) and adds little details and a new cut to make it contemporary again. :P

[wyatt.]

Originally posted by ebowleg@Jan 10th, 2004 - 2:33 pm
no.4

this thing rules.

more from asethic perspectives though

[Lena]

Originally posted by ebowleg@Jan 10th, 2004 - 10:31 pm
. Case in point: Julien McDonald at Givenchy. When he was called upon to give a new edge to the house, we all knew what he was about: rock and roll, sex, bright colors, extravagence (I know I spelled that wrong ), but after his first HC collection tanked, he decided to take a different approach and when he did, people still weren't satisfied. What does it really mean to revamp a fashion house? Does it mean taking a completely different approach, or does it mean doing what the previous designer did?

Julien McDonald is a very good example of someone not doing a good job at revamping a fashion house, he's light years away from the Givenchy spirit and a very bad choice for this position.

Lagerfeld on the other hand is a perfect example of how revamp should be, his work for chanel is quite near to the spirit of Mlle Chanel. Ford also did a good job for Gucci. Clements Ribiero did a good job at Cacharel. E2 did a good job at leonard only to lose the post after three seasons

I think revamping should stay close to the style of the 'revamped' house which is not the case lately. Its a hard job for a designer, needs real dicipline of artistic freedom and it seems some are not ready for this (see whats been happening at the house of Grès.. it is a pretty good example)