After having recently read both Fiona Bae’s “Make Break Remix: The Rise of K-style” and W. David Marx’s “Ametora,” a notion that has grasped my peripheral since then has been the distribution of prominent fashion figures in geographic and socioeconomic terms. In previous decades, the most conventional way a fashion designer rises to prominence occurs in the epicentres of global fashion such as New York, London, Paris, Milan among some others. Aspiring fashion designers who seek to advance up the winding ladder of the fashion hierarchy often times seek the subcultures, education, and connections that these cities provide.
Take for example how the story of Yohji Yamamoto only became prominent in the Western context after his 1981 Paris Fashion Week debut. He already previously launched the label Y’s in Tokyo prior to that in 1977. The inherent eurocentrism of fashion has created barriers of entry that prevent many creatives from expanding their horizons and showcasing their work on a global scale.
In the beginning of the internet age, cracks in the barriers started to become increasingly imminent. Eastern influence on Western art had always occurred, even without proper acknowledgement, such as the influence on 19-20th century artistic movements. In the sense of fashion, the early 90s saw the Harajuku era with pioneers in the space re-interpreting American cultures which defined the unique aesthetic codes of that time, such as NOWHERE, A Bathing Ape, Undercover and more.
The movement fanned the flames to the diverse fashion zeitgeist that we observe currently. Social media has opened the floodgates and is within the process of redefining the barriers and borders to non-classically trained creatives, collectives and labels to make their mark on fashion. Initially, many fashion-minded people discussed these labels as if they existed on a lower plane than that of established ones from the fashion epicentres of the world, as if their work should be perceived less seriously than the works presented in showrooms and runways seasonally. However, some of the most interesting work today that has demanded public attention has come from these fledgeling, independent labels that push the boundaries of fashion forward.
Cities not traditionally included in the fashion cycle have started to prop up individuals and labels that bring a breath of fresh air in terms of depth, nuance and a direct connection to the demographic that they serve. Brands such as Professor E (Taiwan) , SHUSHU/TONG (Shanghai), HAMCUS (Hong Kong), ACX (Viet Nam), Juntae Kim (Seoul) amongst many others break the geographical, educational and socioeconomic limitations that had bound the flourishing of labels in the past. Authenticity to the creative vision and community requires a stalwart effort, and a lot of the time it is recognised very well in the public sphere.
Of course, given the low barrier of entry this has afforded individuals, there will always be those who provide a less than substantial product for some ulterior motive like fame or profit. As such, individuals find more reliability and trustworthiness from brands that have footing in a traditional sense, such as a degree from Central St. Martins or Parsons. While understandable, I think it’s better for the fashion scene as a whole to explore more of what’s offered out in this space, because bad actors shouldn’t write off what would otherwise be an incredible opportunity to showcase independent artistic visions. Offgod (Andrew Mok) is a Hong Kong-based illustrator who is not classically trained, but has garnered a large following and cultural nods from icons like Pharrell Williams for his fashion projects. Thanks to the recognition of his work directly by the participants in current fashion discourse, Offgod has started his own label “bandageboy.png” launching in late July 2023.
The lack of recognition from traditional sources of validation like longstanding publications, critics, corporations and the like do not deter these creatives from the expression of their world through fabrics, constructions and silhouettes. To note though, having this sort of recognition does generally have a positive effect on the fledgeling labels, if we ignore all other factors. For example, Juntae Kim is a Central St Martins graduate and also a semi-finalist for the LVMH prize in 2023, which did allow me to gain knowledge of the designer in the first place, and helped the designer become more recognisable internationally.
As dominant culture and subcultures in emerging cities provide new grounds for creatives to express their vision and share it with their community, this shift in dynamic within the zeitgeist has some important implications. One of which is dealing with the idea of how luxury and heritage brands are sometimes just not producing the quality of work that people were accustomed to, from the decline in quality to the firing of creative directors that helped labels flourished, as was the case with Alessandro Michele at Gucci. This issue is further exacerbated when we observe that Bernard Arnault and other fashion executives consistently rake in one of the world’s highest salaries, and that calls into question whether that comes at the expense of creative expression. The bulwark of prestige and exclusivity these conglomerates have established isn’t exactly crumbling, but younger consumers are beginning to be disillusioned, and rightfully so. Fashion houses should consider more critically the balance between extensively meeting business objectives versus the creative soul of the brand, because it may come into conflict.
For creatives however, there has never been a better time to learn and create in a space with seemingly limitless opportunities, as the contemporary fashion scene and conscious consumer behaviour slowly but surely shifts in their favour. The democratisation of gaining a platform and a following is a double-edged sword for sure, but consumers have become increasingly discerning with recognising authentic efforts against mere grifts. The barriers of entry easing does not mean it gets easier for these creatives, however, it does suggest that if there is a will for one’s creative vision, then there is a way to execute that vision.
Of course, given the low barrier of entry this has afforded individuals, there will always be those who provide a less than substantial product for some ulterior motive like fame or profit. As such, individuals find more reliability and trustworthiness from brands that have footing in a traditional sense, such as a degree from Central St. Martins or Parsons. While understandable, I think it’s better for the fashion scene as a whole to explore more of what’s offered out in this space, because bad actors shouldn’t write off what would otherwise be an incredible opportunity to showcase independent artistic visions. Offgod (Andrew Mok) is a Hong Kong-based illustrator who is not classically trained, but has garnered a large following and cultural nods from icons like Pharrell Williams for his fashion projects. Thanks to the recognition of his work directly by the participants in current fashion discourse, Offgod has started his own label “bandageboy.png” launching in late July 2023.
The lack of recognition from traditional sources of validation like longstanding publications, critics, corporations and the like do not deter these creatives from the expression of their world through fabrics, constructions and silhouettes. To note though, having this sort of recognition does generally have a positive effect on the fledgeling labels, if we ignore all other factors. For example, Juntae Kim is a Central St Martins graduate and also a semi-finalist for the LVMH prize in 2023, which did allow me to gain knowledge of the designer in the first place, and helped the designer become more recognisable internationally.
As dominant culture and subcultures in emerging cities provide new grounds for creatives to express their vision and share it with their community, this shift in dynamic within the zeitgeist has some important implications. One of which is dealing with the idea of how luxury and heritage brands are sometimes just not producing the quality of work that people were accustomed to, from the decline in quality to the firing of creative directors that helped labels flourished, as was the case with Alessandro Michele at Gucci. This issue is further exacerbated when we observe that Bernard Arnault and other fashion executives consistently rake in one of the world’s highest salaries, and that calls into question whether that comes at the expense of creative expression. The bulwark of prestige and exclusivity these conglomerates have established isn’t exactly crumbling, but younger consumers are beginning to be disillusioned, and rightfully so. Fashion houses should consider more critically the balance between extensively meeting business objectives versus the creative soul of the brand, because it may come into conflict.
For creatives however, there has never been a better time to learn and create in a space with seemingly limitless opportunities, as the contemporary fashion scene and conscious consumer behaviour slowly but surely shifts in their favour. The democratisation of gaining a platform and a following is a double-edged sword for sure, but consumers have become increasingly discerning with recognising authentic efforts against mere grifts. The barriers of entry easing does not mean it gets easier for these creatives, however, it does suggest that if there is a will for one’s creative vision, then there is a way to execute that vision.