The Evolution of the Creative Director Role in the Fashion Industry

Creative directors have an important role to fill in the fashion industry, often being expected to dramatically reset the brand image and increase the company's sales through their creative endeavors. According to Vogue Business, Yves Saint Laurent’s decision to bring Hedi Slimane on as creative director in 2012 was when the expectation of a creative director to exponentially increase sales was truly solidified in the fashion industry. Slimane’s choice to rebrand Yves Saint Laurent to just “Saint Laurent”, increasing profits by a whopping 75% from just 2013 to 2015 (Vogue Business, 2023). 

Hedi Slimane

Luxury retail analyst Robert Burke states that “fashion is not about consistency, it's about newness” (Vogue Business, 2023). When a company brings on a creative director, they are expected to bring something new and fresh to the brand to increase profits and relevancy. Because of this need for creativity and dramatic change, the turnover rate for creative directors in the fashion industry is historically high. Oftentimes, creative directors are essentially seen as temporary positions. 

Considering the temporariness of the creative director in the fashion world, it is often difficult for younger individuals to land a job as creative director for a brand. Internal hires are often favored over new and younger designers, as existing employees are already aware of the culture of the brand.  

Olivier Rousteing

Fashion is an ever changing industry, forced to adapt to new challenges and concepts constantly. Fashion critic Ayo Oju mentions how the industry is simply “too much” now, as the traditional Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer collections have grown into Fall/Winter, Spring/Summer, Pre-Fall, and Resort collections in addition to an increased need for celebrity appearances that brands must adapt to in order to keep up with the industry and remain relevant. 

Given the increasing importance of social media, creative directors must be proficient in creating posts and content for the brand. Because of the relevancy of social media, brands are often seeking out individuals with a notable public presence when looking to hire a new creative director. Olivier Rousteing was hired as creative director at the young age of 25 for Balmain, being chosen for the job thanks to his understanding of marketing, hype, and large social media presence, according to CEO Michael Burke (Glossy, 2021). Pharell Williams, famous music producer and music artist, is another notable example of a creative director with an existing platform. Williams was brought on as men’s creative director for Louis Vuitton in 2023, further showing the importance of a creative director having a platform and media presence in the modern day fashion industry. It is essential that creative directors are able to push boundaries and create something never seen before for the brand while remaining socially responsible and sensitive to today’s ideals.

Pharrell Williams

Sources:

Cooper, L. F. (2023, March 30). Nothing is forever: How fashion’s creative director exodus will shape the industry. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/03/how-fashions-creative-director-exodus-will-shape-the-industry 

Guilbault, L. (2023, February 14). Pharrell Williams named Louis Vuitton Men’s creative director. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/pharrell-williams-named-louis-vuitton-mens-creative-director 

Maguire, L., & Shoaib, M. (2023, December 8). How long should brands give a creative director to succeed?. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/fashion/how-long-should-brands-give-a-creative-director-to-succeed 

Parisi, D. (2021, December 20). The evolving role of the fashion creative director. Glossy. https://www.glossy.co/fashion/the-evolving-role-of-the-fashion-creative-director/ 

Team, B. C. (2024, February 9). What fashion’s creative talent needs to know Today. The Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/workplace-talent/careers-market-insights-industry-news-fashion-creative/ 

Fashion Within the Concert Scene

Ever since I was in middle school, I have been an avid music fan, and extremely passionate about live music in particular. I have attended more than 50 concerts over the years, with over 5 more planned over the next few months. I usually will attend concerts alone, or with a few select friends that I feel “get” the music on the same level as me. Live music is truly where I feel the most like myself.

One of my first concerts in 2015.

I have been active on “Stan Twitter”, a side of Twitter where stans, defined by Oxford Dictionary as “an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity”, would communicate amongst each other regarding their favorite artists. It was within this niche that I truly discovered my love for music.

I started regularly attending concerts when I was 14 years old, and not in the casual way. I was the type (and still am) to arrive to a concert 6 hours before the doors opened in order to be guaranteed a space at the very front. I wanted to feel my hands against the metal barricade guarding the stage, or I simply wasn’t close enough.

At a show in 2018.

Not only was I obsessive about arriving to the venue early, I was extremely meticulous about what I would be wearing to the show.

I would oftentimes buy entirely new outfits for concerts, curating each and every last accessory to align perfectly with the current theme or era the artist was in. I wasn’t the only one who did this, either. I often noticed other hardcore fans doing the same thing.

A friend and I before a show in 2016.

It became almost part of the anticipation to find the perfect outfit. Aligning the outfit perfectly with the current era the artist was in was oftentimes difficult. I would spend lots of time sourcing each accessory, often becoming obsessed with all the small details. This is when I realized how important fashion was becoming to me.

When speaking to some of my other concert-crazy friends, I realized that they put just as much time and care into their outfits as well. I spoke to two of my close friends regarding their outfits to Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour last year.

My friend Bailey, who attended in Kansas City, MO shared that she chose her outfit to resemble Taylor Swift’s most revent album, Midnights. She ordered her outfit custom from Etsy, making sure to work out all of the intricacies before hand. She told me “the stars matching the theme and a dress she wore [to the VMA’s afterparty]” were her main inspirations for her outfit.

Bailey at the Eras tour.

Another two of my friends, Henry and Sophie, attended Taylor’s Eras tour in Chicago, Illinois. Henry shared a lot with me about his experience.

“In June 2023, my sister Sophie and I traveled to Chicago to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. In honor of our first Taylor Swift concert and in the spirit of her musical catalog of “Eras” we dressed up to the lyric “Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes” from her 2019 hit song “Cruel Summer”. I wore a red tuxedo with devil ears and accompanying dice necklace and Sophie dressed as an angle in all white with wings and a halo. On our hands, we painted the number 13 which is a tradition among Swifties at Taylor Swift concerts since 2009. We got many compliments and had fun singing the lyrics when Taylor opened the show!”

Henry and Sophie at the Eras tour.

I have been dressing for concerts for years, but my proudest moment was when I saw Lana del Rey this past October in Charlotte, North Carolina. The concert was a bit last minute, so I didn’t have much time to prepare an outfit. I got an idea for an outfit only a few days before the show, using a dress I already had in my closet and ordering some accessories for express shipping off of Amazon. I posted some photos from the concert on my Instagram after arriving back at the hotel, finding myself posted on Lana del Rey’s Instagram the following afternoon.

A photo of my concert outfit posted on Lana del Rey’s official Instagram.

I believe that fashion will always be a part of concert culture, and will continue to evolve. The creativity and unique ideas that fans create will always amaze me. I am so passionate about both live music and fashion, and I am so grateful to be able to express both together.

At a show in 2022.