In recent months, the fashion industry has been hit by a wave of authentic
revolution. Long gone are the days when creative directors stayed at the top of a fashion house for over twenty years, becoming synonymous with the brand itself.
In an era dominated by the
internet and the
social media’s speed, we are witnessing more and more to sensational farewells. The first in January 2015: Frida Giannini abandons her position at
Gucci after more than 10 years, giving way to her right-hand man –
Alessandro Michele – that will revolutionise the brand’s aesthetic in a surprising way, creating an unprecedented momentum in the Florentine brand’s profits. The soap opera continues with
Alexander Wang’s departure from
Balenciaga in July 2015, replaced a few months later by
Demna Gvasalia (already
Vetements’ creative director) and
Raf Simons, who says goodbye to
Dior after only three years, without even waiting for the end of his four-year contract.
The industry is upset, wondering how an environment seemingly so perfect can hide such deep malaise. But this is only the beginning of a long series of arrivals and departures: Alber Elbaz parts ways with Lanvin after nearly 14 years, Massimiliano Giornetti leaves Ferragamo after 15 years and Hedi Slimane abandons Saint Laurent, the brand he shaped so much that he changed its name, bringing on the catwalk androgynous models that were basically his alter egos. A few days later, Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli leave Calvin Klein, a position that will later be covered by Simons.
The tokens are mixed relentlessly:
Anthony Vaccarello leaves
Versus Versace (before closing its namesake brand, a few days ago) to become
Saint Laurent’s creative director.
Maria Grazia Chiuri says goodbye to
Valentino in favour of
Dior (becoming the first woman at the helm of the House),
Bouchra Jarrar replaces Elbaz at
Lanvin,
Jonathan Saunders takes over
Diane Von Furstenberg, while
Karl Lagerfeld shows up at the end of
Chanel's show in Cuba wearing a shiny jacket designed by Slimane: a clue the designer will be his
heir?
Fashion is nowadays a fragile and fragmented landscape, where plot twists seem to have no end – see Haider Ackermann's appointment at Berluti and Arthur Arbesser's farewell to Iceberg just a few days ago.
If you are confused by this rapid swirl of events, don’t despair. Our graphic designer Marcello Pisano decided to help you by giving life to a virtual city where every building is a (fashion) house, and its inhabitants are, of course, your favorite designers.