Brisqq Blog A Creativity Crisis and the Luxury Fashion Landscape

Well-established luxury fashion houses with rich histories and a fixed calendar for Haute couture production have been wholly disrupted by today's fast fashion world. Traditionally, high fashion centred on an exclusivity that capitalised on painstaking craftsmanship and a sense of heritage. This concept of history and the design process is almost antithetical to the innovation, efficiency and immediacy of contemporary fashion. In the sink-or-swim climate of the current retail industry, how can luxury fashion adapt itself to the changing needs of the market whilst maintaining the integrity of an established brand? This need to reconstruct what was once the typical luxury retail strategy is underscored by the increasing importance of the millennial consumer. Research by Deloitte has shown millennials to be the key market for growth in the coming years with 63% of millennials stating they were very interested in buying high-end fashion items. For this audience, consumption of fashion is driven by social media platforms such as Instagram that offer quick and unexclusive access to the latest and most creative visual designs. As LVHM CEO put in an interview with McKinsey & Company, 'creativity is the lifeblood of fashion'. Pairing creativity with increased optimisation of the production process is essential for survival in high-end fashion.Of course, this pressure to produce ready-to-wear fashion at an increasingly swift pace is sometimes at odds with core brand values. Some people have labelled the accelerated fashion industry cycles as a creativity crisis. In response to the changing luxury landscape, fashion houses are pushing out a higher number of collections and shorter design cycles. This has led to a high turnover among creative directors and there has been an alarming number of designer exits at brands such as Calvin Klein, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Oscar de la Renta. The pressure on the creative process is more intense than ever. Yet, despite an increasingly rapid production turnaround, consumers are unwilling to compromise on quality. Recent research has highlighted how quality is a key driver for luxury purchases across the globe with buyers having a keen eye for craftsmanship and handmade products. In the past, luxury brands trying to maintain a foothold in many different global locations often created products with the aim of marketing them in a one-size fits all approach. The reaction to globalisation has seen an increased demand for personalisation and unique pieces. Producing a variety of lines for different markets and demographics is key. For today's consumer, quality also means sustainability. Particularly in emerging markets such as Asia, the sustainability of products is at the forefront of shoppers mind with more than 65% of emerging market consumers actively seeking sustainable fashion versus 32% or less in mature markets. High-end fashion must set itself against the mass-produced, environmentally damaging retailers who dominate the high street.