The Alaïa case at Paris Fashion Week has once again reignited the debate about the role of the creative director in fashion brands.

Over the past few years, the fashion industry has seen many collections launched during periods when the Creative Director position was vacant, executed and presented under the collective name of the design team. You can look at Maison Margiela to see how a brand built its position in the fashion industry without a Creative Director at the helm. From 2009, when Martin Margiela left the position of Creative Director, until 2014, when John Galliano was appointed, all collections were handled by an anonymous design team, with no single individual holding an absolute leadership role. Following Alessandro Michele&#39;s departure from Gucci, the fashion house entered the Fall/Winter 2023 season without a Creative Director to guide the collection. During this transition period, the in-house design team proactively took on the leading role. Chanel also went through six seasons without a Creative Director before Matthieu Blazy arrived. Throughout this period, the fashion house maintained the familiar hallmarks that define Chanel&#39;s identity, but did not bring about significant changes in its design language. This month alone, Etro, with its third collection since Marco De Vincenzo left, and Hermès, while awaiting Grace Wales Bonner to take over the menswear line, both presented safe designs.

<div>In reality, the absence of a Creative Director can reveal the unique identity of each fashion house, showcasing both its strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, by moving away from the focus on a designer&#39;s personality or the media hype surrounding their name, collections return to the core values ​​of fashion: the designs themselves and how they are created. On the other hand, the lack of a leader can cause collections to lose their creative flow, becoming disjointed and lifeless. Naturally, collections in this transitional phase tend to lean more towards commercial goals. This may sound paradoxical, but this pragmatic approach sometimes leads to a more straightforward and clear product development.</div>

When product and brand identity become the focus.

Luxury and fashion brands without a Creative Director often pursue a product-centric development model, rather than emphasizing the individual&#39;s mark behind the collections. Loro Piana, Kiton, Valextra, and Brioni are examples. Brunello Cucinelli also operates to some extent according to this philosophy. In the watch, jewelry, and perfume industries, the absence of a Creative Director is not uncommon. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally, this is a common model among brands that consider product quality and value as the foundation of their development. Some streetwear brands like Supreme, Stüssy, or names associated with gorpcore style like Stone Island and Arc&#39;teryx also choose a similar operating approach. Alongside these are independent fashion brands with a strong Japanese spirit such as Kapital, Visvim, and Needles. However, for fashion houses operating in the high-end fashion realm, the story is not so simple. The fashion industry is inherently creative; therefore, a creative director remains an indispensable link in the structure of many fashion houses. The Creative Director not only represents the brand image to the public but also outlines the vision and aesthetic throughout the collections. However, a complete collection is never the sole achievement of a single individual. Behind them are always multiple design teams responsible for each product line, along with teams dedicated to translating runway creations into commercially viable products.

First and foremost, the Creative Director plays a crucial role in connecting all departments under a shared vision, ensuring that all product lines develop along a consistent aesthetic direction. Furthermore, they shape the distinctive design language of the fashion house and become the face that the public recognizes, follows, and even develops a connection with through their creative personality. Zara and Uniqlo have effectively leveraged the influence of renowned designers, creating both media buzz and boosting business through collaborations with Jonathan Anderson, Clare Waight Keller, and John Galliano. Meanwhile, the in-house design team, where Julian Klausner and Matthieu Blazy grew up before taking on top creative roles, still possesses unique advantages. These include a deep understanding of the fashion house&#39;s history, identity, and operational structure. They are familiar with the brand&#39;s principles, understand which values ​​need to be continued, and are able to make decisions based on this foundation, rather than constantly chasing the pressure of innovation like externally hired Creative Directors. However, for this model to work effectively, the creative team needs to maintain moderation and avoid undirected experimentation. Looking at Givenchy&#39;s collections, some design choices show inconsistency, even confusion. In contrast, Gucci and Hermès&#39; collections demonstrate a more coherent and clearly directed creative vision.

Inheritance: The solution to the crisis problem.

A talented Creative Director can create breakthroughs for a fashion house by finding common ground with the brand&#39;s spirit and heritage. However, the advantage of a stable in-house design team lies in its ability to keep the creative flow continuous. In reality, many brands have struggled when their creative direction is interrupted, or when a new designer with a strong personality drastically changes the entire look of the fashion house. In an increasingly crowded and fiercely competitive fashion market, established but smaller fashion houses, compared to large luxury corporations, sometimes don&#39;t need a famous Creative Director, but rather a team that understands the brand&#39;s values ​​and is capable of creating collections that maintain its identity while meeting market demands, with products that truly sell well. With less fanfare, products will have more space to assert their own value, allowing fashion houses to develop through their own internal strengths instead of relentlessly chasing media trends or the fleeting allure of famous names. Of course, to empower the internal team creatively in the long term, brands also need to reassess their operations and resource allocation, while ensuring this team is capable of developing collections with a consistent aesthetic. For many long-established fashion houses, especially Italian brands, it&#39;s time to consider moving away from the glamorous race for image and reputation to focus on a more substantial business model, aiming for sustainable revenue and profit. Instead of competing for media influence with powerful luxury corporations, they can concentrate on developing their store network, strengthening their presence in key markets, and more deeply leveraging their heritage and local identity. Therefore, the original question perhaps needs to be rephrased. It&#39;s no longer &quot;What would happen if fashion houses didn&#39;t have a Creative Director?&quot; , but rather &quot;What do they really need, and how much are they willing to pay for it?&quot; . Returning to Alaïa, the persuasiveness of the latest collection stems in part from the fact that no single individual needs to be in the spotlight. There&#39;s no new designer needing time to integrate into the fashion house, no existing design hallmarks needing reinterpretation, and no hasty repositioning needed to create a new look. The collection was developed by a team that deeply understands the spirit of Alaïa, capable of recognizing the values ​​to preserve and those that should change. That doesn&#39;t mean the Creative Director position will become obsolete. For luxury corporations that build their brand strength on visual imagery, creative storytelling, and the ability to evoke desire, a designer with a unique vision remains an irreplaceable asset. However, for many other fashion houses, maintaining this position entails significant costs and operational pressure, while the value delivered may no longer match the actual market demand.

Instead of seeking big names from outside, some brands are beginning to prioritize experienced internal talent. Additionally, many young talents are gradually being empowered to lead creative projects, opening up a new direction in how fashion houses find successors. Gucci is one of the pioneering fashion houses in promoting internal staff to creative leadership positions. In 2015, Alessandro Michele was appointed Creative Director after serving as Deputy Creative Director under Frida Giannini. In January 2023, Gucci appointed Sabato De Sarno as Creative Director. Bottega Veneta also made an internal selection by appointing Matthieu Blazy as Creative Director. Previously, he held the position of Design Director for the ready-to-wear line under his predecessor Daniel Lee. At Chloé, Chemena Kamali took over the position of Creative Director from Gabriela Hearst. Her debut collection at Paris Women&#39;s Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024–2025 received positive reviews from fashion critics. Alongside this, a generation of young designers is beginning to take on important positions at major fashion houses. Stefano Gallici, born in 1996, became Creative Director of Ann Demeulemeester, while Seán McGirr was appointed to a similar position at Alexander McQueen.

Depending on their specific direction, each brand is choosing a different creative leadership model. Some fashion houses appoint renowned designers, while others give opportunities to lesser-known figures. Some brands do not appoint a Creative Director or continue to leave the position vacant, entrusting the development of collections to their in-house design team. No one can be certain which direction the fashion industry will take. But for some fashion houses, pausing the frequent changes in Creative Director could be an opportunity for self-reflection. Instead of rushing to find a successor, they need to redefine their identity, reinforce the values ​​that have made them famous, and build a long-term vision. When a suitable designer emerges, the brand should also give them enough time to understand the heritage, develop their own creative language, and gradually establish a consistent direction, rather than placing overly high expectations on them from the outset.

What If Fashion Houses No Longer Needed Creative Directors?

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