Within the contemporary fashion scene, the role of the creative director is no longer that of the isolated genius dictating trends from the top of an ivory tower. Nicolas Ghesquière, who has been at the helm of Louis Vuitton for more than a decade, stated it Corriere della Sera. Today he embodies a new figure, that of a designer who is also an expert in strategy, while being immersed in reality. Able to read the present and anticipate the future. At a time when longevity is rare, his trajectory offers a valuable key to understanding how the profession of those who guide the imagery of a global brand has changed, and continues to evolve.
How it has changed
Ghesquière speaks not of resistance, but of resilience. He doesn’t shy away from aesthetics, but weaves it in with distribution, and with the concept of listening to the public. “When I started, the role was less about strategy, politics, and marketing”. His approach is that of a designer who has learned to dialogue with the system, without betraying his own vision. This is a paradigm shift from his beginnings, when the creative director was primarily an aesthetic interpreter. Ghesquière, in fact, has led Louis Vuitton’s women’s division for more than a decade and has been through every phase of the industry.
Strategic skills
Today, that role has expanded to include strategic skills, political sensitivity and market reading skills. The creative role is no longer just an author, but an active interlocutor with business dynamics. Ghesquière makes it clear: “they are now normal parts of the job”. Louis Vuitton, with its mammoth structure, is the ideal ground for this evolution. The creative director must put his hands on many aspects, reorganizing ateliers, boutiques, and distribution, proving that artistic direction is also construction. A balance between intuition and method, between creative freedom and systemic responsibility. A balance that follows the evolution of women’s style.
“Connected to real life”
And then the transformation of the role of the creative director himself. The concept that he’s no longer isolated and must be” connected to the real life of luxury”. “I travel, I talk to people, I go to boutiques and department stores, where I feel more anonymous. I like to observe, to touch”, the designer stresses. A human method, in a world where artificial intelligence has entered overbearingly into creative processes. And an awareness, as “prices are rising for so many reasons: the cost of raw materials, labor, inflation. But now people are investing in pieces that last and often gain value over time”. And perhaps it’s this awareness, along with the ability to adapt without losing himself, that makes him one of the most enduring creative directors of his generation.
Photo LVMH
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