Are We Entering a New Era of Creative Direction?

Hey, I’m Kam’Ron Young, a student at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where I study International Business, French, and Fashion Design. I am also the Founder of Normak, a lifestyle brand focused on sharing people’s stories through design.

Below, I share my bi-weekly research and opinion on what’s going on in the world of fashion, art, fitness, and entrepreneurship. Please share your thoughts, ideas, and comments. I would love to continue these conversations and ideas.

PARIS– February started with another creative director announcement at Maison Margiela, where Glenn Martens will take artistic control over. Martens is known for infusing humor into his collections, revolutionizing streetwear, so it will be interesting to see his whimsical streetwear approach at Margiela, if he does that at all. I still watch the house's 2024 Artisanal Collection, where I feel they revitalized the concept of a runway production. Starting the show off with a performance that led into theatrical runway walks, and closing with an eye-catching walk from Gwendoline Christie. For Martens, I believe there is a lot of great opportunity to blend Margiela’s ideas of fashion as art with his own take of reenergized streetwear and youthful designs.

Other news in Paris this year is the announcement of Matthieu Blazy as the creative director for Chanel, marking the end of their global search. His job is simple, “redefine the brand’s aesthetic while honoring its heritage.” He is strongly creative and young, so there's an opportunity for him to be in that role for a very long time, and potentially the rest of his career.

MILAN– Rumor circulating within the industry is that Daniel Lee will be appointed as the Creative Director of Jil Sander, the German-originated brand owned by the OTB group, which also owns brands such as Margiela, Marni, and Viktor & Rolf. Lee currently sits as the creative director of Burberry, a position he has held since 2022. He took over the position from Riccardo Tisci, and their creative visions could not have been more different. This essentially gave Lee a clean palette to start with, and reset the brand for what the future generations would know it for. I think a reset is exactly what Lee did, and while the numbers may not have been as successful as the house wanted, I have never looked at Burberry in such a luxurious and british way as I do now. Before Daniel Lee, the brand was just expensive, sitting across the mall from the Gucci store with the same brown antidotes with similar price tags. I feel something completely different when I walk into a Burberry store as well as when I see the brand’s social media presence. I can only assume how difficult it is to manage an international brand, where taste and preferences differ from region to region, but it seems that Lee did not care about proving himself to the international aesthetic, if you respected Burberry, you would respect its British heritage, and therefore invest in it.?

Lee was a monster for legacy– showcasing it as purposefully as possible. Seeing his creative direction at Jil Sander would be both exciting and refreshing. When researching the Jil Sander brand, however, I did not find much identity within their design. The brand is built around minimalist and clean designs (aren’t they all?), but it feels disconnected from its founder, Jil Sander herself.

No announcement will take place until later this month, but I am left with the question of ‘could it be possible to see German heritage within design with the entrance of Daniel Lee?’ or does the brand's “minimalistic and clean lines” allow Daniel Lee to completely explore his own version of artistry under the namesake within the position as CD at Jil Sander?

LUXURY MARKET– Kim Jones also announced his exit from Dior this past month, generating a lot of conversation about who will take over, and just what plans the fashion giant LVMH has in play. In general, there is a luxury fashion slowdown, and while LVMH has the capital to stand tall beyond a slow market, their quick moves do not come with surprise. With all the economic changes and newness in the world beyond fashion, it makes sense to bring in new light for an age of new luxury consumers, with new tastes and preferences.

NORMAK

Being back in the U.S. has brought a lot of reflection and a lot of hope for the year ahead. With graduation around the corner, the big question of what’s next is definitely there—but for now, all I’ll say is stay tuned. The next few months, and the next editions of Kam’s Perspective, will have a lot to unpack, a lot to say, and even more to create.

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I wish you all a great week ahead.

Kam’Ron Young, Founder, Normak