For years in fashion, it was trendy for one designer to helm two brands: their own, usually a relatively small one, and a big heritage house at which they acted as, essentially, talent for hire.
John Galliano did it, so did Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang and Karl Lagerfeld (well, he actually ran three brands).
Then, as tends to happen, industry wisdom decided this was not really a good idea.
It was too draining, too complicated and a designer should be fully committed to one brand.
But exactly why it’s so hard for one designer to serve two masters was rarely more obvious as it was on Tuesday at Peter Do’s fantastic first show in Paris — which took place about two weeks after his ho-hum first show as creative director of Helmut Lang, in New York.
Persons:
John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Karl Lagerfeld, Gabriela Hearst, Chloé, Jonathan Anderson, JW Anderson, Loewe, Peter Do’s, Helmut Lang, Lang
Locations:
Paris —, New York