So Long Fashion Archetypes, Personal Style is Here to Stay

“The Chanel woman,” “The Armani man.” Marketing phrases we hear recycled from brand to brand, commercial to commercial, creative director to creative director, and so on. Former GQ Creative Director Jim Moore once said “The Armani man lives in a city at the base of a posh ski resort—the alpine-inspired, chest-patterned striped sweaters looked vibrant, and a navy hooded wool parka looked stunning.” A lovely description representative of the imaginary archetype of a designer’s customer, their ideal man or woman. 

For years, storied fashion labels such as Dior, Fendi, and Prada, have relied on these as molds of consistency for audiences to fit themselves into. This past Milan Men's Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2021, however, designers Silvia Fendi and Kean Etro verbally and sartorially expressed their shared belief that people are becoming their own personal stylists, and therefore fashion needs to broaden the range of personalities it’s intended for. With the progressive rise of social media and socio-political consciousness spiking in recent years, these revelations make perfect sense. A century-old way of designing for, and communicating with, consumers may be changing forever. 

The primary conflict encouraging these changes stems from a decades-old discussion: is fashion a means of self expression, method of oppression, or both? Influential German sociologist and critic George Simmel maintained in his writings published by The University of Chicago Press in 1971, that fashion’s primary function was to reconcile the “contesting pressures of individual identity and social compliance.” Simply put, we are forced by society to wear clothes, but may rebel and express ourselves through what we choose to wear. But what about mandated styles like the women’s “uniform” of the pre-WWI era? Prior to the 20th century, women were subject to specific codes of dress defined by restrictive undergarments, layers of petticoats, and skirts that were difficult to maneuver.

 Arguably the most revolutionary post-war departure from these uniforms was Christian Dior’s Tailleur Bar suit, a silhouette so popular it was widley regarded as the New Look. Dior’s innovation provided newly working women the ability to be sensual and professional, a characterization of women with more dimensions than previously afforded. The pressure on women to achieve this New Look, however, is what transforms a radical garment like the Bar suit into a symbol of fashion’s despotism.

It is also important to take into account who the New Look was intended for. Who was the "Christian Dior woman"? She was cis-gendered, heterosexual, thin, white, and weathly. One look at the Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior of today though, a runway or ad campaign, would prove to you times have changed. So would a scroll through #Dior on Instagram or TikTok where the brand now resides amongst millions of dress-obsessed TikTokers.

Love it or hate it, social media has played a massive part in expanding the scope of luxury clientele. The ascent of the Instagram influencer is to be credited with the redefining of the word “influencer” itself. Pre-IG designer muses were sourced from runways, movies, music’s top charts, and good old word-of-mouth marketing. In thinking about that era, Jane Avril, who inspired Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Moulin Rouge paintings; Grace Kelly, a muse to Alfred Hitchock; and Edie Sedgewick, Andy Warhol's friend and frequenter of his factory come to mind.

Slimane’s decision reflects a resounding acknowledgement among designers that seemingly niche, but in fact widely popular social media based style communities are of relevance to the fashion industry. On TikTok, there are so many of these style groups, from e-boy to shy-girl, minimalist, and literally thousands more (seriously, thousands). Recent street style trends like the re-emergence of men's sweater vests and flare leggings can be attributed to TikTok. More interesting, however, are those using it to learn how to upcycle, crochet, and recreate designer items they can't regularly afford at home.

Harry Styles' JW Anderson cardigan he wore for the The Today Show in February 2020 to perform his album Fine Line is one of many examples. The sweater, though no longer for sale, initially retailed close to $2,000, but Styles-obsessed fans saw their way around that hefty price tag by learning to knit it themselves. Subsequently, a frenzy of already climate conscious and upcycle loving Gen Zers took to knitting and tagging JW Anderson in their feats. The designer even responded by reposting various recreations, thanking the users, and sharing an instructional pattern video to help others remake the design.

TikTok also provides space for the promotion of body positivity, racial awareness, and gender fluid style communities. Popular accounts of this kind include Denise Mercedes, Gabi Gregg, Sir Carter, and more. After many big name brands were criticized via social media this past summer for a lack of diversity in staff, models, and clientele it is not surprising these more progressive fashion accounts would garner large followings. Current customers, particularly coming of age Gen Zers, are embracing their personal identities and expect designers to do the same. This makes the ideal "man" or "woman" mold ineffective. Today's fashion consumer may not even identify as a man or woman. And with platforms like Pinterest and TikTok cultivating communities empowered by reaching into their own closets to develop a sense of personal style or even design pieces themselves, brands must stretch to survive. 

Beyond the seasonal men's and womenswear collections shown during fashion month, designers are expanding their offerings to suit the sartorial senses of a wider audience. With capsule collections, brand collaborations, and diffusion lines, high fashion labels are creating fashion ecosystems so that everyone can find a style that they relate to. Even with these commercial successes, however, there's been a move to center diverse narratives, rather than encapsulate them in a one-off collection.

So it's clear why Kean Etro's most recent menswear show served a future reality of self-stylizing customers. And why Silvia Fendi believes the future of design will be based on capturing multiple personalities. They are taking a longer look at their audience and heading their calls to be more inclusive. Here’s to hoping every brand not already following suit steps in line.