Perspectives From Vogue "Forces of Fashion" Conference
Image courtesy of Vogue
This month Vogue US launched its first conference, titled “Forces of Fashion,” hosted at Milk Studios in New York City on October 12. The conference was in celebration of Vogue’s 125 year anniversary and the schedule featured conversations between some of the industry’s biggest designer names
Industry talks at this months conference covered a variety of different aspects of the global fashion industry.
Off-White’s Virgil Abloh and Heron Preston, two streetwear designers, that have gone on to develop their labels into full collections, sat down with Vogue’s Fashion News Director Chioma Nnadi to discuss the idea of “cool” and their view of how the luxury fashion industry is being redefined by 17 year old millennials.
Demna Gvasalia, fashions latest disruptor and the designer behind the famed brand Vetements, in conversation with Vogue’s own Sarah Mower, discussed the brands success and the designers gave his views on how he became known as a fashion disrupter to definitions of the expression ugly: “I think it’s also very interesting to find this line where ugly becomes beautiful or where beautiful becomes ugly. That’s a challenge I like. I think that’s a part of what fashion stands for and I like that people think my clothes are ugly; I think it’s a compliment.” He said.
Going into his time working at the brand Margiela and its impact on his method of working and the Gvasalia’s use of appropriation, the designer aired: “I tried to understand what the approach was, which was pretty much just about the clothes and working with the clothes to make new clothes. I realized that the inspiration came from this idea of cutting the clothes, twisting them, and changing them—through your own filter, you can make new clothes from things that already exist. That’s how I came to use this method of appropriation: using the things around us and turning them into a new product. I think every designer has their own method of working and this is mine. Given the fact that there are so many pieces of clothing out there—the industry produces so much—I thought I actually had no right to invent anything new, other than taking things that already exist and molding them into something different.”
In addition, Rihanna got real on the success of her epic beauty line launch and Fenty x Puma’s Future. While Marc Jacobs and Instagram founder Kevin Systrom in conversation with editor-at-large Hamish Bowles, broke down "fashion in the age of Instagram." Whereas Victoria Beckham with Nicole Phelps considered when when fashion is your second act.
'Forces of Fashion' also included talks with Belgian designer Dries Van Noten on the "the power of independence," and Joseph Altuzarra and Erdem Moralioglu and Simon Porte Jacquemus with Mark Holgate on young success in fashion. More on Vogue’s 'Forces of Fashion’ conference can be read here
