Clare Waight Keller served as Givenchy’s creative director for three years before her departure in 2020.(GETTY IMAGES)
On April 10, 2020, Clare Waight Keller revealed her departure from Givenchy after a three-year tenure. She was the first female creative director in the brand’s history, which was a significant milestone (patriarchy, indeed). However, her influence at Givenchy brought a fresh perspective while honoring the legacy of founder Hubert de Givenchy. Her collections—spanning womenswear, menswear, and haute couture—respected the Givenchy heritage while ensuring its relevance in contemporary fashion. Additionally, under her leadership, men’s haute couture gained greater importance within the brand.
Stefano Pilati pushed Ermenegildo Zegna to explore more avant-garde silhouettes and styles within its Ermenegildo Zegna Couture line.(GETTY IMAGES)
Stefano Pilati held the position of head of design at Ermenegildo Zegna Couture (now known simply as Zegna) for four years, making full use of the brand’s expertise in fabrics to create menswear collections that could be deemed “quiet luxury” by today’s standards. His designs radiated luxury both visually and texturally, pushing Ermenegildo Zegna into new realms beyond traditional menswear.
Waight Keller and Pilati, though stylistically distinct, share a common background of gaining experience at various fashion houses before assuming creative leadership roles. Waight Keller’s career began in the design team at Calvin Klein, followed by stints at Ralph Lauren and Gucci. Pilati’s resume includes design roles at Giorgio Armani, Prada, Miu Miu, and Yves Saint Laurent. They are both renowned fashion designers in their own right.
It is intriguing that, given their impressive backgrounds and design capabilities, neither Waight Keller nor Pilati was immediately recruited by another major fashion house after their departures.
Last year, however, Waight Keller unveiled her first independent project: a collaboration with Uniqlo titled Uniqlo : C. This brand focuses on developing a capsule wardrobe of essential pieces interpreted through her design perspective, initially launching with womenswear and expanding to menswear in its third season this month. Just two weeks later, Uniqlo announced that Waight Keller’s role would extend to being the overall creative director for the entire Uniqlo mainline collection, starting with the Autumn/Winter 2024 season.
Pilati also made strides in his own venture by launching Random Identities in 2017 via Instagram. Drawing inspiration from Berlin’s nightlife and the evolving landscape of gendered clothing, Random Identities is available through SSENSE.com, Dover Street Market, and select retailers. Similar to Waight Keller’s approach with Uniqlo, this brand represents a shift away from the luxury pricing of Pilati’s earlier works, offering more affordable options while maintaining a unique design vision. Recently, Pilati intensified his focus on accessible fashion by partnering with Zara for a capsule collection slated for release in October 2024.
Fashion is replete with designer collaborations, particularly those facilitated by fast-fashion brands like H&M and Zara. Uniqlo, in particular, has transformed its collaborations into enduring alliances with creatives such as Christophe Lemaire, Jonathan Anderson, and Inès de la Fressange. Like Waight Keller, Lemaire eventually took on the role of creative director for Uniqlo U, a design-centric line.
Yet, the trend of designers transitioning from luxury brands to more accessible fashion as their individual ventures is relatively rare.
In a 2023 interview with W Magazine, Waight Keller discussed the difficulties of moving from a couture environment to a brand like Uniqlo, particularly regarding achieving specific techniques at a lower price point. “The brand was very receptive to learning new finishing techniques. I provided examples, such as how the spaghetti string in the dresses should appear and be balanced. Many techniques I regularly employed in Paris were integrated throughout the collection. It’s become an innate part of my working method, shaped by my years of experience,” she explained. According to WWD, Pilati echoed similar experiences regarding his collaboration with Zara, especially regarding the brand’s capacity to produce at levels above its typical price range.
It remains to be seen how Waight Keller’s Uniqlo project and Pilati’s co-ed collection for Zara will turn out, as well as the possibility of Zara hiring Pilati as its creative director. However, one thing is certain: there remains potential for the refined skills and artistry of true fashion designers in the industry. While it may not be at the established fashion houses, their contributions are enhancing the design quality of clothing for everyday people.
This article originally appeared on Esquire.Sg
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