A Year in Review:Fashion in 2021 時尚事件簿“他”成為現今「反時尚」代表？

前 BOTTEGA VENETA 創意總監 Daniel Lee。

“他”成為現今「反時尚」代表？

到了年末的尾聲，檢視著一年的時尚變化面臨著迭代或是轉型，是否最初的句號如今也成為了問號？ 在此重新探討今年的時尚事件簿，宛如一場無形大秀般，容我們坐於前排仔細欣賞。

Arriving at the end of 2021, take a look at the changes that happened in the fashion industry and the questions that were raised. Let us reflect upon the major events of the year, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

設計與創意之間是否變質？

今年的換血震撼彈莫過於開雲集團宣布 Daniel Lee 離開 BOTTEGA VENETA 創意總監一職，這項決策之所以轟動又令人毫無頭緒的原因，絕對是由於 Daniel Lee 自 2018 年加入 BV 後，可以說將品牌起死回生，再次進入大眾眼裡並躍升成為社群平台上最火紅的品牌。一個又一個的熱門款推出，甚至以自己的獨到美學建立起一套極具辨識度的獨特語系，像是極簡風格、標誌性綠色、大編織、三角標誌等等。其離開的背後原因有太多的猜測與主觀想法，但以時尚大環境分析，間接證明了接下來的市場走向。

Daniel Lee 一貫低調作風、在任職期間刪掉社群平台、關門辦私密沙龍秀還嚴禁賓客上傳分享等等「反其道而行」的做法，有人說這是一種宣傳手法，也有人說這是在葬送財路。擁抱著藝術家性格與堅持己見的思路，於現今在走向大眾市場化、潮牌化來博取關注與聲量的同時，Daniel Lee選擇瀟灑地離開。若說追求精神、追求自然，與自己對話不追求趨勢稱作反時尚，那 Daniel Lee 是否成為了現今「反時尚」代表？

「了解商業與創意之間的微妙處，似乎是現在的時尚走向」巴黎時尚諮詢師 Floriane de Saint Pierre 曾說過：「現在設計師除了具備設計才能以外，更是強調創意行銷。」尤其在男裝方面更是明顯地看出設計風格更偏向於大眾潮流，而取向於潮流的設計師如雨後春筍般湧現，比如Kim Jones 攜手Travis Scott 打造 Dior 2022 夏季男裝，LOUIS VUITTON 男裝藝術總監 Virgil Abloh 、 Givenchy創意總監 Matthew M Williams 和 Balenciaga 創意總監 Demna Gvasalia，他們的設計帶來傳統品牌變革，這些都意味著設計師的決策來自於與當代年輕人產生共鳴的文化能力，能夠深入大眾、製造爆款、視覺轟炸已經成為了現今不可忽視的行銷走向。更別提今年瘋狂轟炸的聯名系列與各品牌屋之間的共同合作，這也讓我們接下去談談今年的聯名系列。

Is He Becoming the Icon of Anti-Fashion？

The biggest bombshell of the year is most definitely the announcement of Daniel Lee leaving Bottega Veneta. Ever since joining the brand back in 2018, the British designer had taken the brand to a next level, making it one of the most popular luxury brands on social media. Lee successfully transformed Bottega Veneta with his distinctive and undeniably cool style and introduced several iconic creations—Bottega Green, the intrecciato weave, the triangular logo and more. While the actual reason behind his decision remains unknown, it indirectly proves the trend of the fashion industry. Some saw Lee’s understated, unprecedented approaches—him deleting Bottega Veneta’s official Instagram account, hosting private Salon showings, prohibiting guests from taking photos during his fashion shows—as a marketing technique, while others simply thought it as a bad financial decision. Facing the need for mass-marketing and public attention, Lee chose to follow his own path and left the brand. If pursuing one’s own belief instead of what’s trending is considered as Anti-Fashion, does that mean Daniel Lee has become a global icon of Anti-Fashion？ Understanding the interesting bond between business and creativity seems to be the key to understanding current fashion trends. Parisian fashion consultant Floriane de Saint Pierre once said that, in addition to talent and ability, designers nowadays also need creative marketing. If we look at the collaborative Dior SS22 collection by Kim Jones and Travis Scott and other menswear creative directors—Virgil Abloh, Matthew M Williams, Demma Gvasalia—it is noticeable that brands are becoming trendy and more inclined towards streetwear fashion. This also means the decisions made by designers stem from their ability to resonate with the younger generation, creating a trend that is more accessible, in demand and visually creative.

義大利經典時裝屋 FENDI 攜手 Versace 華麗推出 Fendace 聯名大秀。

時尚駭客

這是一個時尚聯名的大時代，時尚品牌與潮流品牌的聯名、百年時裝屋與新創品牌的聯名，甚至是百年一遇才有的品牌屋與品牌屋之間的結合創作。脫離時裝週日程的 Gucci 於今年四月推出 100 週年大秀「ARIA 時尚詠嘆調」，其中最令人驚喜的莫過於與 Balenciaga 的相互融合，透過雙品牌的產品重新演繹了對方的經典廓形與標誌元素，以此大膽質疑時尚對於原創、偽造與挪用的看法。Balenciaga也在今年六月發表 2022 春夏系列當中，將與 Gucci 共同演繹的 The Hacker Project 聲勢做到最大，將玩心「駭入」人心。若說如此大膽的駭客作法已經無法消化，那麼時尚圈從來沒有停止驚喜。2022春夏米蘭時裝週中，兩個義大利經典時裝屋 FENDI 攜手 Versace 華麗推出 Fendace 聯名大秀，這次不只是跨品牌還跨集團！FENDI 女裝創意總監 Kim Jones 與 Versace 品牌設計師 Donatella Versace 交換設計演繹對方經典風格，在 Fendi 的義式優雅與 Versace 狂野富豪金交換創造下，展現出截然不同的新風貌。

除此之外，與潮流的結合已然成為了時尚趨勢，街頭時尚與高級時尚不再避不見面，更是敞開大門將兩個迥異的特色相互融合，成為彼此的靈感來源。Dior 和 Sacai 攜手打造男裝限定系列、LOUIS VUITTON 2022 早春男裝系列推出第二個LV² 系列，延續與 Human Made 創辦人 Nigo 之間的創意交流，MONCLER 與藤原浩合作系列、FENDI 與Kim Kardashian West 攜手推出的限時聯名系列 FENDI x SKIMS 等等，不就是為了與有購買力的潮流客群們產生連結，或者希望能夠品牌年輕化，甚至成為未來的潛在客戶。即便聯名系列的層出不窮，讓人懷疑現今時尚是否成為了一場大災難 ？而Gucci 創意總監 Alessandro Michele 就說到「這是我的終極目標：製造一場大混亂，並在這場混亂中出現好事。」若說聯名系列為現今的趨勢走向，那近幾年推崇的永續時尚究竟淪為一種“趨勢”？還是真實對於環境的關心？

Dior 和 Sacai 攜手打造男裝限定系列。

Gucci Ｘ Balenciaga 透過雙品牌的產品重新演繹了對方的經典廓形與標誌元素，以此大膽質疑時尚對於原創、偽造與挪用的看法。

FENDI 與Kim Kardashian West 攜手推出的限時聯名系列 FENDI x SKIMS 。

Fashion Hackers

We are now in an era of collaborations, a time where even century-old fashion houses are willing to work with other fashion houses to present us with unprecedented partnerships. In Gucci’s centennial Aria collection, the most surprising pieces are definitely the ones that Alessandro Michele “quoted” from Balenciaga’s iconic shapes and symbols, a bold questioning of what originality and creative processes mean in the fashion industry. In Balenciaga’s SS22 collection launched in June, we also see The Hacker Project, a collaboration with Gucci that definitely became the talk of the year. This fashion “hacking” continues to SS22 Milan Fashion Week where two major luxury brands, FENDI and Versace, team up to launch an eye-opening Fendace show. This collaboration is not only between two fashion houses, but also two world-class luxury groups. Reinterpreting each other’s style through their own ways, Kim Jones and Donatella Versace perfectly combine the French elegance of FENDI and the luscious glamour of Versace into one distinctive collection. On top of that, streetwear brands and luxury fashion houses are no longer two separate fields that can never work together. From Dior and Sacai’s limited menswear series, the second LV² collection, MONCLER and Hiroshi Fujiwara’s partnership, to FENDI and Kim Kardashian’s FENDI x SKIMS, all these collaborations are trying to connect with younger customers, perhaps for their purchasing power or potential to become future consumers. Either way, it makes us wonder, is fashion becoming a tumultuous catastrophe？

Chloé 創意總監GABRIELA HEARST 於第 26 屆聯合國氣候變化大會 ( COP26 ) 演講。

「最環保的衣服就是你衣櫃裡已經有的那件。」 “The most sustainable garment is the one already in your wardrobe.”—Fashion Revolution Cofounder and Advisor to The Seam, Orsola de Castro.

永續時尚

永續時尚說到爛，不禁讓人思考究竟是努力的追求永續時尚，——或是說，努力的「告訴消費者」它們在追求永續時尚。仔細觀察近幾年的趨勢，便能發現時尚的消費模式正在改變，越來越多的時尚品牌鼓吹永續環保，像是終生環保主義時裝設計師Stella McCartney、2019年持續到現在的Prada Re-Nylon系列、Gucci 推出首個可持續系列 Off the Grid、Chloé 秉持「女力向前，打造公平未來（Women Forward. For a Fairer Future）」的使命，踏上商業模式轉型之路，過程包含了使用低環境衝擊的天然面料、減少碳足跡、加強與國際公平交易組織認證之社會企業合作、鼓勵全球員工每年至非營利機構擔任志工等具體行動等等，都可以看出品牌紛紛走向了「永續發展」的道路。

但就在個人及品牌同時鼓吹著環保意識、重視友善地球時，時尚產業仍然無法從本質上轉型成永續經營的原因在於環保意識雖然興起，但人類的消費習慣沒有改變。俄羅斯時尚雜誌編輯 Miroslava Duma 說過：「時尚產業不外乎就是『說故事能力』和『技巧』。永續時尚替這個產業帶來更多價值，因為它讓故事聽起來更動人。」在環保主義盛行的21世紀，時尚品牌們玩環保到底是企業責任還是形象經營？或許在檢視企業善待環境之餘，更重要的是消費者本身的自省。畢竟時尚行業的本質還是一門生意，真的該改變的還是消費者本身，審視自己的購物習慣，才有可能真正落實永續時尚，如此以來，時尚產業才有機會真正的減少浪費。最後，引用環境保護人士 Robert Swan 的一句話：「地球最大的危險，就是相信總會有別人去拯救它。」永續時尚不應該只是品牌方的營銷策略，或消費者消極的支持與否，而應該是全人類的責任。

Sustainable Fashion

Reflecting on the past few years, we will find that fashion consumerism is changing. Like all-time sustainability activist Stella McCartney, the Prada Re-Nylon collection, Gucci’s Off the Grid, or Chloé’’s equality and sustainability program, “Women Forward. For a Fairer Future,” more and more brands are on the path towards circularity. The process of changing their business model includes using environmentally friendly materials, decreasing our carbon footprint, working with Fairtrade companies and institutions and even encouraging employees to partake in NGO volunteer work. However, even when brands and individual designers are encouraging sustainability, the fashion industry is still unable to completely transform into a more eco-friendly business operation because consumer habits remain the same. Russian digital entrepreneur Miroslava Duma once said, “The fashion industry is all about storytelling and craftsmanship. Sustainability adds value because it makes that backstory even more impactful.” In this current time where sustainability is the forefront concern, are brands following these guidelines because they care? Or is it simply a marketing strategy? Regardless, perhaps we should focus more on the consumers and their behavior. Through reflecting our shopping habits, we can more effectively achieve sustainability and further help the industry decrease waste. Lastly, closing with environmental leader Robert Swan’s famous line: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it,” sustainable fashion should not be a marketing strategy or about consumers’ support, but a universal responsibility that we humans should all live by.