The Designer Vibe Shift Is Here
What two GOAT designers leaving their roles says about fashion's future.
One of the most exciting times in fashion is when it turns into a game of musical chairs. During the global fashion weeks, the rumor mill can’t stop talking about which lauded designer will head up which prestigious house, who’s waiting in the wings for the next big post, and who’s about to get fired in order to make room.
In recent seasons, those shifts have seen the ascent of Pharrell to Louis Vuitton, NIGO to Kenzo, and of course, almost a decade ago, the well-remembered rise of Virgil Abloh to LV and Kim Jones’ defining era at Dior men’s. But in that era too, Jonathan Anderson and Demna have been integral at designing collections that helped define a specific time in fashion.
Arguably, the two designers blended their positions as the creative heads of Spanish-born fashion houses Loewe and Balenciaga to not just take both labels to new heights, but truly make memorable pieces that are emblematic of an era. Now that the two have officially moved on from the houses that put them on the map, it’s worth re-examining the lasting impact of Jonathan Anderson and Demna—whose impact not only defined high fashion, but seeped into the worlds of street culture, sneakers, and celebrity.