MEC

Beauty and Fashion 2.0

The Iconics
Editors Letter

Study the past if you would define the future. Confucius. With the recent release of the YSL
biopic I thought this would be an appropriate time to look to the past to understand what the
greats have done that have raised certain brands to iconic status.

There are few words that come to mind after reviewing the biographies of distinguished
designers, they include and are not limited to fearless, imaginative and curious. It is the ability
to seek inspiration from all facets of life, thinking about the product experience and putting the
needs of the consumer at the heart of their brands that have allowed these businesses to
thrive.

In this edition I have focused on a few famous designers who have had a huge impact on the
history of fashion. What makes these select few the most remarkable is that the successors of
these brands continue to look at innovative ways to stay current instead of relying on the past
to grow their businesses.

Happy reading,

Lauren Turner
Yves Saint Laurent

History:
Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent commenced his fashion career working under Christian
Dior, progressing to head designer at 21- an honour virtually unheard of in the fashion world at
such a tender age. In 1960 he was renounced by Dior and set about creating his own namesake
label, Yves Saint Laurent. The house become famous for breaking boundaries. Inspired by artist
Piet Mondrians minimalistic primary colour paintings, he created the iconic Mondrian print
shift dress. He put women in le smoking suits a look which forged the path for women to wear
androgynous clothing. His runway shows were also the first to feature Asian and African models.

Contemporary:
A label constantly marred with controversy, the current Creative Director Hedi Slimanes first
port of call when appointed in 2012 was to rebrand the label Saint Laurent Paris, a change that
unsettled many a fashion blogger and critic. Slimane continued to ruffle feathers, entering into a
slagging match with Cathy Horyn of The New York Times and rapper Kanye West. West
subsequently recorded a song about the experience titled I am a God.

MEC opinion:
The label Yves Saint Laurent ignores society norms to forge its own fashion footprint which
often involves empowering woman through their clothing.
Coco Chanel

History:
Coco Chanel opened her first store, a millinery shop, in 1910 in Paris. With business booming
she launched her first perfume, Chanel No 5, in 1922. This was the first time a designers name
would be featured on a perfume. In 1924 Chanel borrowed a piece of sportswear from her lover
and upon wearing it realised how comfortable the tweed fabric was. It was from this moment
that the classic Chanel tweed suit was born. In 1926 Coco Chanel published a picture of a
short, simple Black dress in American Vogue, taking the LBD from a dress specifically worn for
mourning to desirable eveningwear. Other iconic pieces include the 2.55 quilted bag, the
Breton top, faux pearls, quilt stitched ballet flats and sailors bell bottoms.

Contemporary:
Chanel remains an impeccable fashion house, still producing incarnations of the classic tweed
suit and faux pearls. The label has remained current by selecting up and coming superstars to be
the face of the brand. Previous iconic spokespeople include Kate Moss and Jerry Hall.

MEC opinion:
Clever branding tactics implemented by the Chanel business and its head designers have
ensured that the brand manages to retain its iconic classic style, whilst simultaneously remaining
mysterious and unpredictable.
Diane Von Furstenberg

History:
Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) introduced the iconic wrap dress to the world in 1972,
revolutionising American fashion by providing an item designed specifically for the working
woman. The dress quickly became a symbol for womens sexual liberation and by 1976 over 5
million wrap dresses had been sold. In the early 90s Von Furstenberg launched a cosmetics line
and a home shopping business, the latter selling $1.2 million of products within two hours. Since
then DVF has collaborated with other labels to launch the following; a fine jewelry collection
with H Stern, a childrens range with Gap and denim range with Current/Elliot.

Contemporary:
In order to celebrate 40 years of the wrap dress DVF has launched the series, Journey of a
Dress. The project features fashion influencers such as Jessica Stein of Tuula Vintage taking the
wrap dress on a global tour, passed from one fashionista to the next. In June 2014 Von
Furstenberg launched a high-fashion line of Google Glass making the product more stylish.

MEC opinion:
DVF has always looked at ways to enhance the lives of the average women by providing pieces
of attainable glamour. DVF has created products that easily fit into everyday life and are useful
for the target audience, which has cemented her status as a dependable and desirable designer.
Giorgio Armani

History:
Giorgio Armani set up his own line in 1975 with his lover, originally designing for men before
launching his first womens collection later in the year. His suits were radical for the time,
replacing the well known stuffed suit look with a relaxed slouch fit in lightweight fabrics. In
1980 he rose to fame when his power suit was worn by Richard Gere in the film American
Gigolo. From this moment Armani maintained his relationship with cinema and celebrities. His
work appeared in the classic films The Untouchables, Tim Burtons Batman, Scorseses
Goodfellas and Tarantinos Pulp Fiction. Armani dressed so many celebrities at the 1989s
Oscars that the show was coined the Armani Awards by the fashion industry.

Contemporary:
The brand has since moved into other product areas including fragrance, underwear, jeans,
hotels, and chocolates to name a few. What makes this brand special is that Armani has never
strayed from his trademark easy elegance style, making his designs distinct and consistent.

MEC Opinion:
Armani has demonstrated the importance of product expansion, brand exposure and design
reliability as ways to grow market share and remain relevant.
Contact


For more information about any of the articles please contact

Lauren Turner

Senior Manager- Client and Communications

lauren.turner@mecglobal.com

Office : +61 2 8356 0689


Sources

Yves Saint Laurent
http://www.runningwithheels.com/index.php/2008/12/yvessaintlaurent/
http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Yves_Saint_Laurent
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Smoking
http://fashionista.com/2013/09/confirmed-kanye-west-wrote-i-am-a-god-about-hedi-slimane

Coco Chanel
http://www.biography.com/people/coco-chanel-9244165#early-life
http://www.lifetimetv.co.uk/biography/biography-coco-chanel
http://www.elle.com/news/fashion-style/the-story-of-chanels-tweed
http://40plusstyle.com/style-icon-coco-chanel/

Diane von Furstenberg
http://www.biography.com/people/diane-von-f%C3%BCrstenberg-20660945#professional-life
http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Diane_von_Furstenberg
http://news.instyle.com/2014/04/02/diane-von-furstenbergs-wrap-dress-is-going-on-a-year-long-vacation-around-the-world/
http://www.cnet.com/news/new-google-glass-designs-by-diane-von-furstenberg-now-available/

Giorgio Armani
http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Giorgio_Armani_(Brand)
http://www.biography.com/people/giorgio-armani-9188652#early-life

Editors Photos credited to http://snappystreet.com.au/tag/street-photography/

All other images are sourced from Google images