Victor Glemaud
“I think the fashion industry is being forced to broaden its outlook due to social media and direct customer engagement. I think its easier for independent designers to connect to an audience via social media, however, there is still great difficulty getting in buyers to come and see your collection, getting press coverage, dressing celebrities, getting into the right showroom et cetera, all things which are needed to grow a sustainable business. The system is changing because people are doing it their own way.”
New York-based designer Victor Glemaud holds an interesting position in the current fashion system, as he is both a fashion veteran and part of the new Instagram culture. However, as he states in the quote above, excerpted from an e-mail interview that we did in early spring 2019, for him there is no conflict between traditional fashion culture and contemporary media. Instead, he thinks that the change is a subtler one, more about establishing a direct link between producer and consumer than anything else. Social media has brought forth a sense of transparency, not only to fashion but to culture in general, which makes it easier for brands to connect with and become part of the zeitgeist.
Glemaud, however, has for many years had a deep understanding of how l’esprit du temps translates into fashion. Born in Haiti and relocating to the US at the age of three, he has been part of the fashion industry since he was a teenager studying at FIT. Having worked as womenswear design advisor at Paco Rabanne, a publicist at KDC (in both New York and Paris) and as Style Director at Tommy Hilfiger, he has not only an in-depth understanding of the industry but also knowledge of how it relates to culture in general. In 2006 he debuted the Victor Glemaud collection, known for its signature slashed sweaters and form-flattering knitwear, popular among celebrities such as Amber Valetta, Issa Rae, Ashley Graham and Christian Combs.
Defining fashion as an “aesthetic economy”, sociologist Joanne Entwistle has stated that, “in aesthetic economies, aesthetics are not something ‘added on’ as a decorative feature or after-thought once a product has been defined; they are the product/s and, as such, are at the centre of the economic calculations of the practice”. She has further specified that in aesthetic economies, “economic calculations are intertwined with cultural concerns, bound to forms of cultural knowledge, capital and acquired taste, and to social, cultural and institutional relations”. What is considered on trend in fashion is contextually specific and therefore volatile and unstable, and can quickly change both from one season to the next. Those who work in fashion production need to be particularly skilled at translating aesthetic and cultural development into images and other fashion-related commodities, which is a viewpoint that interconnects with Glemaud’s way of working: instead of merely adding aesthetics to his products, his collections are based in a deep understanding of what is relevant from a wider, cultural point of view. In particular, Glemaud has been lauded for his inclusionary approach to fashion. He specifies this stance by stating that, “my clothes are designed for all people, genders, races, sizes and personalities. For me, the goal has and always will be dressing people. I want people to enjoy wearing the clothes I design.”
For Glemaud, the aim is to facilitate a sense of joy, or perhaps more to the point, of making the wearer feel comfortable in their own skin. His method of choice is sweaters, explaining that, “what I like about sweaters is that they are versatile. Sweaters are like jeans – you can wear them everyday of the year.“In this way, he connects fashion with everyday experiences, also demonstrated in the launch of his new line Curve, which will run from XL to 3X, ensuring that fashion is not an expression reserved for those with a slim physique.
The SS19 collection – named RESPECT – is inspired by a number of women who have influenced him, ranging from his mother to (obviously) Aretha Franklin. The allusion to the Franklin song gives the collection a fun and upbeat framework, while at the same time alluding to important issues of visibility, representation and equal rights. When asked to explain the title of the collection, Glemaud answered that,
“My past, my present, my tomorrow is showcased in each collection. The SS19 collection was about loss as well. The clothes made a statement with their detailed, sophisticated stitch work and natural yarns, resulting in groovy knit silhouettes. I mixed monochrome with pops of jewel tones colours and a bold zebra jacquard to create a modern colour palette. Each look was accessorised with over the top wigs, inspired by Detroit Hair Wars, as celebration of African American women’s hairstyles. This mix represents my design philosophy.”
Referencing African American aesthetics has become somewhat of a trademark for Glemaud, who in this way can further his project of making fashion more inclusive. Over the years, he has spoken on the issue of race and fashion on a number of occasions, often underscoring that he is a “designer who is black, not a black designer or CEO”. This might sound like a subtle distinction, but the consequences are nevertheless quite tangible. He has also stated that he has never been made to feel left out in the studio or in the workroom, but that the experience of being a minority in the industry has informed his understanding of how creative work often
is organised along the lines of race. To Glemaud, the aim is therefore not only about opening the doors to the industry to a more varied group of people, but also about, in a long-term perspective, integrate all these different experiences and perspectives to the business so that it can grow both aesthetically and in terms of organisation. Because fashion is defined by its continuous desire for change, it is important not only that it keeps evolving and pushing boundaries, but that it also examines its own views on and ways of maintaining matters of privilege, power and status.
As previously stated, Glemaud has made a name for himself in the way that he employs new media to promote both his brand and issues close to his heart. Not even a decade ago, traditional media was much more of a one-way street, often leaving the consumers with a limited sense of agency in regards to giving feedback to the magazines and media platforms. Today, media is instead inherently social, and the success of a brand is to a large degree dependent on its media presence and ability to have its consumers engage in dialogue. This has also helped to blur the lines, not only between different consumer groups but also between the urban and the rural, not to mention undermining national borders and distinctions between the mainstream and the subcultural. Glemaud sums it up by saying,
“The world and fashion are now global. Everyone can see what you do, good or bad, if they choose to. I’m hopeful more distinct and bold points of view will return to design, photography, store concepts, et cetera.”
With new technology, new voices are being heard. This has changed not only the media landscape but also the issues that are being discussed. Fashion is not only about fabrics, colors and cuts but also about equality, democratisation and inclusivity. The challenge for many contemporary brands is be able to combine these two topics; integrating social issues while not compromising with the quality of production and design.
However, there are also other topics being discussed in the field of contemporary fashion. The industry is often considered to be quite demanding, but as briefly summarised by Glemaud, “the reason I do this is my interest in clothes. The fashion industry is hard but I have never lost my love of clothes and the art of dressing.” Many who aspire to work in fashion start out as unpaid interns and assistants, and even those who are considered seniors in their field are regularly expected to work for free. The organisation of work in the contemporary fashion industry is a topic that covers a number of important work-related aspects, from the organisation of power structures and creative influence to matters of economy, technology and the balance between work and free time. The fashion industry is in no way an isolated entity, nor is it alone in functioning as an aesthetic economy, but should be considered part of the cultural and creative industries, defined by the fundamental ambivalence through which symbolic creativity is produced, organised and circulated. It is no coincidence that many creative people move between these different worlds, trying out different methods to channel their creativity; Helmut Lang became a sculptor, Kenzo Takada a painter, while Karl Lagerfeld regularly combined his work as a designer with photography. Glemaud, on the other hand, seems to (at least for now) hold no artistic ambitions. If not working with fashion, he would instead “work as a chef”, he claims. Food and fashion have for a long time been considered interconnected with one another; trends in food often appearing in fashion, as well as the other way around. If food gives our bodies nutrition, fashion keeps us sheltered and warm, and so the answer might come as less of a surprise than one would first imagine.
Towards the end of the interview, I ask Glemaud about what he hopes that the future will hold. His answer is twofold, connecting back to the demanding reality of working in fashion, while also adding a positive view on the continued success of his brand: “Personally, I’m looking forward to a real summer holiday this year. While for the collection, I hope the future holds longevity.”