The Rise of the Artisan
The importance of fashion industry artisans was stressed to me beginning with my first merchandising position at Chanel. Whether it was viewing the latest haute couture collection flown into New York for special client appointments or preparing a sample Lesage evening gown to be flown to Los Angles for a celebrity, the craftsmanship of Chanel’s products was always emphasized. But during the ‘aughts and teens, the idea of the artisan seemed to be more aligned with food than fashion – artisan cheese, artisan bread, artisan olive oil, artisan meats, and even artisan fruit preserves. In fact, I saw so many artisan food items that the word became overused and meaningless.
But once Covid hit, the general public’s interest in artisans only increased. In September 2022, Vogue covered the launch of several new fashion brands by novice creators both during and post-pandemic. Also last year, Canadian anthropologist Grant McCraken released a book, Return of the Artisan: How America Went from Industrial to Handmade, in which he explains the American artisanal movement as a response by disillusioned workers who are ditching the traditional 9 to 5 office workday to become designers, jewelers, perfumers, etc. Even Amazon is getting in on the act with video content for its Amazon Handmade series, which features individual artisan sellers and their creative processes. Trend forecaster Wunderman Thompson is calling this phenomenon “the rise of a new artisan economy.”
With all of this talk of artisans trending, fashion labels are putting the spotlight on their own craftsmen once again. At recent runway shows, many houses have been showcasing their artisan workshops: Fendi’s “Corporate Artisan” look for Spring 2024 staged at its leather factory, the Dior Pre-Fall 2023 Mumbai show that was a tribute to Indian artisans, and Chanel’s annual Metiers d’art collection, which celebrates the technical and creative know-how of its individual ateliers. What is striking is that none of these shows are focused on haute couture; the expertise and artisanship showcased is essentially at the ready-to-wear level.
Of course, we all know that fashion brands work with artisans and highly skilled workshops. But in a world where first contact with a brand is frequently digital, the concept of the artisan stresses both human creativity and touch. To create a beautifully beaded and embroidered Dior evening gown or Fendi’s finely crafted leather toolbox-inspired bags, humans had to be in contact with the product from the design phase straight through to production. By making the artisan central to their shows and collections, these houses are clearly communicating this to their audience.
The takeaway here for independent fashion designers and brands is that there is an audience eager to read about and see artisan stories. People are curious about the fashion process - how a design concept becomes a three-dimensional object and the skills required to make that happen - so getting into the details of your work will drive more audience interest. Think about how you tell your own story and if it both entertains and educates people on what you do and why you do it.
Photo by Anna Nahabed / Shutterstock
