Do designer labels even matter anymore?

Once upon a time, a designer label meant everything.  A logo stitched into a handbag or printed across a t-shirt wasn't just fashion, it was a status and proof that you had made it.  From brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, fashion has always been obsessed with the power of the designer name. 

 But somewhere along the way, the rules have changed.

Today, dupes from designer brands go viral overnight and social media has blurred the line between luxury and imitation.  A perfectly curated outfit from a vintage store can earn more admiration that a four figure designer look.  Anyone younger than a millennial are also questioning whether designer labels makes sense and they aren't buying into it.  Personal style now matters more than the labels.  The designer industry is relying on Millennials and older who still hold it with some value.

So in a world dominated by fast fashion, quiet luxury, resale culture and TikTok aesthetics, one question keeps coming up: do designer labels even matter anymore?

This is such a huge discussion at the moment and I will give my personal opinion on it at the end, but here is some of the evidence going on in the world that has made me write about this topic in particular:

1) Top tier designers are starting to choose high street brands over luxury houses, making the gap between luxury and high street smaller and smaller.  John Galliano from Dior is heading to Zara, Clare Waight Keller from Chloe and Givenchy has moved to Uniqlo and Zac Posen from Brocks brothers has moved to Gap.  Why is this?  I think the pressure in the designer space and lack of creative freedom has started to wear down the designers and High street brands offer them a chance to reach a larger audience rather than the smaller audience who buys designer.  Talent is starting to move down the ladder and that should be a big worry for the industry.

2) Bigger and better High street collaborations are currently in play.  Hailey Bieber is the ambassador of Mango, Victoria Beckham is collaborating with Gap and Stellar McCartney has just released a collaboration with H&M.  This makes these high street brands extremely desirable.

3) High street was worn at the Met Gala this year which proves the start of this conversation, do designer labels even matter anymore?  Bad Bunny, Megan Ortega and Stevie Nicks wore Zara, hinting at the direction that Galliano will be taking as creative director. Kendal Jenner wore Gap, designed by the new creative director Zac Posen and it all started with a simple classic tee.  These fashion movements at such a large event, really shows the world that something is changing.

Now do I agree with the statement?  I do see that it is changing and there are many things that I like about that.  Number one being that fashion is and always should be about personal style and not labels, so if you're wearing it for labels, you're not wearing it for the right reasons anyway.  I am an accessories designer girl, but I also have high street accessories that I absolutely love and that when styled well, look just as expensive as the designer pieces.  You have to have the eye for pieces and know how to style them.  But for me, designer brands still hold a huge influence.  A luxury item is rarely about the logo, it represents craftmanship, heritage and identity in a way fast fashion cannot replicate.  Brands like Chanel and Hermes continue to thrive because consumers still associate them with quality, timelessness and social value.  Whether that's buying it new or pre-loved.  I love buying mine pre-loved as I love the history and the quality of the pre-loved bags and accessories.  In many ways designer labels have evolved rather than disappeared.  Instead of loud logos, they're quieter, subtler and aimed at people who appreciate that without needing the brand to stand out.  So the people who are buying luxury now, might be a smaller amount of people, but they're people who genuinely love fashion and the heritage of the brands.  So perhaps it's exactly where it needs to be, the meaning of luxury is changing, but it's appeal certainly hasn't vanished to those who hold it in a special place in their heart.