Fashion tastemakers - standing apart yet working together

This article, Le Clique, C’est Chic from Style.com magazine (October 2011) reflects the importance of connections for those in position of influence.

The notion of a fashion tastemaker brings to mind important individuals in the industry who are often known simply by first names, such as Karl, Carine or Muccia. The ‘circles of influence’ mapped in this article have high-profile taste-making designers at their centre with other people noted for their influence on fashion (models, fashion editors, journalists, DJs, etc) circling in their orbit.

What this visualisation captures is a tension that exists for fashion tastemakers when exerting influence. Each needs to have their own distinct personae, carefully crafted through their ability to communicate fresh unique perspectives on fashion. Yet for the tastemaker’s vision of fashionable taste to gather momentum and take effect, others need to agree, endorse and express a similar perspective. This occurs through cooperation and collaboration between various types of tastemakers and influencers with a common aesthetic – the work of designers, models, stylists, magazine editors, celebrities and photographers all contributes to the particular representation of new fashionable taste. Fashion only becomes manifest through the convergence of specific people, processes, garments, performances, images, words and expert editing. It requires a team effort to transform an idea of fashion into understandable, shareable and wearable items for the contemporary fashion context. The benefits of collaboration go further for fashion tastemakers. Their perceived credibility is reliant on the network of connections and associations they have to other influencers. Their network acts a bit like a reference – one’s integrity supports the other.

Tastemakers need other tastemakers to make taste!