Everything started when our editor-in-chief and her classmates founded 1 Granary back in 2013. They were looking for an excuse to enter the industry, to sneak backstage and interrogate the designers, photographers, and stylists they looked up to most. Armed with nothing but a recorder and a foreign accent, they found their way inside, asking for advice from anyone who crossed their path (and sharing the results on a blog while they were at it).
What did they offer in exchange? Their spontaneity, their fresh perspective, their innocent questions, a way of looking at the industry that allowed even the most established names to rethink their decades-old approach. In other words – they offered youth.
This was before universities hired their own social media managers or fashion magazines launched young talent awards; bridges between emerging and established were few and far between. The inexperienced yearned for access, and the old guard was in desperate need of inspiration. 1 Granary was welcomed with open arms.
Yes, the median age in fashion dropped significantly in the last decade, but did anything else really change?
Enter the age of youth. The age of Fashion East and The LVMH prize. Of BA designs worn at the MET Gala, Madonna sitting front row at a graduate show, and designers complaining about the 20-year-old leading their creative department.
Yes, the median age in fashion dropped significantly in the last decade, but did anything else really change?
Over the years, 1 Granary grew its online and print publication (remaining fully independent while doing so!) but quickly learned that young talent can’t live on exposure alone. Yes, aspiring designers and creatives have the industry’s attention, but building a solid career as an independent has never been so difficult.
What does it mean to build a platform that centers around young talent, when that young talent is systematically hyped, overexposed, burnt out, and expected to run before it can walk?
And so, we thought of a pragmatic solution for each problem we observed. Our showrooms, exhibitions, incubation projects, and most recently, recruitment initiatives were all answers to the begging question ‒ how do we create space for all that talent?
Back to our print issue. Another question ‒ What does it mean to build a platform that centers around young talent, when that young talent is systematically hyped, overexposed, burnt out, and expected to run before it can walk?
We decided it was time to ask the real experts who are never asked. Not the same public profiles that have been delivering their seasonal PR speech on rotation, nor the up-and-coming stars who are brought out whenever a brand needs to prove its relevance.
What we learned from these many conversations is that there are barely any similarities between the industry they work in and the industry we see represented in media.
These insiders have been conceptualising, designing, researching, and producing every collection for the past three decades. Their behind-the-scenes positions granting them a clear-cut view inside the system.
What we learned from these many conversations is that there are barely any similarities between the industry they work in and the industry we see represented in media. How a culture of secrecy still makes it near-impossible to have open and honest conversations about the health and future of fashion.
Diversity, for example. Going through the many profile pages of luxury house employees, you immediately notice how many white faces there are. The make-up of the design studio does not represent that of the consumer base. It’s something everyone we spoke to was aware of, and adamant to see changed. Public conversations on inclusion, however, entirely focus on the parts that are visible, neglecting those who work on the inside. If your average Instagram follower won’t notice it, there’s no need to address it.
Fashion welcomes the young, but in doing so, uses it as a shorthand for creativity, to the frustration of those working behind the scenes.
Another misconception? The origin of creative excellence. Speaking to the design directors, VIP associates, collection managers, product developers, heads of print, knitwear consultants, fabric buyers, and vice presidents of shoes, we learned just how much collaboration and expertise goes into the making of fashion products. Having the idea is only the first step (and, depending on who you ask, the easiest one). Executing that idea, translating a general vision through desirable yet wearable objects that capture the zeitgeist and producing those designs in an efficient ‒ that takes a tremendous amount of creativity too, and mostly, experience.
Fashion welcomes the young, but in doing so, uses it as a shorthand for creativity, to the frustration of those working behind the scenes. They know what it takes to make it happen, and a fresh vision simply isn’t enough.
How can we make this industry function in a way that honours the talent, skill, and craftsmanship at its heart? We say ‒ start by having the uncomfortable conversations.
You can find 1 Granary issue 7 here
