Thought You Knew Fashion? Think Again

2014 is the year of experimentation in fashion. Whilst classic styles were once again present on the catwalks, new creative directions have shone throughout the collections of designers around the world. Cue the Burberry trench, a classic style since it's conception in the 1850s, which was presented for AW14 with shearling adornments and brush strokes to give it a new lease of life, courtesy of creative director Christopher Bailey.

Burberry Prorsum AW14 Show

In an industry that craves newness and refreshed originality, taking a new creative stance is a gamble as the brand risks losing their signature style and the elements that made them attractive in the first place.

However, it would appear to be a risk worth taking. Imran Amed, Editor-in-Chief of fashion news site Business of Fashion, commented on the necessity for a strong creative direction: "BOSS is the perfect example of a large, global fashion brand that nobody really pays much attention to because it's had nothing new or interesting to say, particularly in womenswear, which has mostly existed in the shadows of the company's core menswear tailoring business." He recognises that having exciting creative demonstrating itself in brands' products is more important than having a high-profile creative director who may not produce anything particularly new.

Below are my top 3 picks of brands that have taken a new creative direction this year and, for want of a better expression, nailed it.

1. Coach

Hailed the 'Master of Reinvention' by a recent Business of Fashion article, Coach's new direction for SS15 has surprised and delighted critics. With new creative director Stuart Vevers, the brand's focus is to transform itself into a global lifestyle brand, going beyond its previously strong accessories offering to showcase ready-to-wear and footwear as part of its improved offering.

2. Chanel

Chanel's AW14 campaign is sporty, modern and not what I would usually attribute to Chanel's classic luxury values. The AW14 show itself was set in a supermarket which seems foreign to the brand, but worked perfectly with the collection's fun style. Karl Lagerfeld's input shines in this collection.

3. Burberry

Though mentioned above, Burberry has truly reinvented its classic styles and I was wowed by the AW14 Prorsum Collection. With each product hand-painted, Christopher has made the collection deliciously charming whilst appealing to those customers who favour the bespoke value, as no two products will be the same.

Many of my colleagues agree that fashion has been taking itself less seriously this year. The industry itself is still an extremely important business but the days of re-releasing a classic item in a new hue seem to have diminished for those brands that seek to wow via re-invention and newness. I'm totally on-board with the idea but am intrigued as to how brands such as Moschino will continue to outdo themselves for AW15 after debuting the Barbie-and-McDonald's-inspired collections for AW14 and SS15 respectively.

Reinvention is the current industry climate, but what happens when there's no room for reinvention left? Additionally, are we to believe that each brand's motto should be 'reinvent yourself or fail?' Perhaps it is only a necessity for those brands that need a sales boost, but that is hardly the case for the likes of Chanel. It will be interesting to see how the AW15 collections shape up.

- A.T.