Do controversies and individualism really benefit fashion? The paradox of luxury and inclusivity with Philippe Pourhashemi

Fashion loves drama. It is what it was born for and what has allowed it to endure through the centuries, from the gossip at the court of Versailles to the feud between Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli. The problem is that today, with the digitisation of the most exclusive shows and the rise of accessibility as a trend, controversy has become a more dangerous weapon than ever. At a time when the industry proclaims itself increasingly democratic and inclusive, the boundary between personal visibility and collective cause is becoming ever thinner.

On the one hand, controversy brings publicity - as the endless examples from Demna’s era at Balenciaga have shown - but on the other, if poorly planned, it risks compromising the reputation of its creator. For this reason, in the contemporary fashion industry, it is always better to avoid turning collective initiatives into an exercise in personal branding.