When everyone has access to the same tools, the differentiating factor becomes talent again.
Today, fashion is going through a phase where the motto seems to be: “nothing is created, everything is copied.” But, to be honest: hasn’t it always been like this? So why are we so worried?
The problem isn’t copying itself, or the so-called “inspiration,” a politically correct term we use to mask the obvious. The real problem lies in creative paralysis: in not creating anything beyond copying. The danger lies in the belief that talent, repertoire, and creative vision can be replaced by apps and integrations. And, in brands, this is evident.
It’s not just a matter of copyright; it’s a matter of talent. It’s talent that sustains a brand in the long term.
A few days ago, I came across a post about old Vogue and how its covers were, for the most part, hand-illustrated. The period between the beginning of the 20th century and the 1930s is considered the “Golden Age” of fashion illustration. Great artists of the time, such as George Wolfe Plank, Georges Lepape, Helen Dryden, Eduardo Garcia Benito, and André Édouard Marty, created original works using watercolor, gouache, and India ink. More than presenting trends, they delivered true works of art influenced by Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
Although I recognize that photography is a sublime art and that we have memorable covers thanks to it, signed by names like Irving Penn, Annie Leibovitz, and Peter Lindbergh, my reflection creates a parallel: at that time, there was no AI or technological shortcuts. Above all, talent was necessary.
I believe that the new and the traditional can coexist. Why then do we insist on the idea that, to embrace one, we need to abandon the other? Is it really true that, given the ease of copying, creating is still not the best strategy?
Great names like Tom Ford, John Galliano, and Coco Chanel made history because they were creators, not repeaters. And I wonder: does no one else want to make history? What is the point of a brand if it doesn’t leave its own identity?
Perhaps the question isn’t where these talents are, but whether we are still willing to value them. Because, in the age of AI, what will continue to differentiate brands and creators will not be the ability to generate images in seconds, but the courage to create something that no one else could imagine.
Where are the talents of “handmade,” those artists whose style is capable of transcending generations?
