Is it the Fashion Product Innovator ..or.. the Marketing Communicator?
CREATIVE DIRECTOR IS A CONFUSED TERM. This was recently learnt - as my own experience has been multi-faceted, directing creative efforts for startup brands such as Lockwood Umbrellas, Gucewicz Leather, Gucewicz Eyewear, Voodoo Chateau, T-Generations, and Departmnt. But more recently, my professional journey has intersected with marketing professionals : these very different beings to fashion people, perceive the role of a creative director from a different perspective.
There’s a palpable disconnect: marketing experts grapple with the essence of a fashion creative director's role, while their fashion counterparts seem unaware about the functions of a marketing creative director. I've unwittingly found myself running back and forth between the separate camps of these distinctive industries. So the aim here is to demystify these roles :
What FASHION THINKS A CREATIVE DIRECTOR does (LEFT) vs What most OTHER INDUSTRIES THINKS A CREATIVE DIRECTOR should do (RIGHT).
The 'role' of 'creative director' can be delineated into two categories: fashion/product and marketing/agency creative director. The former typically implies an in-house position, shaping the aesthetic vision and the physicality of the products of a brand, the latter often involves working within an agency environment, strategizing creative solutions across really diverse client portfolios, usually non-physical communication of information work.
In the fashion and product design industry, Creative Director is almost a deified position of creative leadership within a fashion house - directing teams of usually younger but also talented designers on overarching collection concepts. The Fashion CD effectively acts as the fashion compass of the brand. This coveted in-house position encompasses guiding the aesthetic journey of the brand, curating a distinctive visual identity and determining a visual discourse in the constantly evolving fashion and product industry.
“the role of the creative director is less about directing others, and more about nurturing an intimate, personal relationship with the very soul of design.”
“If nobody hates it, then no-on truly loves it” - Jessica Walsh
The best Fashion Creative directors of this kind have more than just a keen eye and a dynamic vision, they also have acquired a nuanced understanding of industrial and product design, the delicate interplay of form and function, honed through years of hands-on experience. Like a potter intimately shaping clay on the wheel, these directors often have a tangible history of crafting the product, stitching the seams, and smoothing the edges. It's a realm where tactile knowledge speaks volumes, where firsthand mastery of production processes is invaluable. Design icons from Christian Dior to Marc Newson have echoed this sentiment - the role of the creative director is less about directing others, and more about nurturing an intimate, personal relationship with the very soul of design.
In the world of marketing, it's less about finding design's soul and more about communication. These Creative Directors are not making physical things, they are communicating information through the medium of information : graphics and film and take center stage as the imaginative outlets. There is something liberating about this, as the confines of engineering, the way a fabric will hang or a piece of acrylic may form- isn't relevant in this realm of aesthetics. For the fashion designer stepping into this world it feels like anything is possible, and resources are diverted to strategizing marketing ploys, and breathing life into a vision that encapsulates a campaign's objectives. They are the stewards of the brand's visual identity, curating a seamless narrative that traverses all marketing touchpoints.
Being a creative director in the marketing and advertising industry is akin to being an architect of persuasion. They master the language of visual communication, creating compelling narratives through the seamless blend of graphic design and layout. They weave engaging stories that captivate audiences, akin to the poetic prowess of legendary ad man, Bill Bernbach - a pioneering American advertising creative director and one of the founders of the international advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB). once remarked, "We are so busy measuring public opinion that we forget we can mold it." Thus, the creative director transcends from being a mere observer to a powerful influencer, sculpting the landscape of consumer perception with every campaign.
It's understandable why the confusion has happened, as the term 'creative director' can encapsulate varied roles based on the industry's nature and the culture that spawns from it. What is effectively a job title of "Creative director" misunderstanding, that has become a Janus-faced entity, creating a potential for misinterpretation across industries- its worth noting the simple statement from The designer, Massimo Vignelli who said "The life of a designer is a life of fight: fight against the ugliness." and perhaps that is where the two sides reconcile, whatever type of creative we might be, we are sensitive to the same cause : to make the world an even more beautiful place to live.
Thanks for reading! And if you have any further thoughts on this and to discuss more - or wish to challenge any of my opinions - I will be delighted to discuss more!
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