©Getty Images “We look forward to supporting him as he expands his creative influence in all forms of storytelling, building on his already extraordinary success.”¹ Blair Kohan, a board member and partner at Hollywood talent agency UTA, welcomed Jonathan Anderson into the fold with this statement. Kohan's remarks underscore that the contemporary fashion industry now demands that creative directors evolve beyond simply being skilled designers to become cultural icons. Today's prominent creative directors must not only demonstrate design capabilities; they are also expected to act as public figures, building widespread recognition and influence across various media platforms, including their personal social media and various cultural spheres. This shift is driven by consumers' appetite for authenticity, seeking to directly resonate with and communicate the personal philosophy and life of the designer who created the product, as much as the item itself. As a result, fashion houses are increasingly preferring individuals with cultural impact when selecting creative directors - those who can present compelling storytelling based not only on design ability but also on powerful persona branding capabilities. ©Vogue Fashion brand directors must now identify themselves with their brands and even serve as ambassadors who communicate directly with the public. Simon Porte Jacquemus is a prime example of such a ‘celebrity designer.’ He actively shares his personal daily life and experiences on his Instagram account, aligning and showcasing his lifestyle with the relaxed and sensual lifestyle aesthetics of southern Europe that the brand ‘Jacquemus’ embodies. This perceived authenticity - a perfect synchronisation between designer and brand, almost as if the brand itself has been humanised - has made Jacquemus one of today’s most successful designers. Designers can no longer remain merely as figures who briefly appear at the curtain call of a show. They are now compelled to actively reveal their inspirations, working process, and even their private lives and values, thereby becoming the face and persona of the brand. ©Cordan Press While celebrated designers have always existed, they generally chose a controlled approach. They maintained a calculated distance from the public by showcasing their extraordinariness, or ‘genius’ through carefully selected media interviews and photo shoots. This ranged from extreme cases like Martin Margiela, who pursued anonymity, to figures like Hedi Slimane, who became almost synonymous with their brand; yet, they generally sought to maintain a reserved image. However, today's designers strive to build a more approachable and accessible image with the public through active self-exposure and direct communication rather than relying on mystique. They construct ‘authentic’ self-confessional narratives by revealing and staging even their private lives as though unplanned, thereby strengthening their bond with the public. “Celebrities must be similar enough to us that we can feel a sense of familiarity, yet different enough that we can worship them. They must remain within our line of sight, but maintain just enough distance that we must squint to see them properly"² Instagram @themarcjacobs Marc Jacobs joined this trend in 2021 by sharing detailed documentation of his facelift procedure and recovery period on his social media accounts. In an interview with Vogue³, reflecting on this and a previous hair transplant, he stated: "I don't even see it as an effort to be transparent. I'm doing what I normally do, which is living my life and sharing it with anybody who is interested." He further added towards the end of the interview, "I think you just need to start a conversation, and then maybe that will have a resounding echo that helps people feel less ashamed. I just don't think there's shame in being vain." His reinterpretation of vanity as a positive self-care, by honestly revealing personal desires, effectively closed the psychological distance with the public, showcasing an appealing human vulnerability. The ordinary and sincere demeanour shown by a figure at the pinnacle of the glamorous fashion world simultaneously evokes the dual emotions of identification and aspiration amongst the public, much like the calculated authenticity created by documentaries. Renowned designers are venturing beyond their personal social media accounts to actively reveal their vulnerabilities and behind-the-scenes stories through official channels such as interviews. They perform a tightrope walk between relatability and extraordinariness. For instance, Jonathan Anderson confesses in an interview with SHOWstudio⁴: “They feel that I get in and out of a cab every day and I have 45 staff at my house and I live in this, but the reality is actually I smoke 40 cigarettes a day, I live on a Mars bar and I'm working 20 hours a day to try to keep it going. And my biggest thing at the end of the month is paying the staff." ©Getty Images Jonathan Anderson emphasises the hard work and entrepreneurial responsibility that are far removed from the public's romanticised expectations and fantastical image of a creative director. Here, he asserts that the bedrock of his success lies not in innate talent or exceptional qualities, but in relentless effort. In doing so, he projects an image of being no different from anyone else, yet simultaneously reveals a distinguishing dedication to fashion through confessions such as being “married to the job.” John Galliano, after returning to Maison Margiela, also showed another side of himself as an ‘authentic celebrity designer’ through the brand's official podcast⁵. He directly explains his creative journey, including the inspiration for his collections, the design conceptualisation, and technical challenges. This gives listeners the impression of accessing behind-the-scenes stories of the fashion house as though they were insiders, fostering a sense of closeness and trust. Concurrently, it evokes a respect for the professionalism and creativity inherent in the title of creative director, who oversees all. Rick Owens on Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud However, regardless of their intentions or authenticity, designers' candid confessions and revelations about their creative processes become commodities within the industry the moment they encounter consumerism in fashion. In essence, the emergence of celebrity designers means that the persona they construct and present is managed as a core asset of the brand. This suggests that the key competencies required of designers leading brands are expanding beyond design expertise and technical rigour to include public self-management and communication skills, while simultaneously indicating that even the central axis of their role is shifting. This transformation raises concerns that the primary driver of fashion consumption may be distorted from product value to an aspect of fandom activities. The particular reason for caution is that fashion consumption risks morphing into the consumption of celebrity designers, and their products are relegated to ancillary items used to identify with the admired and emulated persona. In such an environment, the product can easily be regarded as an immediate solution to one’s own identity or style. In the end, the more designers become trapped in a ‘be famous for being famous’ structure, where the strategy of using their persona as an asset becomes prevalent, the more the definition of fashion as a means of finding one's own style will fade and become a thing of the past. ¹ Jazz Tangcay (2024.12.03) UTA Signs Fashion and Costume Designer Jonathan Anderson, Variety, Available at here² Emily Bootle (2022), “This Is Not Who I Am: Our Authenticity Obsession”, Ortac Press. (The sentence is not the original text; it is a back-translation.)³ Lauren Valenti (2021.07.31) “#LiveLoveLift”: Marc Jacobs Tells Vogue Why He Decided To Instagram His Facelift Recovery, British VOGUE, Available at here⁴ SHOW Studio (2012.08.14) “In Fashion: JW Anderson” , Available at here⁵ Maison Margiela “THE MEMORY OF… With John Galliano.”, Available at here BY MUYO PARKJULY 7, 2025 >READ THE KOREAN VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE> READ OTHER ARTICLES