logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2020
58m 9s

Fabien Baron Says, 'The Way We Communica...

THE BUSINESS OF FASHION
About this episode

The celebrated art director Fabien Baron talks to BoF Editor-at-Large Tim Blanks about the future of image-making.

 

LONDON, United Kingdom — For famed art director Fabien Baron, the chaos and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic presents an opportunity for the fashion industry to go “back to basics.”

“When there’s doubt like this there’s not really an answer… so there’s opportunities to take more risks and be more creative,” Baron told BoF Editor-at-Large Tim Blanks in the latest episode of The BoF Podcast. “It’s going to bring a lot of changes… but there’s something very optimistic about change. To be forced to change allows one to really [reflect] on the issues we are all facing.”

  • This period of uncertainty has unlocked conversations that were rippling below the surface, said Baron. Both the pandemic and the recent political unrest has highlighted an opportunity for the fashion industry at large to reshape “old formats” that feel at odds with the world’s new normal. For Baron, that means “a new way of looking things… which may lead you to a new path… it’s going to be an evolution [for the industry].”
  • According to Baron, creativity is the key to unlocking change and as the world adjusts to a new set of challenges, industries must do the same. From this health crisis a new way of approaching magazines, photography, styling and the buying and selling of merchandise will emerge where storytelling must supersede superficiality, said Baron. Brands and publications must hone an authentic voice which reflects the time and inspires “people with new ideas and new ways of looking at things. You need freshness and you need a lot of positiveness.”
  • Simplicity could be the antidote to the incessant pace at which the industry has been operating. The months of travelling it took to view runway shows or presentations, whether it was buyers or editors, hopping from “this city to that city just to see a show… After a while it [didn’t] make sense.” However, the outbreak of the coronavirus brought the fashion calendar to a standstill and designers turned towards digital tools in order to showcase their collections. This new way of using technology means “the way we communicate is going to change because the tools are changing and they’re opening new doors,” he said.They allow us to do different things and view things [from] different angles.”

Related Articles:

A Year Without Fashion Shows

Who Will Win the Digital Fashion Week Battle?

Fashion’s New Outlook on 2020

Fabien Baron Is Not Nostalgic



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Aug 22
The Best of The BoF Podcast: Avery Trufelman on the Meaning Behind the Clothes We Wear
On her award-winning podcast “Articles of Interest,” host and producer Avery Trufelman dives deep into the stories behind the clothes we wear. From the evolution of prep to the origins of wedding dresses, Avery guides her listeners through the multi-faceted layers behind the aest ... Show More
41m 29s
Aug 15
The Best of The BoF Podcast: Francesco Risso Says Fashion Should Slow Down to Find Its Magic Again
Born in Sardinia on a sailing boat to self-described “adventurous” parents, Francesco Risso grew up in an environment that fostered independence, spontaneity and a deep need to create. After formative years at Polimoda, FIT and Central Saint Martins — where he studied under the l ... Show More
1 h
Aug 8
The Best of The BoF Podcast: James Whitner on Culture, Community and Building Brands with Purpose
James Whitner — founder of The Whitaker Group and the visionary behind retailers such as A Ma Maniére and Social Status — reveals how culture, purpose, and empathy drive his approach to business. Whitner witnessed firsthand how marginalised communities often face limited options, ... Show More
40m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2021
Legendary Auctioneer Simon de Pury on Monaco, Hip Hop, and the Art Market’s New Reality
This week, the subject of our show is less a story and more of a phenomenon, and his name is Simon de Pury.A legendary auctioneer who has actually been called the "Mick Jagger of auctions," de Pury has led a storied career in art. A baron by heredity who was born in the Swiss art ... Show More
40m 47s
Sep 2023
Fashion Month Edition: Dora Maar CEO Lauren Wilson on leveraging NYFW's marketing opportunities
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically ... Show More
19m 54s
Jun 2021
Fashion’s new tastemakers
On The Future of Fashion: The Innovators podcast, executive Americas editor Hilary Milnes speaks to Jenny Campbell, CMO of Kate Spade, and PayPal’s Greg Lisiewski on fashion’s outlook led by Gen Z trend setters. Gen Z set industry trends. That’s influenced how Kate Spade shows up ... Show More
24 m
Mar 2020
Why Art and Fashion Need Each Other Now
For its first-ever live episode, recorded at the 2020 Armory Show, the Art Angle brought on couture wunderkind Sander Lak, the creative director of the white-hot Sies Marjan, to discuss the intersection of art and fashion. The Dutch designer, who named his label after his parents ... Show More
26m 3s
Apr 2023
Green is the New Black
Clothing recycling along with second-hand and rental markets have significantly decreased waste in the fashion industry. Today in 2050, every garment tells a story. This transparency about an item’s provenance empowers consumers to make responsible choices. At Tokyo Fashion Week, ... Show More
27m 13s
Feb 2024
Merchants of Style with Natasha Degen
On this episode we speak with Natasha Degen, Professor and Chair, Art Market Studies, Fashion Institute of Technology about the uneasy symbiosis of fashion and art that she examines in depth in her recent book Merchants of Style: Art and Fashion After Warhol,. We talk about the e ... Show More
1h 50m
Apr 2024
[DLA] Xu Zhen reinvents the Lady Dior: invitation to discover his unique imagination revisiting the spirit of this iconic object of desire
Welcome to the Dior Talks podcast series dedicated to the eighth edition of Dior Lady Art, hosted by Paris-based journalist Katya Foreman. For this highly-anticipated edition, 12 artists from around the world were invited to transform the iconic Lady Dior handbag into a unique pi ... Show More
15m 27s
Oct 2023
The Round-Up: London vs Paris, Criticism in the Age of 'Parasocial Aesthetics,' and More Secrets of the Mona Lisa
This week, the Art Angle is returning with this month's edition of the Round Up, featuring Artnet News Europe Editor Kate Brown, National Art Critic Ben Davis, and Global News Editor Naomi Rea.After a whirlwind two weeks of back-to-back art fairs at Frieze London and Paris+, the ... Show More
39m 11s
Nov 2022
Episode 9: From URL to Front Row: Bloggers Dial-Up Fashion
The dawn of the 21st century witnessed the proliferation of media, and a decided shift online. With access like never before, the fashion world was opened to new readers, fans, and enthusiasts through the eyes, and fingertips, of self-appointed chroniclers and critics who came to ... Show More
31m 9s
Mar 2024
Staggering Art Economic Trends, the Spring Selling Season, and a Fix for the #1 Art Business Problem
Staggering Art Economic Trends, the Spring Selling Season, and a Fix for the #1 Art Business Problem Shownotes: 👉 Follow us on Instagram: @art_storefronts 👉 Watch the recent IG LIVE. Learn a ton and have some unique insights that 99% of artists and photographers do not have whe ... Show More
47m 17s