Is Luxury Fashion Just Merch Now (And Who's To Blame?)

Fashion is by, nature always changing. Obviously seasonal in nature, but also with trends, larger cultural movements, and outside forces like the US and world economies. But one thing that has felt like a steady march since the industrial revolution is the merch-ification of fashion. When I say merch as opposed to fashion, I'm talking about clothes that signify a brand, person, or event rather than focusing on the garment construction, materials, cut, etc. And I think with the prevalence of logomania, the fast-fashion trends in clothing manufacturing, and the rise of celebrities as the heads of prominent fashion houses, I think the trend is undeniable. But who is to "blame" for this trend? Not to necessarily imply it's an explicitly bad thing, but some have suggested Virgil Abloh was the harbinger of the movement. I don't think that's exactly fair. I wanted to dive into the history of this industry trend, see where it came from, how we got here, and where it will go in the future. But as always, interested to hear your thoughts. Fashion People - Mary Supreme and Gorpcore Mania - https://puck.news/podcast_episode/marty-supreme-merch-and-gorpcore-mania-2/ The Lie About Celebrity Designers | Collab Lab with Bimma - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P-jQRWHPHk Style Zeitgeist - Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2026 Men's - https://stylezeitgeist.buzzsprout.com/ 00:00 - Intro 01:19 - What Is "Merch" vs "Fashion?" 03:10 - The Origins of Logomania and Monogram 06:48 - Luxury's Adoption of Streetwear 08:45 - Demna Gvasalia and Balenciaga Merch Commentary 10:34 - Rise of Celebrity Creative Directors 12:38 - The Future of Brands as Franchises 15:04 - Who's Really to Blame? #luxuryfashion #fashiontrends #fashionindustry #businessoffashion #virgilabloh 16:09 - Silver Lining: Revenge of Quiet Luxury 20:46 - Outro