There has always been a debate about the functionality of the design. Is design about the frills, decoration, and novelty or is design about getting a perfect cut and fit which the end user will benefit from. A designer and brand that always comes to mind while considering the frills vs functionality debate are Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent. Many in the industry like Tim Blanks of Business of Fashion consider Slimane a stylist or marketer, surely not a designer.
There are others however who consider clarity, practicality, and purpose as the main elements of design. This group that likes functionality in designs consider dramatic designs as aggressive, confrontational or allegedly pioneering. They feel that women are often forced to wear irrelevant clothing imposed on them by gay male designers. Alexandra Jacobs of the New York Times wrote “It felt like a “hostile mob,” to borrow the Minecraft term — a boy playing pixelated video games with women’s bodies.”, while she was reviewing a show by J.W.Anderson. Commercially speaking these pieces of dramatic design are not what stores want to stock up as they have no takers. Slimane has created many iconic pieces of practical design, slender suits from Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche and skinny jeans from Dior Homme.
