“It’s so important when you are young to fill yourself with culture, art, music, movies, fashion, travels. It’s fuel for life” – Milan Vukmirovic
Fashion is a very curious business when it comes to celebrity. On the one hand it is a very public business/profession to be part of because everyone in it is constantly trying to cater to the people and guess what they want. Then, there are people and companies in this industry powerful enough to influence what people will want and how they will act. But, then there is the other side of the coin, where, there are many who choose a completely secluded lifestyle and prefer not to be bothered for anything except work. Martin Margiela is a wonderful example. Taking into consideration the level of influence he had on the fashion world and consequently on society in general, he never showed his face. And then he left the industry, just as swiftly as he entered it. Pretty much no one has seen the guy. Nevertheless, MM managed to create a significant following and high level of admiration all the while working incognito. Very much like Banksy, except Banksy, I believe did show himself to an extent in Exit Through the Gift Shop, if that was in fact him.
Then there is another facet of the fashion world that is also very interesting. It’s the idea of a brand versus the designer. While even those that do not take fashion seriously, know, or at least have heard of houses like Chanel, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana, the actual creative directors appointed to carry these brands and attract customers with their work are often left unknown. There are designers whose names are arguably just as well known as the brand, and it especially helps when the name of the brand matches that of the designer. But, there have been people that managed to create a name for themselves, no less influential, within an established brand. Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs are great examples.
Today, I wanted to talk about one of my most favorite people in the world, and the man whose achievements I hugely admire. His name is Milan Vukmirovic, and he plays a very significant role in the fashion world. Unfortunately (and surprisingly to me), every time I mention his name – and I mention it often – very, very few people have even the slightest idea of who he is. I went to a Trussardi 1911 store in Barcelona in order to find out the problem behind this. You see, I have a very silly habit; I’ll go into fashion stores, walk up to a store clerk and start inquiring them about the brand they work for. They are simple questions such as what the name of the fashion director is, when and where the brand was founded, etc. It’s just that I feel somewhat reluctant to shop at a store that carries a name like Gucci or YSL when the people working there do not know that Frida Giannini and Stefano Pilati, respectively, are the people who design the clothes they are trying to sell. However, thankfully, that is usually not the case, and the employees are well aware of the important names and facts that have to do with their work place.
