Leading fashion houses undergo DNA test as the industry's creative professionals play musical chairs
They were once considered kings of their trade, in charge of a glamorous empire spanning the globe. However, times have changed and many fashion designers have now been relegated to the role of mere subjects in a competitive realm.
Looking back, there was a time when a luxury brand's identity was defined solely by the designer who founded it.
Stalwarts such as Christian Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent were not just leaders of the brands that bore their name, but also visionaries responsible for creating a legacy that would last well after they were gone.
However, as the baton has been passed on to the next generation, many designers have become dispensable, and there has been a series of musical chairs at some of the industry's most powerful brands. Stefano Pilati, Christophe Decarnin, Raf Simons and John Galliano are just a few who have been flung aside from the houses they have defined - or founded - over the past decade.
In their place have come new designers who have been charged with the onerous burden of reigniting the brand, while attempting to juggle the heritage left behind by their predecessors.
The trend favours younger and less experienced names, such as 21-year-old Olivier Rousteing, who is now creative director of Balmain, and New York wunderkind Alexander Wang, who recently debuted his first collection at Balenciaga.
With so many comings and goings, one can't help but wonder how this has affected the identity of each brand. Has a brand's DNA become more fluid, or is it still inextricably linked to the designer at its helm?
"Today, identity can be misinterpreted," explains Jean-Marc Loubier, president and CEO of Fung Brands, who has been responsible for acquiring several luxury brands over the years, including Robert Clergerie, Sonia Rykiel and Delevaux.
"When people say identity they are often referring to the codes or signatures of a house. Sure, codes are important, but without a soul it is nothing. With identity you need to manage it, play with it, feel it, question it, challenge it, make it bigger and smaller. You have to shape it. The designer should be the leader in that."