042 / 043 Pictured ► Craftsmanship is alive and well at Gaydon, Aston Martin's HQ in Warwickshire
Walpole British Luxury
As the little boy who always wanted to know how something was made, or the slightly older boy discussing every detail of his first bespoke suit with his tailor or buying his first pot in the artist’s studio, it seemed clear to me that craftsmanship mattered. So, it’s been reassuring to see the explosion of interest in craft. Of course, this goes well beyond my personal interests or, for that matter, either Britain or luxury. Indeed, I first sensed the change not in Bond Street but in farmers’ markets. I still see signs wherever I go: new galleries in Seoul or Taipei presenting the work of local artists, the popularity of exhibitions like the V&A’s McQueen blockbuster, Kyoto overrun by tourists declaring craft cool, dropin studios in Shanghai department stores where you can throw a pot in your lunch break. Like so many iceberg peaks they point to something going on. But is it of any real lasting significance and, if so, what? And what does it mean for the luxury sector, especially given the challenges to traditional business models from disruptive technologies? In my view, the luxury sector was both first and late to the craft party. First because most heritage luxury brands started as family-owned businesses, whose focus on the highest quality of materials and making was taken for granted. However, while the best never forgot, some lost their way when transforming into brands responding to waves of new customers, who didn’t ask tricky questions and were quite happy with the pulling power of a logo. This meant that when some of those consumers gradually became as super-picky and opinionated as their 19th-century predecessors, several luxury houses had to play catch up. Nowadays, you won’t find many brands that don’t sound like they value craftsmanship. However, inevitably there are some who have more craft credentials than others. Does this mean they are more likely to be successful? Not necessarily. For while skimping on quality was always going to be self-defeating in the end, the challenge for luxury continues to be to inspire and excite. Cristóbal Balenciaga’s genius was to cut, sew and shape startling new silhouettes that captured the spirit and aspirations of the time. But such talent is rare. As is such a craft-first approach. And in an era when many fashion houses see their main task as providing millennial customers with newness, when collaborations with streetwear brands generate block-length queues and when bloggers out-influence fashion editors, is the talent that’s really required that of the storyteller? Maybe the so-called craft movement is merely a scratching of a nostalgic itch that will pass, so the real winners will be brands who pay lip service to craft and heritage but concentrate on new stuff as the only way to win the Instagram wars. There has always been an element of truth here (Coco Chanel was as much showman as couturier) but I think this is to misread ►
