Hot Takes #19: Anonymity Is Fashion’s Future

Fashion is playing a game of hide and seek as anonymity is the new cultural cool

Now you see me, now you don't. Here one minute and gone the next. As fashion goes through an existential crisis, anonymous brands and no-face figureheads are moving the industry into its next phase.

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Hot Takes is my bullet point thoughts on fashion's hottest issues. These posts get to the heart of why people are talking about what they’re talking about, what this means, and where this could go next. 

Think: what direction is fashion heading in? What’s new, innovative, and exciting? What's going on in fashion that's pissing people off?

Hot Takes ties fashion topics to a wider cultural and social context, digging into the often more significant meaning behind things.

So sit back, relax, and let's get into it. Here’s Hot Takes #19.

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Let’s set the scene.

In fashion, the desire for visibility often falls short of its promised satisfaction.

Scrolling through social media, we’re inundated with self-made celebrities, influencers, and creators who capitalize on their image, and the allure of forging a career by becoming a household name has a certain appeal.

Yet, when fame becomes accessible to just about anyone and everyone who can point, shoot, and wield a device, the charade seems meaningless.

This shift has led many designers and brands to prioritize anonymity over notoriety.

Unbranded designs and off-the-grid styles, labels devoid of words and lacking a significant statement, a personal aversion to the spotlight, and a dedicated focus on design and brand credibility are taking precedence.

All of this is happening at a time when escaping the online visibility machine has become a necessity.

It’s a Banksy versus Ye scenario, where being known solely for one’s works sits in direct contrast with being so famous you can hide behind a mask and elicit strong reactions either way.

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The luxury of being a no-face designer

Martin Margiela is one fashionable figure who has long championed the value of anonymity.

The Belgian designer, artist, and founder of the French luxury house Maison Margiela has maintained a discreet profile, eschewing face-to-face interviews and photographic documentation throughout his storied career.

To this day, Margiela refuses to be photographed. Remember that image of employees clad in white lab coats standing beside an empty chair, indicating the absence of someone important? Yeah, that was a Margiela shot.

This image has become emblematic of the brand's ethos and kickstarted the 'Margiela effect' — adding to the hype, mystique, and enduring intrigue surrounding the brand, which perhaps can explain why this no-face persona has endured for so long.

Anonymity provides a certain type of luxury and a canvas for creation without overshadowing fashion design and curation, and it can go a long way in offering an unbiased perspective on the fashion that is being presented.

What you see is what you get. And when what you see is less visible, more subtle and complex, being anonymous is a luxury labels and designers themselves are now trying to cultivate.

The aesthetics of anonymity

The anti-establishment fashion sentiment is gaining traction and one place that’s clearly visible is in the rise of anonymous aesthetics.

In 2011, while serving as the creative director at Jil Sander, Raf Simons incorporated balaclavas into the AW collection, and in 2018 during his tenure at Calvin Klein, he reintroduced them. Marine Serre has sparked debates on social media with social and political use of masks on the runway. And while at Gucci, Michele frequently obscured his models' faces.

In more recent times, Korean brands are leading the charge in embracing anonymity, with designers behind labels such as 99%IS regularly hiding their face on social media posts, which translates to runway designs and collections featuring balaclavas and obscured head gear.

We’re naturally captivated by enigmatic figures and narratives in fashion, often gossiping about such people to their faces as well as behind their backs — so its no wonder that when your persona is shrouded in anonymity, this garners attention from both fashion connoisseurs and the general public alike.

There's a growing trend towards depersonalizing fashionable figures and models in fashion to shift the focus onto the clothing itself.

Post peak-coronavirus, the allure of anonymity aesthetics shows no signs of waning as masks have become a normal, accepted part of society and culture, with many in fashion using this shift as a change to get back to doing what they do best — making clothes for the art of it instead of for self-promo clout.

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My two cents.

In an era where everything from our coffee orders to our cat's daily antics to our gym routines and latest purchases is shared online, can the appeal of anonymity continue to prevail?

Designers and cult figures behind big and small labels frequently revel in the spotlight, becoming household names in the process. But a select few are opting for a less conventional path — one steeped in mystery and allure.

The founder of The Uncommonist chooses to remain entirely anonymous. Despite being a relative newcomer on the block, the London-based brand has already attracted attention from Julia Fox, Michele Lamy, Rita Ora, and Tiwa Savage.

Shayne Oliver's latest brand is aptly named Anonymous Club. While the name might have been more impactful had the designer's identity remained a mystery, it’s fitting for the direction the industry is heading in.

And then you’ve got some of the most popular, fashion-focused Instagram accounts all operating from behind a smoke screen.

Created in 2014 by two then-anonymous founders, Diet Prada shakes off the spotlight in favour of creating impactful commentary on industry issues. 

And @hidden.ny is an anonymous success story, collaborating with major industry players, creating sold-out collections and amassing a following TikTokers would be jealous of.

As the novelty of our digital existence falls off a cliff edge, anonymity can deliberately conceal identities in an industry where personal branding is often paramount, ushering in the prominence of not only anonymous brands but no-face figureheads too.

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