source: Burberry
Luxury brands completely changed how fashion branding marketing is being looked at. Brand colors, creative strategies, logos, all are being swapped and replaced more and more often lately. And it seems to increase brand values rather than damage their branding and confuse the customers with inconsistent identity. So what's the trick?
Luxury brands like Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, Gucci, Saint Laurent and many others are rebranding. Some are changing logos and creative strategies, but also new aesthetics, focusing on a different market, and going back to the roots are all ways brands have entered new eras. Is this the new era of Luxury Branding and why is it happening?
Remember the post about Marketing during recession (Link)? The way to increase sales was to show off big logos and luxury branding, things that signify status. Well currently major luxury maisons are rebranding. No more obvious big logos. The accent is on trends, colors, innovative creative strategies and heritage.
source: Burberry
"Designers welcome visual signatures like the inclusion of motifs or the adoption of certain colours. From @Burberry and @Ferragamo to @Diesel and @Ganni, luxury brands are redefining their visual signatures to cultivate universal recognition and customer loyalty. The key is not to be too overt." #voguebusiness states.
Apart from new logos in sans font, red and blue seem to be incorporated a lot in the new creative strategies including Ferragamo and Burberry. Luxury brands want to appeal more to current trends and new markets.
More are more of them are accepting serif fonts and incorporating new creative directions.
source: Ferragamo
“One of the features of Lee’s playbook is owning color. I think we’ll continue to see more of us jumping on the same bandwagon within the fashion industry,” says Ejaz Ahmed, founder and CEO of Akka (media company whose clients include Hermès, Chanel, Nike, Louis Vuitton and Moncler).
Brands are trying to balance out the need to be loud and quiet at the same time, Ahmed observed. “Logomania had an extravagance to it, or a sense of superiority. Now, there’s a more subtle and elegant sensibility that showcases a person’s cultural subtlety, reflecting the mood of the time. Lots of non-graphic motifs And there are house codes that are identifying clothing and brands without the need for a logo. This is not a process that can be achieved through speed. “
To develop a genuine and successful brand identity takes time, consistency and cohesive image presence in all communications. Selvey from Wizz & Co stated one needs to build a cult brand to reach that point. And claims trademark ownership of a motif or color isn’t as straightforward as a logo. “Developing a sustainable brand symbol is a long process,” says Mussman.
Following that, it is important to state that developing a long-lasting house identifier is not a priority for every brand. Emerging South Korean streetwear brand Goodboy does the opposite: It changes its logo every season to create an element of surprise and excitement for its customers. This has an added benefit of making counterfeiting more difficult – its most devoted fans know which season the logo is from. If something is done with a purpose with a solid strategy supporting it, it can become a part of the brand identity, even though there is nothing tangible to connect it to. It's all about experiences and status and hype it creates for its fans.
Hugo (owned by Hugo Boss), often reinvents its logo also. For SS 23 season, they added a swirly signature logo, as if it was made as a handwritten signature. On the other hand, for their AW 23 season, Simone Rocha invited six creatives to reinterpret her brand's logo. In fashion, reinvention is a never ending process.
From Gucci to Burberry, see below are some of the biggest rebrands in last few months.
BURBERRY
source: Burberry
After Ricardo Tisci left Burberry, and Daniel Lee took his place, people were wondering what new creative strategy will come with him. For his first campaign, Burberry showed off a new logo and brought back the old Equestrian Knight Design (see image of the logo evolution above).
SAINT LAURENT
source: ysl
In 2012 Yves Saint Laurent, under the creative direction of Hedi Slimane, officially became Saint Laurent. Since that decision, the esteemed label has kept its updated name, though it never dropped its YSL logo for accessories and beauty products. Even with the name change, the luxury brand has stayed true to its Parisian chic roots.
source: Lofficielusa
BOTTEGA VENETA
source: Bottega Veneta
Perhaps one of the most well-known rebrand stories in the fashion history books, Daniel Lee revived Bottega Veneta from a heritage Italian label to a highly commercialized luxury brand, a shift which has often been referred to as New Bottega. From bold design choices to the signature "Bottega Green," Bottega Veneta has become a new brand completely, leaving us wondering if the momentum will stay the same under the leadership of Matthieu Blazy. Based off of Blazy's first collection for the Fall/Winter 2022 season, he certainly did not disappoint Bottega Veneta fans as he was inspired by futuristic art and conceptualized around the idea of movement.
Bottega even removed Instagram account as a part of their new marketing plan.
source: Lofficielusa
GUCCI
source: Gucci
Maybe Alessandro Michele didn't debut a new Gucci logo, but the designer label was unquestionably put through a major rebrand moment. Once Michele was given the title of sole creative director in 2015, the Italian brand was completely reinvented as Michele constantly played around with androgyny, maximalism, and theatrical risks. It was also through his connections that he landed A-list celebrities willing to sport the brand during red-carpet appearances such as Billie Eilish and Harry Styles. Since Michele's departure and the newly appointed Sabato De Sarno as creative director, it appears Gucci may be reinventing itself once again. Based on the Men's Fall/Winter 2023 show, the label has stepped back from Michele's signature maximalist tendencies and is heading toward the basics.
source: Lofficielusa
ISABEL MARANT
source: Isabel Marant Youtube
With hopes to better compete against larger luxury brands, Isabel Marant has gone forward with rebranding as the French label has updated its look with a new logo and fresh packaging. Additionally, Isabel Marant seeks to expand its offerings by focusing on driving its menswear, accessories, and leather goods. The label is best known for its chic French girl aesthetic, which has become significantly more mainstream in past years and now must level up with top luxury brands in the market.
source: Lofficielusa
CELINE
source: Celine
In 2018, luxury fashion brand Céline dropped its accent mark—a decision made by the then-newly appointed creative director Hedi Slimane. The decision came as a way to make the logo reminiscent of the brand's original logo from the 1960s. The sudden rebrand came as a shock to the fashion world, especially since former creative director Phoebe Philo had created such a strong era for the French label. However, the rebrand proved fruitful as Slimane pivoted from Philo's distinct minimalist aesthetic and brought a more youthful, punk/grunge edge to the brand.
source: Lofficielusa
Lagerfeld understood that Chanel and Fendi were bigger than even his larger-than-life persona, and was subsequently able to keep those brands afloat for nearly half a century. For as much personal success as they may have, Morency notes that creative directors have to remember the bigger picture.
“The luxury house they work for has existed long before they were born and it will most likely be around long after they’re gone,” he says. “The lesson here is evolution over revolution.”
source: Jing daily
In Conclusion, branding is flexible and needs to be innovated and adjusted for each brand depending on what goal they are trying to achieve.
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