Dismantling the Creative Director : a media content analysis of creative directors Daniel Lee and Simon Porte Jacquemus

Sammanfattning: This bachelor’s dissertation is written by Allis Stenvall and Isabella Österlund (2020), Division of Fashion Science, Lund University. The study titled “Dismantling the creative director” - A media content analysis of creative directors Daniel Lee and Simon Porte Jaquemus aims to analyze and understand the expectation and definitions of a creative director at a luxury fashion house and what influence the modern consumer has on fashion in the current zeitgeist. Approaching the topic, this paper focuses on two current creative directors, Daniel Lee for Bottega Veneta and Simon Porte Jacquemus for Jacquemus. The theoretical framework consists of Roland Barthes’ Fashion System and Mythologies, Yuniya Kawamura’s theories regarding the designer’s star quality and tastemaker position, Pierre Bourdieu’s field of fashion and Jenny Lantz’s take on neomania. The paper is a media content analysis that makes use of findings from different journalistic and popular cultural articles and social media content. The study shows that the spirit of time is heavily defined by social media that is nurturing a close relationship between consumer and brand. It motivates the brand to personalize and show authenticity and thus a shift in how the creative director is perceived, and expected to portray their brand and their personal image. As a coinciding evolution, it gives the consumer greater influence on fashion. We conclude that the consumer has become a legitimate influence on the field of fashion who can accept and reject trends because of a loud voice, enabled on social media.The paper concludes how Daniel Lee and Simon Porte Jacquemus both are embodying their brands through their different approaches to social media. From subtle and discreet to the loud and overt they are legitimising their luxury brand by means of personification. This is reflected in successful sales figures and increased brand awareness.