Can VETEMENTS Steal the Spotlight Again?

When VETEMENTS jumped on the scene in 2014, it quickly shook up the fashion industry’s understanding of what contemporary “anti-fashion” could be. Termed a “design collective,” the brand’s philosophy has always been irrefutably “anti-luxury,” even if its price points posed a contradictory argument. But VETEMENTS’ anti-luxury personality extends beyond dollar signs and into the cultural ephemera where the brand grew its legs. Under the creative direction of Demna Gvasalia (before he went mononymic), the business direction of his brother Guram and an overarching theme of recontextualization, VETEMENTS quickly became one of the most popular brands of the mid-2010s.

But VETEMENTS’ direction was rattled when Demna departed in 2019, leaving the collective devoid of a creative leader and in the hands of Guram, who became the brand’s creative director in 2021. Since then, the brand has returned with a new range of collections and one particularly buzzworthy interview with The New York Times, which shed new light on its leader. This still begs the question: can VETEMENTS reclaim its former spotlight?

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What has remained true about the brand through all of its changes is its aforementioned recontextualist core – an innate ability to turn the mundane into magic. Take its signature DHL tee from SS16, the oversized, yet classic bomber jackets from FW16, its apron dresses from SS17 or even its FW22 energy tees that riff the Energy Star logo: with all of these pieces, the brand managed to subvert the familiar in a manner that was edgy, yet palatable.

VETEMENTS’ firm grip on reinvention even extended to the brand’s accompanying lookbooks and campaigns. The SS18 collection was void of a formal presentation and opted instead to capture random citizens in Zurich who emulated stereotypical fashion poses in photographs shot by Demna. It perfectly illustrated what the brand was created to embody: the everyday person (something those who spend a lot of money on clothes love to emulate), which is why the brand managed to connect with such a wide audience: SSENSE vice president for menswear, Freddy Barassi, noted double-digit growth for the brand each season since stocking it in 2015. But it’s also no secret that when Demna’s work for Balenciaga started revving up after joining the house in 2015 as its creative director, VETEMENTS started to move into a creatively liminal space solidified by Demna’s 2019 departure. Now, however, a very public-facing Guram Gvasalia is convinced that under his direction, the brand’s work will eclipse the entirety of its past.

VETEMENTS is Guram’s first creative director role, and the strength of his chops has yet to be determined. With the few collections under his belt thus far, the businessman-turned-designer has built on the VETEMENTS core, and most would conclude it’s been surprisingly good. “Other looks layer oversize tees on top of jackets and shirts, a counterintuitive idea that nonetheless looks distinctive,” said Nicole Phelps, Vogue Runway’s Global Director, about the brand’s FW22 collection. “That brings it back around to the new gen, who have an uncanny way of making the counterintuitive suddenly look right.” The Fall/Winter 2022 collection, Guram’s first for the house, offered a slew of hourglass blazers, oversized outerwear and velvet bodycon suits alongside staples like digitally-savvy tees – all commenting on new age social media/crypto millionaires, a step in a fresh new direction after years of stagnation brought on by repetitive brand signatures (see FW18 and FW19). Guram’s debut collection, on the other hand, was exciting and in tune with time, to say the least. However, it was still just the starting point for Guram.

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Questions begin to arise if Guram was influenced by his brother’s work in any way, only logical as they worked together for several years. His latest for the Spring/Summer 2024 season is perhaps his most appealing yet – demonstrating that VETEMENTS might just be on the upclimb again. Offering a bold vision of hybridized streetwear, Guram posited colossal and bodycon silhouettes. Some garments like blazers and outerwear practically drowned the mannequin, while others hugged its svelte figure before fishtailing out. Some of the most striking pieces came from the eveningwear department with sculptured bodice dresses, full sequin mermaid dresses and bell-shaped velvet dresses. But in its grandeur, it’s hard not to notice the collection’s resemblance to select garments from Demna’s Balenciaga.

Take, for example, the hourglass blazers, cocoon-shaped dresses or the bold shoulders on bodycon tops. The first of which Guram called out himself in an interview with The New York Times: “Those dresses, they’re much, much smaller,” said Guram about the Balenciaga versions. “I also think if you look at them next to each other, ours are much better.” Although some of these shapes are not Balenciaga inventions, it’s hard to ignore that their contemporary editions have been made known as staple Balenciaga silhouettes during Demna’s tenure – a fact that Guram is very aware of.

Balenciaga/Vetements

But interestingly enough, there appears to be strife between the Gvaslia brothers. “I think my brother is very talented, but I have a completely different approach to things,” Guram said to The New York Times. “He had his good run of 10 years, and I think his era is slowly going to its finish line. Now it is my time.” Although Balenciaga has waned recently due to its ad scandal, Demna’s time at the house has established a recognizable look, which has captivated a wide audience. With Demna’s help, Balenciaga’s sales grew from $390 million USD in 2015 to about $1.312 billion USD in 2021. But overcoming Demna’s work will not be easy, or even necessary for VETEMENTS to enjoy success under Guram.

When Hypebeast asked VETEMENTS and Guram about Demna and any potential design influence he may have had, Guram declined to speak on the matter. Understandably, every creative is keen on building their own identity, which is evident by Guram’s new public-facing persona, but, instead of shifting the narrative, his lack of commentary on the situation merits even more attention. He also declined to comment on his decision to be more outspoken and the direction that he’s taking with VETEMENTS. Which begs the question: is the newly-minted designer the brand’s biggest asset, biggest liability or both?

It is without question that Guram’s designs for the label are strong, with a degree of eye-catching exaggeration that pushes right up against wearability. “It’s about changing the history, changing the history of Vetements and maybe putting a little bit of effort on putting something new in the history of fashion,” Guram told Vogue Runway. But we’d be remiss if we disregarded Guram’s recent comments on his brother and his silence on the matter.

Make no mistake, Guram’s new direction for VETEMENTS is generating whispers of a comeback. The newfound luxury-leaning focus that fuses both street-oriented and tailored styles is attractive. However, there is still a lot of mystery regarding what’s going on behind the scenes and whether Guram will lead the brand to new heights. But with new management comes an updated personality and it’ll take a few more seasons to see if Guram’s visions of grandeur will match the brand’s success.