By Denisa Marginean
It's hard to know how many brands in total we have carried over the years here at Second Nature, but if we were to imagine a room full of people and each represented a brand, there would at least be a few standouts.
Fashion brands have dozens and dozens of people working to make sure that what you see is polished and alluring. So no one brand is due to one single person. However, a creative director and lead designer is often associated with one and delving into who that person is can be useful to understand what the brand is and who they ultimately design for.
We opened our records and found four brands that have entered the status of Bestseller at our boutique. You buy them, but who are they?
Brunello Cucinelli
Originally studying to be a building surveyor, Brunello Cucinelli was drawn to ideas of creation and ethical manufacturing after his childhood observing his father work under harsh conditions. In his small town of central Italy, he set up his cashmere dying company in 1978. Trough the 1980s, his company kept growing and growing until it became a castle-operated business that used refurbished facilities rather than building new ones into the Italian scenery.
Cucinelli was drawn to arts and philosophy and incorporated ideas of craft and preservation brought forth by the ancient Greeks and 19th-century thinkers like William Morris. The company has been recognized for its practice "humanistic capitalism" because of its projects honoring the land they work from and cultural initiatives that improve life conditions. Brunello Cucinelli, the brand, now operates as a family business with the two daughters being a part of the company and has gained great economic success and international recognition.
All of these ideas can be noticed in the garments and items they produce, which are always subtle, elegant and made from impeccable quality.
Shop here for Brunello Cucinelli
Diane von Furstenberg
Perhaps one of the most long-lasting sought after brands, DVF or Diane von Furstenberg is well-known for its iconic wrap dress that was introduced in 1974 and defined in many ways the more liberated style of the 70s. Diane started her fashion career as a model and with the help of her international entourage, was able to quickly make a name for herself in the retail world.
She strived to create the perfect everyday basics that were functional and flattering, which was a at the time a retail phenomenon as trousers were barely just accepted for women. The idea of female leadership, practicality and femininity are central to who Diane is and what her brand has always stood for all these years.
Diane von Furstenberg was also able to touch many other aspects of the market with furniture, cosmetics, publishing lines, but she ultimately returned to her ready-to-wear dresses that have been loved by consumers for close to five decades.
Giuseppe Zanotti
Mixing fashion and engineering, Giuseppe Zanotti is an Italian designer famous for his unique exploration of shoemaking. Giuseppe first started freelancing in the 1980s for brands like Dior, Mugler, and Valentino until he started his own brand with only 15 people in 1994. The brand gained large success and soon became a 350-employee operation and expanded their collections to included handbags and jewelry and even opened stores in over 3 continents.
Zanotti still helped other brands with their shoe lines but he always focused on research, technology, and experimentation for his own brand to offer more than what was available on the luxury shoe market. His design was favored by celebrities and he even collaborated with a few as he is well-loved in the fashion community for his attention to detail and curiosity.
Shop here for Giuseppe Zanotti
J. W Anderson
Jonathan William Anderson is Northern Irish designer known for his provocative and gender-bending designs. Initially meant to follow the path of acting, he instead became obsessed with the costumes involved and went on to study at the famous London College of Fashion. He launched his menswear label J.W. Anderson in 2008 and expanded his brand over the years to included a wide range of fashion goods.
He quickly became a fan favorite and the 'one to watch' of many other established fashion designers and creatives for his unique perspective on fashion. His curiosity for costumes and performances are still very much central to his work. He was appointed creative director of Spanish luxury giant Loewe and his re-invention of the brand's aesthetic made him win the British Fashion Award for both menswear and womenswear designer of the year in 2014 and 2015.
Anderson works hard all year-round to deliver not only full-calendar seasons for one brand but two, as well working as a jury member of the LVMH prize. He is one of the most well-known designers working in fashion at the moment.
