16 December 2021, Mumbai:
At Vetements, it's brother to brother: Guram Gvasalia has been named the brand's new creative director, thus succeeding his brother Demna. "Everything has its appointed time." It's time for me to shine! "I took over the brand and chose to step in as Creative Director of the house starting with the FW 22-23 collection," Guram stated in an emotional statement.
Demna had previously labeled himself as the designer of Vetements' most recent collection, which was revealed online on the evening of November 25, thus the news came as a surprise. The collection, which was presented as a digital lookbook and photographed against a backdrop of greenbacks that read 'One Million Dollar,' praised Bitcoin billionaires.
"There have been several attempts in recent years to remove from Vetements what has always belonged to Vetements.
"I understood what I had to do to reclaim Vetements' original birthrights to safeguard our hard work, the codes, and the DNA of Vetements," Guram stated. In 2014, the two brothers – Demna as designer and Guram as CEO – established Vetements as a collaborative in Paris, showcasing the initial collections in quirky homosexual bars and historic cathedrals.
The brand gained international recognition almost immediately for its mix of street flair, excessive volume, and logo quirkiness. Demna was named creative director of Balenciaga in 2015, because of the hype and impact produced by Vetements.
The Gvasalia family was born in Sukhumi, the capital of the Georgian province of Abkhazia, and was forced to escape their birthplace in the 1990s after Russia instigated a revolution in the region, resulting in the creation of a so-called "new state" that has never been recognized internationally. "To me, Vetements is more than a brand. My blood contains its DNA.
However, that is not the main reason I am doing it. True, because I'm a very private person, I could have done it in secret. But I felt compelled to speak up for all the children who aspire to be models but are frightened to tell their parents because they will disapprove.
To all the children who cannot afford to attend expensive design schools with annual tuition rates ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. Those who need to work during the day to make ends meet while learning design at night.
For people who come from low-income backgrounds and believe they will never be accepted into the fashion industry. It's all about me. I'm a displaced person. During the war, my family lost everything. When we fled to Europe, none of us spoke a single language. "We were forced to live in refugee camps," Guram said in the statement.
"Going to fashion school was not an option for me; my parents would never have consented, because my brother was already deemed a lost cause, and I was the family's sole hope for survival." But I want to emphasize to everyone who reads this that none of it should be used to define or restrict your potential. It's crucial to surround yourself with people who believe in you, but that means nothing if you don't believe in yourself. Your past does not define who you are. "Where you came from is your beginning point [sic], not your end destination," Guram continued.
Demna has been primarily gone from Vetements for the past two years, although not officially leaving his position as creative director. Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, were benefactors of travelers and sailors who were implored to seek good winds, and Sukhumi is widely claimed as their birthplace.
Prior to designing his first collection for Vetements, Guram served as the firm's CEO, relocating the company from Paris to Zurich reportedly for tax reasons. In a statement released today, he stated that he had spent the last two years "studying and understanding the technical aspects - from pattern making and construction to the theoretical component of design."
Guram's choice to take over the design reins at Vetements frees up his renowned brother to focus on his main job as creative director of Balenciaga, a significant brand inside the massive French luxury conglomerate Kering, which also owns Gucci and Saint Laurent.
Surprisingly, Guram concluded his comments with a jab at big business. "I want to make sure that all of the young people out there understand that you don't need rich parents, an investor, or to sell your soul to giant wicked businesses to succeed — you can do it on your own." With your own ingenuity and desire, you can alter your life," he said.
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