Fashion

[Carolina925]

Just doing some wondering. When designers pass on and their lines continue, does that mean that they had others designing their clothes and just put their name on the line? Seems after a time, their names should no longer be used, especially with fashion that changes so much all the time. I'm not bashing any line, I was just thinking.

[millieshops]

@Carolina925I think with any kind of company where the name of the company is a person, we can assume that once the company grows there are lots of people involved.  The name gives respect to the founder and adds to the marketing value.

It's not QVC, but think FORD as an example -  is there a member of the original family still involved in the business? I have no idea, but the name evokes memory of the family, of the history of the company, etc. and they are not about to lose that name.

The business model at QVC can make us think Susan or Louis or Isaac or whoever is the only designer for that line, but I don't think that's the way it works.  All of those companies produce and market lots of product and employ many.  We know the name and the face because they appear in front of us, so we know they're heavily involved --  but we don't know just who else had a hand or eye in the design. 

[lovesrecess]

There are many designers who sell their name to clothing companies and have little or no involvement with the product at all.

[freakygirl]

been wondering that myself recently. i think someone else designs under their name, just like the vince camuto line continues. 

i still buy alexander mcqueen. i like some of “his” designs up to now. 

[monalisa1452]

I’m sure Chanel, Gucci, LV,  YSL, to name a few, want to keep their founders name.

[TY]

The designer's name if it is also the name of the brand too is one of the most valuable assets of the designer and so the designer hopefully will structure the brand so that they license their name or sell their brand so that they or their estate have control over their name once they pass.

But some brands the designer has no control over their name or brand. Some brands do not involve the designer at all or minimally. So it's hard to say who has control over a name or brand name just by looking at it.

[jonbon]

Didn't Louis D'O design for the Anne Klein line for quite a few years (some of them with Donna Karan)? You read all the time about someone being named the head of such-and-such famous design house (Gucci, etc.). Liz Claiborne has been deceased since 2007, yet her name endures. I'm quite certain that a label of any size would require a team of designers (do you imagine that Ralph Lauren designs his line all by himself?).

[ECBG]

I would think the designer would sell the line like others would retire from a career.  Many times, a designer will hire another designer to sit at the top of the empire.