The Helmut Lang brand is said to have changed the idea of what luxury is, inspiring every fashion enthusiast. Even popular brands and celebrities like Calvin Klein, Raf Simons, and Kanye West are inspired. The brand makes iconic luxury fashion pieces, including underwear, footwear and accessories, perfumes, and more.
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Is Helmut Lang a Designer Brand?
Helmut Lang is arguably one of the most influential designer brands in the last three decades. Named after its owner, the luxury brand has carried on its owner’s legacy of quintessential minimalism.
Helmut Lang, the designer, is the iconic designer who pioneered minimalism in the ‘90s with his utilitarian pieces, among others. The brand introduced streetwear to high fashion, designing designer jeans and garments modeled on bulletproof vests.
The brilliant designer created a new design language, being one of the first designers to co-ed shows. Lang is the first designer to stream a runway show online, breaking new grounds in fashion history.
How Did Helmut Lang Come About?
The Helmut Lang brand was established in 1986 by a creative and world-renowned designer, Helmut Lang. Helmut is an Austrian-born designer who began designing in his hometown, Vienna, in 1977.
What’s impressive is that Lang had no previous training in fashion. Yet, he had his first fashion show in Paris in 1986; this was also the show that launched the label.
Lang later teamed up with Melanie Ward, a legendary British stylist who served as his creative director and muse for thirteen years. She was highly instrumental in ushering in the golden era of minimalism in the fashion industry.
The brand began producing jeans, underwear, perfume, footwear, and accessories between 1990 and 1999. Helmut Lang was the first designer in the fashion industry to place ads in National Geographic and other places.
What Happened to Helmut Lang?
Prada bought 51% of Helmut Lang when the brand had about $100 million in revenue. By 2004, the revenue had plunged to about $30 million due to Prada cutting back on the brand’s profitable denim line.
Prada later sold the company to the Japanese Link Theory holdings, following Lang’s exit from his label. Lang’s departure brought the label into decline, with many designers at the helm.
However, a big turnaround came in 2017 when the label announced a re-launch to go back to its roots and former glory. The changes began with revert to the brand’s original logo.
The brand also announced a re-launch of the authentic reproductions of a few of the brand’s stable pieces. This announcement made fashion fans, and critics globally rejoice.
Can Helmut Lang Be Considered a Minimalist?
You can use two words to describe Helmut Lang: “Quintessential Minimalism.” The brand’s minimalist approach to fashion was apparent in its marketing strategy – like his web page appearing in the early 2000s.
Helmut Lang, the designer, had a preference for marrying odd materials. For example, he combined cheap materials with expensive fabric, recycling fabrics with high technology. This combination brought about fascinating results, ranging from shiny to matte.
Conclusion
Helmut Lang is one of the iconic brands that have changed the luxury fashion narrative. Being one of the most influential luxury brands globally, Helmut Lang is credited with some ground-breaking innovations the industry will never forget.