White paper on creativity - ebla center

Chapter 5leisure wear and other fields. Someexamples are jackets and T-shirtsdesigned to contain iPods andheadphones, clothes which release anelectric shock if the wearer is attacked,clothes that can be lengthened at will,jackets complete with Bluetoothdevices, clothes whose decorativeelements move thanks to solar energy,and T-shirts that can charge up mobilephones and MP3 players by exploitingbody energy. Although mostlyprototypes, some of these items havebecome mass phenomena or promiseto do so in the near future.But fashion not only incorporatestechnology. It also dresses technology.In fact a very wide range of electronicaccessories (mobile phones, MP3players, televisions) have been designedby the best-known stylists. Mobilephones and MP3 players in particularare very much designer label objectswith the obvious effect of increasingvisibility for the brand, but also makingproducts which are increasingly,especially for younger consumers,experienced as elements of distinctionand identification.5.7 The fashion houses andgenerational changeThe issue of generational changeoverconcerns all sectors in which creativityis an input for the production ofcultural goods and services.Everywhere we have generations ofsuccessful creators who disappear andsubsequent generations who are not upto the standard of their predecessors.Solving the problem of how toguarantee at least a constant level ofcreativity is an objective found in everychapter of this book.We can imagine the fashion world as afield of force in which new generationstry to open up the way by opposing thedominant players. Consequently, thepace of change in the field fashionworld is set by the success of newgenerations of creators. One strategicissue, therefore, in fostering vitality andproductivity in the sector is to maintainthe same high standards from onegeneration to another. Maintaining thesame standards will safeguard a majorbrand’s reputation, market share andleadership.A creative milieu is a crucial factor inenabling creative talents to emerge anddevelop. A milieu capable ofaccommodating new talents, alsoforeigners, can then draw on theseresources to obtain the necessary sapfor renewal, as we will see below in thecase of the French fashion and luxuryindustry, which was arguably the firstto tackle the problem of thegenerational changeover in hautecouture.Another important factor is the abilityto maintain a reputation and highquality as an initial capital forsubsequent investments, whichreinforce and consolidate brandsthrough, for example, the marketlaunch of accessories – perfumes,eyewear, handbags – and prêt-à-porterproduction.WHITE PAPER ON CREATIVITY 126