In a demanding world, the responsibility of what we show – and how we show it
Written by Kenneth Richard
There are times when the background refuses to stay behind.
The world feels heavier now. Conflict spans borders with ramifications that affect both the individual and the wider. the silent tension continues. In too many places, government-sponsored reviews and divisive consumer opinions define what can be said and what must remain unsaid.
It is not an easy place to create, lead, or clearly move forward.
However, fashion continues.
Backstage this time, I found myself returning to the same question in conversation after conversation: what is the role of fashion in times like these?
Many designers have talked about beauty. About the responsibility to create moments of lightness, of joy, of escape. There is some truth in that. The world has always needed places to breathe.
But there were also moments of deep reflection – where the question was not avoided, but approached carefully.
Prada, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada have addressed this tension directly. They said: “We are trying to make everything political, except the things that are currently political.
He also acknowledged the contradiction. “We make for rich people … to dress rich people. So I put politics into my clothes in a different way.” For Prada, that statement is subtle – embodied in scale, movement and organization. Politics of respect over publicity.
It is a view that does not solve the question, but sharpens it.
So what is the role of fashion in dangerous times?
Maybe not the same thing, but it’s a balance.
Fashion must hold up a mirror to the world as it is – not ignoring its brokenness, or pretending it doesn’t exist. It must remain aware, alert, and sometimes willing to stand up for something greater than itself. Silence also communicates.
But it also has to offer something else. A sense of possibility. A vision of how things could be. Not as dreams detached from reality, but as human-based aspirations.
This is where fashion has always been strongest.
There is also something to be said for how we express ourselves within the work itself – what we choose to say, and more importantly, what we choose to show.
For designers and marketers, that responsibility is even more apparent at times like these. The images we put out into the world, the sound we create, the stories we tell – they don’t exist in isolation. They create ideas. They influence emotions. They provide noise, or meaning.
History offers a silent reminder. In times of great uncertainty, people have often been drawn to beauty, dreams, uplifting moments rather than difficult ones. During the war, audiences filled theaters not for truth, but for music – for something light, hopeful and human. Not as an escape in the shallow sense, but as a coping mechanism.
That feeling is still there. But today, the opportunity has many opportunities.
It’s not enough to just remove things and produce a product separately. The industry’s continued reliance on blank backdrops and clinical studio images — those endless white spaces — can begin to feel uninhibited and almost absent. In quieter times, the language reads as modern. In times like these, it can be dangerous to feel like nothing.
People don’t just want clothes. They want status. For comments. For a point of view.
This is where fashion has the opportunity to do more. Not to burden, but to rebuild the world. Worlds with emotion, character, story – worlds that invite the viewer in rather than keep them at a distance. The most powerful work today doesn’t just produce looks; creates atmosphere.
In practical terms, that means being more intentional. Plan carefully, yes – but also build with purpose. If you’re going to simplify, let it be for clarity, not simplicity. If you’re going to create, give the audience something to do, not just something to watch.
An important sound. Values are important. Opinions matter.
Because in a world that can feel increasingly fragmented, the right brands will be the ones that offer not just a product, but a vision.
Fashion doesn’t need to solve the world’s problems. But it has the ability – and perhaps the responsibility – to reflect it honestly, to challenge it where necessary, and to provide something that helps us get through it with more grace.
We have seen, time and time again, that even in difficult times, creativity does not disappear. Adaptable. It cleans. Finds new ways of speaking.
And that gives me hope.
Not high hopes, but steady. A brand built on the people of this industry – their talent, their resilience, and their continued belief in the power of what they do.
And we’ll be here to advocate for you.
Because even in uncertain times, work still matters – and the people behind it.
Warm regards,
Kenneth Richard
#Fashion