FASHION’S NEW GUARD: TEDDY RENAULT’S TAKEOVER
In the fashion universe, there seems to be a divide where the old meets the new. As a fashion journalist, it would seem that we, at times derive most of our views on fashion from heritage. But with the death of Karl Lagerfeld, and the advent of the age of information, we see a new crop of industry leaders taking the reins of the world that we thought we knew. New, young, powerful. They are the vanguard of the new age.
I first met Teddy Renault (formerly Philip Dowley) at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas in the March of 2019. They’re a tall, blonde, 21 year old who carries themselves with such power, you’d think he was the ruler of this conference. They wore a sheer Dior dress from the cruise 2017 collection, adorned with the most intricate and awe-inspiring embroidery I had ever seen. Peeking through was a set of J’adior underwear, and a bra. Their hair was slicked back a-la Sarah Burton’s Alexander McQueen runway staple. Their cheekbones were pronounced and they wore no makeup. They gazed stoically upon the urban landscape. Judging.
“I’m a huge believer in recreation”, they started, explaining their dress. “There’s a story woven into every dress, and even though it’s a bit bombastic, I feel that the point wouldn’t get across to these people if the imagery wasn’t so literal”.
I paused, I couldn’t tell if they were talking about me. His head jerked towards me and I stumbled to find words. Teddy Renault is easily the most powerful person in fashion in Austin, mostly due to his current position as a team member at Diet Prada, one of the most followed fashion blogs on the planet. When asked about his station, he was somewhat dismissive: “I don’t really like broad labels like ‘most powerful’ or ‘best’, because deep inside I am the most insecure person. I suffer from impostor syndrome, constantly. Unless I’m at the keyboard, or I’m wearing Dior”. We laughed, as he went on: “Holding the industry accountable is in vogue. Diversity is in vogue. Love is in vogue. Happiness is in vogue. I think what Diet Prada is doing is redefining luxury. In the modern age, where it all seems to be going to shit, laughter and happiness is an ultimate luxury. Adding laughter to rage, balances things out. We can be angry, and have fun doing it. That’s how we get people to be proactive”.
I was stunned because he was so right. In the age of Trump, we’ve seen shows like Samantha Bee and Jon Oliver become increasingly popular. I prodded, “Where does fashion and politics intersect for you?”. He paused and jerked his neck back to the crowds: “Fashion is political. Period. Fashion runs parallel to the world we live in, and is the greatest reflection of the modern times. We’ve seen great political movements and events given visual definition through fashion” His face seemed to change entirely, his demeanor softening, a great rarity: “When you go to the Holocaust Museum, I’ve heard countless people say, ‘What really got me was the shoes, that truly ruined me’ and I think about how much I agree. Not because it’s some shallow obsession with in-vogue shoes, but it’s the human component. Seeing those shoes; tiny, big, man’s, woman’s, it brought a sea of emotion to the visitors. Fashion can, and does move us, even if we don’t realize it. Going to the 9/11 museum and seeing all the objects that were recovered from the ashes, whether they were a high heel shoe, or a pair of glasses, made me cry. These were objects that are eternally tethered to a human experience”. He paused, and breathed in heavily, “What we wear, defines us”.
“I have a-lot of opinions. I think my passions come in waves”, he admitted. “I’ve been a political analyst, fashion journalist, and a film critic, and I feel like I want to be all of them at different times. Emotion is so big for me, because it’s that final frontier of the human form. Emotion fuels me”.
“So locally, do you consider yourself an icon?”, I ask, only 20% joking. He throws his head back and laughs, “No. The term icon is so worn and everyone gets it. I want to create change, and be a sort of guard in fashion”. I winced my eyes, “Guard?”. He continued, “I want to be a catalyst for change, and protect marginalized groups in my industry. I want restorative justice to be the norm in reconciling with them. I seek an environment that allows everyone to be themselves, because that’s what design is all about”.
I felt stupid for asking, but I led on with a generic question: “Who’s your favorite fashion designer and why?”. This was the first time I saw him smile without sardonic poise. “Well, currently it is Alessandro Michele for Gucci, followed by Maria Grazia for Dior, and Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. But Sarah Burton seems to be pulling ahead in this race. Michele is a romantic alchemist. He provides an unexpected and glorious experience through every collection. Maria is unapologetic and ignores the status quo, and her clothes are absolutely breathtaking. And Sarah holds a very special place in my heart, mostly because of her special relationship with Lee, and her glorious portfolio”. I nodded, those are three very solid designers, with immense success. I asked about some of their least favorite designers, next. “Well, this is hard, but not that hard. I would probably say my least favorite designers would be Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga, Simon Porte Jacquemus for his eponymous label, and Alejandro Gómez Palomo for his eponymous label”. He provided no reason, so I just assumed the worst and moved on.
“What do you think about fast-fashion?”, I asked. He smiled, “I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t an immense amount of Zara in my wardrobe next to my McQueen. I think fast fashion has many problems, and it’s high time we held these establishments accountable for the myriad of sins they’ve committed over the years. But, I think it has potential to be a great source of good. Not everyone can afford $2,000 shoes, but Zara can make stuff that looks like a $2,000 shoe. And they can do it at a comfortable price of around $100. Most of these places need major overhaul on the front of ethics, and they can afford to do it. So it’s up to the consumer to demand it. I believe in Zara. And they don’t make terrible clothes by any means”.
The conversation ended when his assistant tapped his shoulder and beckoned him back to his hotel. We thanked each other and parted ways. There’s something about Teddy Renault. An open book. Obsessed with creating an industry that is unapologetic in its humanity, accountability, and emotion. Proactively challenging the status quo, and finessing the line between superiority and humility. There’s something to be said about a 21 year old that is already at the top of the heap and still operates as a political analyst, and a retail manager. Teddy Renault is fashion’s new guard because they represent everything that is right about where our industry is headed, and what it could be.
