Traditionally, the legitimacy of luxury goods entails finesse of craftsmanship and use of finest materials. The vivid example of such a concept is demonstrated by the House of Hermès, an ultra luxury brand founded in France in 1837 specializing in complete lines of leather goods, silk, home, bed and bath linens, furniture, silverware, crystal, porcelain, office accessories, and baby gifts. But their iconic status has been developed around handbags hand-crafted by skilled artisans using same ancient traditions of saddle-making for centuries.
Regardless their astronomical prices ranging $2K-$250K apiece, the acquisition of their status bags, such as Hermès Kelly or Hermès Birkin, is quite exclusive and could take some waiting for an elite customer who desires a coveted piece to be hand-crafted per her specifications.
Yet, their dedicated customers continue to shop with Hermès. And it is not only the exquisite craftsmanship, attention to detail and utmost quality that motivates them to stay loyal to the brand, but mostly its aura, legacy and heritage.
In addition, there is another important element necessary for successful branding: a charisma of its Creative Director, whose personal vision and image convey a brand's message. Thus, relentless cultivation of such a charismatic vision at a brand's heart could become quite a powerful marketing strategy. While a creative leader's charisma strongly reflects a brand's symbolism, carefully crafted advertising campaigns highlighting that symbolism would ingrain it into a consumer's mind even deeper.
For example, dramatic intensity of Alexander McQueen's designs that challenge the conventional standards of beauty has created an enigmatic emotional bond with the brand, whose collections are highly coveted in retail world. Even after the founder's death, his legacy has been carried on by the newly appointed Creative Director, Sarah Burton. The image of Alexander McQueen's enigmatic persona and his enormous artistic talent - that has been driving the unprecedented interest among customers, artists and musicians all over the world for so many years - is still relevant today, as indicated by the recent London installation, “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”, bringing in about 662 thousand visitors between May 4 and August 7 in 2015.
THE MARK:
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AS A CHARISMATIC LEADER
by Yuliya Suleymanova and Victoria Stowe