Christopher Morency on the new wave of luxury brands
A conversation with Christopher Morency about what the best brands have in common, why the fashion industry needs more boundary-pushing, and leaving your ego at the door.
Welcome to THOUGHTS, an ongoing content series where we tell stories about the world's fastest-growing brands and those shaping the new luxury market.
Years ago, I met Christopher Morency for dinner on a cold November night in London. He walked in wearing all black (probably Jil Sander), and his demeanor as suave as his neatly combed and parted hair. If the all-black fit didn’t give it away that he’s a veteran of the fashion industry, all you need to do is spend five minutes with him, and you’d quickly learn that.
Christopher is a rare breed, someone with the vision and foresight to know where the consumer trends lie, where they originated from, and where they’re headed.
His time spread across the Business of Fashion, Highsnobiety, and Vanguards has enabled him to see the industry across all angles, from editorial and creative to business and design, giving him the tools to help those brands present the most authentic of themselves.
And it’s why we’re thrilled to sit down and hear about his career arc, who he thinks the most important brands are right now, and what needs to change in the fashion industry at large.
We hope you enjoy this conversation—
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Give us the Christopher Morency story—
I was born in Toronto, Canada, and moved to The Netherlands when I was six. In my early twenties, I moved to London to join The Business of Fashion as a writer covering youth culture at a time when luxury and streetwear were increasingly merging, not just in terms of aesthetics but also with their business models being rooted in drop culture, community events, and collaborations.
After that, I joined Highsnobiety as Editorial Director with the goal of making our publication the de facto authority on youth culture in regard to style.
This was a natural transition and something that later allowed me to consult with brands on strategy, talent, community, and marketing.
I wanted to work with companies internally, helping them grow instead of only writing about what I observed. That led me to work with companies like Gucci, Dunhill, Marni, and later Vanguards (Nanushka, SUNNEI, Aeron), where I was Chief Brand Officer.
So much to unpack, but let’s chat Vanguards first. Your role was to look after the portfolio and explore other brands to acquire. What made certain brands compelling to buy?
First and foremost, I was looking for brands that saw themselves as more than just fashion brands. I’m talking about the kind of brand you could sit across a table from at a restaurant with, ask them the following question… and they’d immediately have an answer:
"If you could design this cutlery, this glass, this chair you’re sitting on, prep this meal, curate the background music, dress the waiters, find the location of the restaurant itself, what would all that look like in your universe?"
Second, I was looking for forward-thinking brands, ones that don’t dwell too much on their competition and are ultimately business-minded.
I wanted brands that wanted to grow. I wanted brands whose designers didn't start their companies out of pure ego but out of the desire to express their creativity and share the results with those who could see it as much as they could.
Fascinating. Who do you think has really made their creative mark on the world, and why?
The brands and designers are the ones that chart their own path and maintain a carefree attitude about what editors or retailers say about them. They create without compromise and have built up a loyal following in return, who they keep giving back to season after season.
Those that can build a business without distraction—even if it means they might not be accepted—are the north star. Rick Owens, the late Virgil Abloh, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Palace are all great existing examples of this.
But I’m also excited about this new wave of brands and designers: Heliot Emil, Two Jeys, CRTZ, Saman Amel, Daily Paper, Heavn, Wales Bonner, etc.
What do those brands have in common from a creative and marketing perspective right now?
Speed.
The best brands right now understand the importance of reacting to the cultural conversation in real time and can create something with a production value that lasts beyond the moment.
If you can truly understand what CRTZ, Two Jeys, Jacquemus, Sporty & Rich, Telfar, and Aime Leon Dore are doing with their marketing (putting your personal opinion about these brands aside), you can understand why these brands will be relevant long after the fashion industry itself has grown tired of them.
They're community-first, and they have the marketing and the speed to back it up.
You’ve seen the fashion circuit from every angle. What do you think about that? (especially in a world where trends are moving faster than we can keep up with)?
I feel like so many writers and editors in fashion cover the same events and brands. There are only a few pushing the industry forward as a whole, showing us new brands, talent, and sides of the industry formerly unseen. At the same time, the industry has lost its ability to go into a two-way dialogue with the opposite side.
Brands want to please editors and vice versa, leaving customers and readers with a homogenous selection of averageness. Some of the biggest talents in this industry don't get the credit they deserve.
How has working in fashion shaped your thinking?
The birds-eye point of view that you get as a writer/editor has been an invaluable skill for me to develop, professionally and personally.
Being able to see all the cards on the table and then decide what the next move should be, whether that relates to the talent on the cover of a magazine, a strategy internally in a business to help it grow, or having the confidence to go a certain direction and convince others to follow you when everyone says you should go into the opposite one… That’s been invaluable, and it’s something I’m grateful for.
That said, don’t join the fashion industry if it's just for the klout and fame. If you want to change something in the industry, grow your network, or build a business, this could be a place for you.
But leave your ego at the door and surround yourself with those who aren't “friends” with you because of your job title.