More Truth. More Story. More Soul.

“Fashion has become much more consumption driven so it has to be easier to be understood. We just are consuming visuals and we do not really have the time to go deep into the clothes, the storytelling, the construction, where it comes from. It just needs to be a hit. It gets a bit more superficial.”
— Glenn Martens, Creative Director of Diesel and Maison Margiela

When Glenn Martens says this, it matters. His platform is massive. His influence is global. And yet his words echo exactly what I teach every day. Fashion without story is empty.

We live in a time where images move faster than meaning. Pieces are consumed as visuals, liked or ignored in seconds, and then forgotten. The deeper work like the storytelling, the construction, the intention is skipped over. That is how fashion becomes surface, not substance.

Specs and details are important, but they do not create desire. Fabric and cut are essential, but they do not connect on their own. What makes people buy, return, and stay loyal is the story. It is the why. People want to wear meaning, not just material. They want to know where a piece came from and what it represents. They want to feel something when they put it on.

This is the heart of my work. Whether I am guiding an emerging founder, partnering with a designer, or writing here each week, my goal is always to bring the depth back. To remind us that fashion is about more than speed or visibility. It is about identity. It is about memory. It is about connection.

Glenn Martens has the global stage. I have a smaller platform, but I carry the same conviction. Fashion does not need more quick visuals. It needs more truth, more story, and more soul.

That is what will last.

Follow along at @AVILA by Design for more clarity on how to build a brand with strategy, storytelling, and soul.