Thomas Meyer (Desigual): Fashion will be relevant again, but we need to innovate

From “No es lo mismo” (Spanish’s claim for “it’s not the same”) to Desigual (Uneven or Different), innovation is always present in the name of the company founded and run by Thomas Meyer. The entrepreneur, who was born in Germany but has lived in Barcelona all his life, gives his first interview in front of the camera in the context of the FashionIdeas Forum – Innovation Week conference cycle.

The event was organized by Modaes.es (parent company of MDS) and this year it was conducted and recorded in phygital format. In interviews, Thomas Meyer advocated for innovation, creativity and being different. “In fashion, innovation is everything”.

“Not only must innovate in products, but also in communication, in store concepts… With the speed with which everything is moving, no future without innovation,” he had stated. Meyer also highlighted that innovation and creativity are one and the same. None of them are exclusive to creative professionals. “Creativity is the main source of innovation”, he concluded.

“I don’t think there should be a big celebration after Covid-19: we have to learn about what has happened”

“A creative professional may be a good manager, and a managerial professional may be a good creative. Except for finance, there can be creativity in every department in every company,” he added. How can a company achieve this flow of creativity? According to him, it must be embedded in the company’s DNA. “Innovation brings innovation; If you don’t have it at your starting point, bringing this creativity into your corporate culture may be difficult, but if it’s already in you, then you already have it, that’s how you exist,” he said.

He also cites Maria Grazia Chiuri (creative director of Dior), Steve Jobs (founder of Apple), or Elon Musk (of Tesla), as examples of innovative professionals. The entrepreneur adds that, from the early eighties, to the present day, The biggest developments in this industry are digitalization, globalization and sustainability. Meyer thinks this factor will play a key role in the future of fashion.

Meyer argued that, after this crisis, the Roaring Twenties should not return. “After that, a big crack came,” he reminded. “I don’t believe there should be a big celebration after Covid-19, we have to learn about what has happened, that we need a more just and sustainable world.” During the pandemic, Meyer recalls, Desigual has “accelerated digitization, we have been able to accelerate our sustainability process, I think we have become more open and more eager to do something. Uncertainty doesn’t come from Covid-19, change happens faster, but it’s also uplifting for what’s to come,” he said.

entrepreneurs feeling positive about the future and the fashion industry is restoring its original relevance in consumers. “Fashion has lost its importance in conversation, especially among young people, and— it shows us that we should be able to connect“, he insisted. “We will be relevant again, by definition, but we have to be sustainable, inclusive… We used to create dreams, but we have lost ambition for this new generation. Innovation is a must, we need to be creative and be different”, he stressed.

This year’s Fashion Ideas Forum is celebrating its second edition in a phygital format to refocus on innovation. The event was held from 28 June to 2 July. This cycle of lectures and interviews is set as a forum for discussing new ideas with a disruptive approach. The event is organized by Modaes.es and sponsored by Clearpay and Logisfashion with the support of Madrid Capital de la Moda.