A Take on Fashion: David Fischer

David Fischer, founder and CEO of Highsnobiety, started the website as a personal blog in 2005 with posts about a streetwear and subcultures. Even back then, he sensed the power of emerging social media platform and the opportunity to engage audience through original content. Today, Highsnobiety is one of the most influential global sources on emerging trends and products in fashion, music, art and lifestyle.

In what ways are you seeing fashion adapt to — or be transformed by —the ongoing global and industry challenges?

While the pandemic has challenged the industry in many ways, it’s also created opportunities for new brands to rewrite old industry rules and accelerate change. For us, this dynamic led to the creation of Not In Paris, a project that was launched as a way to bring the experience of our Paris Men’s Fashion Week to our community digitally. In the absence of the shows that we normally publish reviews of on our site, last year allowed us to make something new within the chaos. 

What is one trend or article of clothing that will define the coming year?

I feel like a new one happens every month. The co-authored menswear collection by Travis Scott and Kim Jones for Dior is a breakthrough moment — one that maybe speaks more to the past year than the coming year. So many boundaries have been broken in terms of who is defining the meaning of luxury, the way collaborations drive the conversation in fashion, and what the potential for youth culture is in this market, that I’m excited to see what comes after this.

What is something you’d love to see in the future — even if it’s the stuff of fantasy?

I think we are just scratching the surface of what’s possible in the space of digital clothing. Of course, we’ve seen the first wave of the NFT craze this year; but I think this marketplace once it develops further will be a game changer in terms of what fashion means. And it’s not as far off as people think. We recently published a White Paper on Gaming and Fashion, and not only have a majority of the readers we polled purchased virtual garments or skins, but almost a quarter of them have even designed virtual items of clothing themselves.