Though fashion designers are functionally product designers, they are like front-men and lead singers for hire, who lend their talents, fanbase, and star power to houses who have the resources to bring their geniuses to life. Some of the most famous designers of our generation — Phoebe Philo, Karl Lagerfeld, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Hedi Slimane — are most famous for what they’ve done to reimagine other brands. The speed and quantity of their output require big visions supported by bigger egos: By creating at least four collections a year comprised of hundreds of garments each, designers’ value is in knowing exactly who their creative selves are and being able to consistently manifest that into a cohesive assemblage of products. The more experience a designer has had, the more solid their sense of self, which has led to an increased metabolism of brands’ intense and brief employment of ambitious creative directors.