frfashion1-7, Exercise 3: "The luxury groups have killed creativity in French fashion"

Model answer (check the details), using the six questions:

1. Who says it? Critics, journalists and some designers who dislike the commercial pressure; defenders of the groups say the opposite.
2. What exactly is claimed? That group ownership reduced creativity. "Killed" and "creativity" both need defining: fewer new ideas, fewer independent designers, or more repetitive products?
3. What would count as evidence? The number and variety of independent labels, the careers of designers who left groups, the content of collections, critics' reviews, and the investment in young designers.
4. Compared with what? French fashion before the 1980s, and Italian, British and American fashion in the same period.
5. Which period? From the 1980s to the present.
6. What would change my mind? Evidence of strong, varied work from group-owned houses, or of independent labels that have flourished.

Evidence on both sides: the groups have paid for large budgets and the workshops, and given creative freedom to designers such as McQueen and Lagerfeld (check); but a house's designers are also under pressure to produce commercial items and to deliver collections on a tight schedule, and several have spoken about burnout (check).

Verdict: "killed" is too strong. A more careful statement is that "the groups have changed the conditions of creativity, giving it money and scale and limiting its risk-taking".

Care: critics' views are opinion. Look for measurable evidence.