Stop using that stupid word.

Biggest thing is he actually genuinely likes music. Probably like a third of all fashion out there is deeply inspired by music subculture and the aesthetics surrounding those subcultures. Designers rip that shit off all the time but do they actually ever really listen to the music? No. Even if they do would they ever collaborate with those musicians? No. If they're going to collaborate with anyone it's going to be the biggest star they can get a hold of regardless of whether they're into their music or not.

Hedi actually listened to music, he went to underground shows, he would hang out with bands and cast them in his editorials, he'd commission them to score his runway's. He'd give them free clothes to tour in. He's one of the only big designers that has an actual genuine interest in not just music but working with musicians and putting them on.

Rick Owens is kind of similar but he's only really done that a handful of times in his career. For Hedi he was doing it every season for every brand he's ever worked for. It just instantly makes him more cool and genuine than most other designers in the game.

All the clothes he makes are basically just down wind from that. He makes cool clothes for cool musicians. It's such a simple strategy. That's basically what everyone wants anyway. But brands do this weird backwards thing where they make the clothes they want then they try to pay musicians to wear them and think that will make people want it. Hedi would actually just go hang with musicians and get inspired by them and make stuff for them that fit their personality, style, etc. and the clothes naturally ended up being good as a result.