Why I Don’t Think I’ve Ever Had an Original Idea in My Life
On The Creative Crisis of "It’s All Been Done Before"
Often, when I sit down to concept, I find the same thought sneaking in:
Hasn’t this been done before?
After nearly eight years as an Art Director in fashion and beauty, you’d think I’d have silenced that voice by now. But it’s always there, whispering that every idea I’ve ever had is just a remix of something better.
The fashion industry loves to preach about creativity as its lifeblood—be original, break the mould, innovate! But when I really think about it, it’s all been done before, hasn’t it? It’s not just me?
Fashion constantly references the past, beauty campaigns are riffs on familiar themes, and the glossy aesthetics we obsess over are just echoes of something we’ve seen before.
Which got me thinking: is originality even real? Or are we all just curators masquerading as creators?
The Illusion of Originality
When I was younger, I believed in the magic of originality. I thought the best Art Directors pulled ideas from some otherworldly place, secured with a lock and key, to craft something truly unique. Then I joined the industry and realised:
The “groundbreaking” campaigns we admire often draw from archives, pop culture, or art movements.
The “fresh” ideas we pitch are usually iterations of what’s already out there, wrapped in shinier packaging.
Even the most iconic concepts are built on the shoulders of cultural and creative giants.
It’s painfully obvious the longer you work in the industry, as I’ve started recognising the references. At least once a week, I’ll stumble across a vintage editorial that mirrors a “cutting-edge” campaign I saw on Instagram.
And then there’s the algorithm—a relentless echo chamber of copycat concepts, slightly tweaked but essentially the same. I feel like it’s only been amplified by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where jumping on trends are rewarded by the algorithm, and individuality often takes a backseat.
Maybe it’s also our sameness as people: we work the same hours, frequent the same bars, scroll through the same feeds. Back in the pre-smartphone days, I imagine our influences felt broader, shaped by books, newspapers, or niche TV shows. Now? We’re all swimming in the same recycled content.
Everything Is a Remix
The more I think about it, the more I’m beginning to believe that no idea is truly original. (If you go deep enough, it becomes a bit “chicken or egg,” doesn’t it?)
Every creative is influenced by something. That dreamy runway show? Inspired by cinema. That pastel-perfect film? Borrowed from vintage photography. Even the masterpieces we revere—McQueen’s theatrics, Wes Anderson’s symmetry—are riffs on something that came before.
Take Nike’s “Just Do It,” for example. Dan Wieden of Wieden+Kennedy famously coined the slogan, but its roots lie in the chilling last words of convicted murderer Gary Gilmore: “Let’s do it.” A dark origin for one of the most inspiring taglines in history.
And then there’s Gucci’s ‘Gucci Aria’ (2021), one of my favorite fashion films. Michele drew inspiration for this surreal celebration of Gucci’s heritage from Stanley Kubrick’s films, particularly A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Michele explicitly cited Kubrick’s visual language as a major influence, and it shows: the sharp contrasts, eccentric settings, and enigmatic mood directly echo Kubrick’s cinematic aesthetic. It’s the same creative DNA, reimagined and repurposed for a fashion context.
Or even Wes Anderson—a director I absolutely adore. Anderson’s style is one of the most recognisable in contemporary cinema. His work is so distinctive that you can identify it from a single frame. But even Anderson got ideas from elsewhere. He cites Mike Nichols as a major influence, and the connection is actually really apparent when looking at Nichols’ Rushmore (1998) and The Graduate (1967). From the sharp wit to the nuanced exploration of misfit characters, you can see Anderson building on Nichols’ legacy —but he does create a world that’s entirely his own.
So How Do We Create When It’s All Been Done?
The weight of “it’s all been done” can feel paralysing.
But here’s how I’m trying to reframe it. Art direction,—or any creative field—isn’t about pulling ideas out of thin air—it’s about curation and reinterpretation.
Not replicating something outright, but connecting the dots in a way that feels new. Just like the examples above.
When I’m stuck in that “it’s all been done” spiral, here’s what helps:
Step Away From the Screen
The internet can be a black hole of sameness. Galleries, on the other hand, are tactile, unexpected, and full of inspiration. I used to wander through them, snapping photos of anything that caught my eye. Months later, those images would surface in my work—not as direct references, but as fresh sparks of creativity.
Go Deep, Not Wide
Instead of chasing every trendy visual, I’ll dive into one reference and dissect it. What made it revolutionary? How can I reframe it for today?
For example, I’ve had this image pinned to my moodboard for years: provocative typography scrawled across a flawless beauty editorial. It’s rebellious and glamorous, raw and refined.
The provocative typography scrawled across such an unexpected surface. It screams without actually screaming—a defiant whisper wrapped in beauty.
But if I were to use it as inspiration, I wouldn’t replicate it outright. I’d rethink. What if the typography lived somewhere else? On nails, eyelids, or hair? Maybe it’s not shot in-camera but realised through mixed media—paint strokes, embroidery, digital distortion. Or what if I flipped the entire emotion? What if, instead of aggression, the tone was melancholic or wistful? What if the message became sweet and tender, a quiet rebellion instead of a bold one?
The trick is to admire a reference without being suffocated by it. To see it as a launchpad, not a limitation.
Hey—It’s Lottie from the future just jumping in here. Funnily enough, what did I find a day or two after writing this article??
Case and point.
Stop Overthinking Originality
Perhaps the goal was never to be truly original—because maybe that’s impossible. Perhaps the real aim is to create something that resonates. If your work connects with people, evokes emotion, or leaves an impression, does it really matter if a version of it has existed before?
Owning the Unoriginal
So no, I don’t think I’ve ever had a truly original idea. Has anyone?
But I’m learning to reframe my thoughts—this doesn’t make my work any less valuable. I’m learning to embrace my influences, to remix and reinterpret them into something that feels authentic to me.
The next time you’re stuck worrying about originality, ask yourself:
Does this resonate?
Does it feel true to me?
Will it make someone feel something?
If the answer is yes, then originality doesn’t matter. Because at the end of the day, creativity isn’t about being the first—it’s about making people care.
With that said, here’s 3 people I genuinely think are doing that. The creative trailblazers in their own right.
Art Over Algorithm #2: Unique Sources of Creative Genius
I recently wrote about something that felt equal parts vulnerable and liberating: the gnawing suspicion that I’ve never had an original thought in my life. As a creative, admitting that your work might not be unique, new, or fresh isn’t exactly the vibe you want to put out there. But as I wrote, the process surprised me—it became strangely therapeutic. The realisation that maybe, just maybe,
Thank you for reading!
THE ART DIRECTOR is a reader-supported publication, written by Lottie Bisou, a Senior Art Director and Visual Curator in Womenswear Fashion and Beauty.
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I used to be stumped by the idea that everythings been done before but it becomes much more comforting when you realize context can give something a completely new meaning. It’s all been done before but if you can communicate how YOU would do it, you can still make something “new”.
This is a missing puzzle piece to resolve my artistic “torture.” Thank you for your curiousity.