Brands, Bandz, and Bad Design; Labels are Ruining Fashion

Image Courtesy: Strike WashU

Picture this: You walk into Lululemon in search of a new pair of leggings. You find the most comfortable pair and slip them on, turning and examining them at all angles in the mirror. They’re perfect… almost. The only problem? The logo is almost invisible, and you think to yourself, what’s the point of spending one hundred dollars on leggings if no one knows they’re so expensive?

Unfortunately, this mindset while shopping has become all too common as the popularity of prominently placed brand names, monograms and logos have skyrocketed since the early 2000s. As the designers of clothing and accessories make their names more obvious on their works, the scramble to snag obviously-designer items has resulted in an increase in conspicuous consumption, or spending money to show that you have the money to spend. It costs a lot of money to look this cheap. 

As designers swap sophistication in favor of plastering their logos over their works instead, it is not a stretch to say that sometimes the craft is lost in the process. The art of simplicity and minimalism in design has been replaced by loud monograms and logos competing for a customer’s attention. Further reducing the craftsmanship of high fashion is the ease with which sketchy websites and Canal Street vendors have been able to replicate designer bags and belts with their flashy logos taking center stage, leaving the elegant details that should define fashion to the back burner. Though there’s nothing so wrong with buying an inexpensive dupe of an item you love but simply cannot afford, the growth in popularity of this practice further demonstrates how the emphasis when buying new clothes or accessories is on how expensive or luxurious a product looks, rather than the quality and thought put into its creation. And the search for fast fashion dupes of these conspicuous luxury items, the Gucci belts and Hermès bracelets and Louis Vuitton Neverfulls of the world, has only caused these extremely expensive products to appear cheap and tacky, rather than being seen as the luxury items they were intended to be. 

Ultimately, the great thing about fashion is its ability to act as a vehicle of self-expression. While some consumers may be more attracted to designs plastered with logos than others, the trend of conspicuous consumption has certainly taken the individuality out of fashion.

Strike Out,

Writer: Ali Koenig

Editor: Rachel McCarthy

Graphics: Lilia Jimenez

St. Louis