Jenah Shaw

Hoodies or miniskirts, ugg boots or sport shoes — whatever your wardrobe looks like, there’s no denying that we carry a sense of self-expression in our clothes, something to give the world a sense of “us”.

If you’re looking for that defining look you can find it in any number of retail clothes shops, and in the world of branded clothing.

Brands and labels are no longer just a name to accompany a purchase, but are an integral part of identity. Which ones you associate with (or don’t for the non-conformists out there), which are the trendiest as of five minutes ago, and the kind of status they represent — it’s all part of the image.

It can seem somewhat fake to just ride the trends — to buy pre-ripped clothes for that vintage look, or to dress punk with no understanding of the culture or music — but in a generation dominated by image and appearance, imitating what is seen in magazines and on TV has become second nature.

With so much importance placed on looks and style, it’s hardly surprising corporations and their market researchers have latched onto the connection between image and identity. And are milking it for all it’s worth.

“Yeah, but is it me’?”
Today’s marketers and retailers are selling ideas, subcultures and attitudes as much as they are selling products. The reality is: these subcultures, ideas and attitudes are invented in boardrooms. And once created, we’ll happily pay huge prices to become part of them.

We aren’t so naive that we don’t know this, but we still buy into it. Why? It might be to flaunt how much we can afford to pay for a single item of clothing, but much more likely is the comfort of associating with a brand, and what’s essentially a pre-packaged identity.

They’re identities which have been created by marketers, who, through various advertising techniques, try to capture that identity people will want to buy into.

Anti-cool is the new cool
Slogans and brand identities capture feelings and attitudes, wants and desires — the sort of thing (they hope) will be desirable among their target audiences. The fact is, in many cases, the target audience in the crosshairs is us — that 12-19 year old consumer group with all the disposable cash.
Glassons has “Wear It Your Way”, suggesting control is with the buyer, who wears it “their way”, thus creating their own identity and gaining self-empowerment — with a little help from their friends at the local Glassons outlet that is (who, by the by, are happily making the profit).

Nike has “Just Do It”, encouraging ideas of independence and spontaneity, and Adidas’s “All Day I Dream about Sport” is all about passion and athleticism.

Then there’s the suburban princess of darkness, Emily Strange, whose character has spawned a line of clothing and merchandise ranging from t-shirts to Thin Lizzy dolls. She is “anti-cool” her website claims, “a subculture of one, and a follower of no-one but herself. She is the anti-hero for the Do It Yourself movement!”

Yeah, and you can be a part of it by buying one of a million or so mass-produced t-shirts. Every slogan and brand identity — with the help of advertising and merchandising — creates a look and attitude that we’re encouraged to be part of.

Take your Mum’s advice — be yourself.
So much more is being sold than just a product, and brands of increasing expense (although not necessarily quality) come with increasing exclusiveness and reputation.

It’s easy to see how brands and labels can become status symbols for whoever wears them, indications of wealth and style — something, society tells us, we all want. So they’re attractive, these carefully planned and strategised illusions, but real identity is much, much more.

Whatever feeling is created, the important thing to remember is brands are in it for the money.
Besides, style is not what you wear, but how you wear it.

FIND OUT MORE

• No Logo, Naomi Klein (book)
• Branded: The buying and selling of teenagers, Alissa Quart (book)
• The New Rulers of the World, John Pilger (video)
• antipreneur.org
• Adbusters
• International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
• Trade Aid
• Global Issues

TAKE ACTION!

• Go op shopping. Ah, the thrill of the find and the pride of a bargain. Because a lot of op shop items have been sitting in grandpa’s wardrobe for forty years, much of it precedes the move toward cheap and nasty labour. And more often than not, it’s one of a kind. Cheap too!
• Make your own stuff. Who knows, it could be the beginning of a career in fashion design. Not only do you have complete control over what goes on your t-shirts/pants/hoodies, you know exactly who was exploited in the making. And I hear knitting is hip again.
• Go Black Spot. This is a new anti-brand movement started by US magazine and anti-The Man force Adbusters. Their mission appears to be to take down Converse founder Phil Knight, and their first action is their Black Spot sneakers. They look just like Converse sneakers, but instead of the Converse symbol have a black spot representing their rejection of brands. SEE: adbusters.org
• Seek out fresh talent. If the sewing machine is a bit intimidating for ya, try hunting down an up and coming designer. There are heaps of new boutique fashion stores opening up in the cities with young designers begging to see their work on the frames of hip young things like yerselves. The clothing is generally made in bedrooms and home workshops for the love of it.

This article was written as part of Global Focus a collaborative project of Tearaway Magazine and the Global Education Centre. It was first published in Tearaway magazine and is reprinted here with their permission

Illustrator; Rebecca ter Borg