it all started because we kept having the nagging feeling that modern life doesn’t feel that modern anymore
…in life
“…the rent is too damn high”
New generations uncertain about their future
Rapid inflation
Global conflicts & political divides
Climate change
“…everything is a subscription now”
Everything is commoditized, including people
The internet has turned into a giant ad space
Bots, Phishing and scam websites make up 80% of Global internet traffic
“…i’m crashing out, my guy”
Fatigue from 24/7 online connectivity and social media
Gen-Z prioritizing mental health over wealth
Growth of digital 3rd places for real interactions
…in fashion
…we reached out to leaderships of Operations, Design and Marketing of various size companies for their OTR candid thoughts
…management
“…the rent is too damn high”
“…all gas, no brakes”
“Everyone expects you to have Fast Fashion speeds. It’s all gas, no brakes”
“We all answer to someone and the request is always more profits”
“I wake up and figure out what the tariff situation is today and hope for the best”
…design
“…algorithms dictate all”
“My entire job is gaming algorithms for visibility”
“Our main competitors are drop ship brands that pop up like weeds”
“It all looks the same because algorithms dictate all output and immediate results is the only focus”
…however, in our conversations the general long term outlook of the apparel industry did trend positive
Our favorite insight was put into words in a way only a retired old school, Brooklyn garmento can
“Same s**t, different day. I can’t remember a time we weren’t trying to turn chicken s**t into chicken salad. There’s always gonna be as many setbacks as there are opportunities. That’s just called living. It ain’t that complicated!”
…and all of our findings showed that he’s mu***f*****g right
because
“…product, not people”
“It’s design by spreadsheets now”
“Lot of ‘collections’ are factory showroom styles with a label on it”
“If one design doesn’t work we throw 10 more hoping something sticks. It’s become about product, not people”
…marketing
…as the great philosopher Littlefinger once said
“Chaos is a ladder”
Game Of Thrones. S3, Ep6
We arrived at the following conclusion
…people want the familiar and expected in unexpected ways
If everyone has to sing the same song then we sing that song in a different key
…our idea
Season 8 is not real. It doesn’t exist. We don’t talk about season 8
…an apparel brand where we combine modern techniques & practices with pre-homogenized internet aesthetics & vibes
Expected - Quality, Comfort, Popular styles, Cost Feasible Strategies, and Growth
Unexpected - Subverting customer experience and expectations in a positive manner
Good unexpected
…finding forgotten money you left in your pocket
…YAY!
…this is the feeling we want to bring out in our customers
Bad unexpected
…finding a forgotten world’s most venomous snake The Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) in your pocket
…not yay!
…9/10 snakeologists agree this is not a good feeling
HUH? Who forgets a venomous snake in their pants?
…it’s just a metaphor about revitalizing customer experiences in positive ways
I think that’s an analogy!
…sorry!
we’re designers, not good-words-put-togetherers
…You mean Writers?
