4 ms·
As a former (or perhaps just occasional) style writer who has put a great deal of thought into what peoples decisions about what they wear actually mean, 20 yea
by motohagiography 8y ago
As a former (or perhaps just occasional) style writer who has put a great deal of thought into what peoples decisions about what they wear actually mean, 20 years ago the author's "premium mediocre," used to be called "aspirational products."
These were the keychains, perfumes, and ballcaps with astronomical margins that made the real money on the other side of the business, which was their loss leading spectacle (haute couture, etc.) You can't afford a DeHavilland Beaver airplane, but you can buy this saddle stitched wallet as a symbol to remind you of the image of one.
The aspirational products matter because they give us information about peoples true desires. It's a leading indicator for culture and politics. Even the Cambridge Analytica scandal was started by someone who was able to link peoples political leanings to the brands they chose. (I'd link the article but it's behind the FT paywall.)
When someone gets up in the morning, the things they choose to wear are an expression of what team they think they are on, what tribe they think they are a part of, who they think their main stakeholders are, and what kind of incentives motivate them. In business, that's about all you need to know about someone.
Given this, I get the impression fashion, business and culture are not the main field of the author of this op-ed.
- roymurdock 8y agoi encourage you to read the original piece that coined the term: https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2017/08/17/the-premium-mediocre-life-of-maya-millennial/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2017/08/17/the-premium-mediocre-l... the reach and scale of social media and how brands can interact (or not) with their followers has really changed the marketing game, and i think premium mediocre combines this insight with the poor economic prospects of the millenial generation "Premium mediocrity is the story of Maya Millennial, laughing alone with her salad. She’s just not a millionaire…yet. She just doesn’t have a mansion…yet. She just doesn’t drive a Tesla…yet." strongly implied is the fact that she never will have any of these increasingly mediocre/disposable goods, and that she will be happy to consume increasingly premium but increasingly mediocre asipirational products for the rest of her life because she will never be productive enough to earn close to what her parents earn to afford true quality goods but also maybe this isn't an intrinsically bad thing and just a sign of a more disposable/fleeting relationship with houses, cars, etc. (which is bad on further reflection, does not bode well for the environment)
- motohagiography 8y agoGave it a read, and the distinction between previous incarnations of entry middle classes and this new category still do not seem to supplant the originals. It's interesting, and recommend it.
- shanghaiaway 8y agoThe author runs a forum and magazine dedicated to "fashion goth" designers like Rick Owens. He's a bit too close to the subject because his essay lacks distance and the analysis you provided. And like you say, this isn't new - it's just aspirational branding.