Right at the start of this blog I posted about not buying any clothes for a year. It was quite a popular post and many people have spoken to me about it ( i would link to it but can't seem to get to it - Ed!!??). As I said then I don't have a particulary anti consumerism bent I just thought my time and money could be spent better elsewhere. On art for example - although it's quite difficult to find art I like that I can afford. I'm still a couple of mil shy of Damien Hirst's new skull. But, you know, we'll see.
Anyways, as an update I can confirm that's it is now a full half of one year since I bought any clothes (i did buy a pair of socks from American Apparel in Berlin - it was bloody cold - but that's it).
From my personal experince this has meant less shopping in general although my book shelves continually overflow like that Big Yellow Storage ad. Can I see this catching on is, I guess, the point. It might be my age (35 - I know, Larissa couldn't quite believe it either...) or it might be the 'green' effect or endless exposure to pony ads but whatever it is it's real for me.
I read an article in the New York Times over the weekend - it came free with The Observer (that's quite a good idea isn't it?) about Freegans. These are people who live off consumer waste, not just food, but everything, creating networks of people who swap things they don't need any more. (Anyone want a copy of Ogilvy on Advertising?)
Freegans exist in England, they are called Pikeys or Crustys depending on what paper you read but they are not mainstream enough to cause a dent in big corporations bottom line. Yet. However, the more we read about big brands like Tesco and Private Equity firms doing nasty things and how it's cooler to go to farrmers markets and buy clothes from Howies who knows profit margins are pretty tight these days so it could get worse for the big boys.
Trends are a funny old thing but you never know. Who would have ever thought that cardigans and crap white 80's plimsols would be back?
James Cooper
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Member since: 03 Jun 2008
Last login: 17 Nov 2009
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