The New Age of Branding
- Justinian Mason
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
The fashion world is in a very intriguing place right now. Historically brands have more or less stuck to the vision of their ethos to promote an idea of consistency and stature. Today we're seeing a shift in how brands decide to present themselves by exploring new artistic mediums or collabing with industries that are far removed from the fashion world. Brands are climbing out of the pigeon hole and spreading their wings to explore what they feel they never could.
A few years ago I had a clothing brand named Ponti. I made up the name because I didn't want expectations of how to produce to be thrusted upon me. One day, when speaking to a random guy at my friends apartment pool in Houston, Ponti came up in conversation. Before the brand even came up, the man had learned that I was Liberian. Once Ponti entered the conversation, he suggested I anchor the brand in my Liberian heritage. I shot that idea down too fast. I explained to him that while I love my heritage, there's a fairly low ceiling for artistic expression if I place the identity of my brand around it. It would be difficult to sustain a quality image around my heritage; I could get maybe five interesting collections out of the brand before I lost material. I ended up explaining to him the power behind branding and how being hyper specific about your identity can ultimately limit a brand.
It's easy to back yourself into a corner if you're too specific about what your brand represents. know it might sound a little crazy, but I think leaving some specifics undefined is actually key. I never want a brand to tell me what they are. If I see a clothing brand named "Good Clothes Inc" it literally wouldn't move me—wouldn't even flinch. It's painfully transparent and leaves absolutely no room for imagination. I'm not saying I desire mystery as a consumer, but I do want a name to strike curiosity in favor of rolling my eyes. In my opinion title is absolutely everything in branding. Paired with a logo, the name of the brand is the first impression. Together the logo and name of a brand reflect the quality and attention to detail of the product itself. My bad, I was a second away from getting off track. The point is, when you create a vague brand image in the front end (logo and naming) it allows you to create more freely in the back end (production and advertising). A few examples are Ralph Lauren and Telfar. Neither brand spells out its identity in the name itself, but both communicate it powerfully through marketing and product. This approach lets them build worlds around strong front end branding.
There are so many motivations to start a clothing brand. Some are created for uniformity and utility, while others are created to test creative limits. I don't want to sit here pretend like every brand needs to leave room for limitless creative expression. For instance, a brand like Lulu Lemon isn't going to have the same creative expectations season to season compared to Loewe. Lulu Lemon works because their branding relies on function and appealing to white women that love yoga. They don't need to reinvent the wheel to capture their audience. I feel like that was a funk many storied fashion houses got stuck in for a few years. Culture building got lost, and they rode a wave of their own making knowing they couldn't be shoved off. Brands like Bottega Veneta and Ralph Lauren come to mind, two brands who relied on legacy a little too long. However, in this new age of branding, we're seeing these brands along with others have a creative renaissance that pushes them forward, but ultimately stands true to the brand ethos.
Under the creative watchful eye of James Jeter, Ralph Lauren has ushered in a new era that emphasizes the diverse worlds and aesthetics of prep. Yes, the most obvious example being the Oak Bluffs campaign that highlights Black wealth and prep that's unique to Black history. It's cool to highlight this history because it's literally educational, but I think what Ralph is doing really well is what they've always understood; where there's sport there's prep. No surprise here, Ralph Lauren is a prep brand, and while they've always dabbled in sport. I think they're applying more pressure these days. Ralph Lauren has essentially cornered the tennis world, cementing itself as the go-to brand in that space. But what stood out to me recently was spotting a racer jacket in their store this past Saturday—a sign that they’re not only leaning into heritage sports, but also tapping into broader fashion cycles. Add to that the resurgence of a nautical, “boat” aesthetic, and it’s clear Ralph is positioning itself at the forefront of that movement, leading the charge in how it’s being reintroduced. When considering quality of branding and production, Ralph Lauren isn't just ahead of the curb, they're paving the street then moving on to make another one. In fact, according to Outlander Magazine, Ralph Lauren is the most popular it's ever been with profits up 30% and stocks up 90%. The company has recognized their standing in culture and decided to push well past expectations.
Other brands are doubling down on brand presence with what I can only describe as pure creative direction. Brands are starting to dump money into art direction that seemingly exists to show a dedication to world building in favor of making immediate profits. I'm always going to be a champion of creative output for the fuck of it, so more power to those willing to take the risk. The photo above is from a campaign by Stone Island. In this campaign they placed a giant chiseled Stone Island logo in shark infested waters. If you ask me it's perfect. The brand is known for being built for the outdoors/the elements so they adapted the logo to fit into nature itself. It's simple but super cool and keeps people engaged with what's next.
There are countless established and emerging brands today that are finding inventive ways not just to promote themselves, but simply to exist in culture. Brands like Cortez come to mind after they just finished up a pop-up in a subway car. The brand had an entire underground pop-up in a subway station named after the brand itself. Even creating Cortez Metro cards for guests to enter the station. The attention to detail is nothing short of amazing. If this is the new normal in brand outreach I'm completely here for it. A monumentous shift is happening in the marketing world right now. Brands are noticing that interdisciplnary artistic expression is what can take them over the top. This might sound naive, but in today’s landscape it feels like there’s room for every brand to succeed in this endeavor. I haven’t really seen direct copycats—rather, brands are doubling down on their core identities and figuring out how to amplify them. That kind of self-reflection pushes each one toward its own distinct creative expression. That's hot. Interestingly enough this new approach seems like it might've birthed a new industry.
The mother of all effective out of the box design and marketing, MSCHF, is starting a creative agency. This agency supposedly exists to help brands go viral, but my guess is they're going to assist in helping brands create meaningful head turning campaigns and products. If you don't know about MSCHF they're the company that made the Rocket Boy shoes a few years ago. They are a constant is the fashion news cycle with their endless production of strange creative showmanship. The new wave of thoughtful highly detailed curation is a mode MSCHF has been on for years, so who better to guide other brands in this new era of branding? The rollout of this agency is the beginning of a burgeoning industry within fashion marketing and I couldn't be more excited to witness and perhaps (definitely) one day partake in it.
I could make the arguement that consumers are more drawn to branding than the product itself in today's climate. If you own a small brand but you have interesting community outreach you might just circumvent the drawn out process of growth. This new era also cements the arrival of Gen Z in the consumer market. According to McKinsey & Company Gen Z is more willing to splurge than other generations. I think it's fair to assume the recent shift in marketing is catered to an online audience that has buying power and cultural cachet. In the past grabbing peoples attention online was more trend focused in fashion, but now the trend itself is individual curation.
I love the place the fashion industry is heading right now. This new era of branding forces everyone to focus on every nook and cranny of brand image. Producing a half-baked brand image will only take you as far as your hometown support system. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again. IF YOU'RE A CREATIVE YOU ARE MULTIFACETED, JUST DIG DEEP AND DO WHAT FEELS RIGHT. Creative competition in fashion is hot as hell, and I for one can't wait to throw my hat in the ring. Now, if we can just get A.I. the fuck outta here creativity can truly thrive.
Sources:
Outlander Magazine
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