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Think Different

‘I can relate to your struggle 

I overstand the hustle 

But it's the music that moves.’

As festival season comes back around Apple have produced a new advert for the mac computer serving as an ode to the artists whose songs have been featured by the company in previous years. After recently announcing the termination of itunes it stands to reason that the company must once again re-establish their long standing coalition with the music scene. 

There is a logic to this: Apple, which was initially founded by Steve, both Jobs and Wozniak, in 1976, has come to be known for possessing the technology best suited to music streaming. This development is a recent one however, and can predominantly be considered a 21st century advancement.* That’s right, this company brought us not only itunes but the ipod, airpods and the homepod among several other devices which combine both sound and visuals. Music is integral to the brand’s identity but this wasn’t always the case…

In 1981 after several years of legal battle with the Beatles’ own company of the same name, it was agreed that Apple computer would steer clear of any involvement with the music sector, a promise which they did not successfully follow through on. By the end of the 1980’s Apple had already been sued for their involvement in music creation, in 2003 the invention of itunes provoked yet another disagreement and so it went on until 2007 when an arrangement based on the use of trademarks settled the dispute. It took another three years for the marked absence of the fab four on our playlists to be rectified and the band were eventually made downloadable on itunes at the culmination of the last decade.*   

There’s a special something about Apple ads that make them stand out. The simplicity on which the company prides itself, the allure of a catchy slogan, of course, but what else? Jobs, who allegedly placed marketing as a main priority, second only to technological innovation can himself, take partial credit for many of the breakthrough publicity schemes. To cite just one of the most judicious marketing ploys, ‘Why 1984 won’t be like 1984,’ was a tag-line that Jobs enthusiastically gave the go-ahead on. The Macintosh computer’s debut in the mid-eighties featured twice in the commercial break during the super bowl. Buying advertising for this time slot was expensive and indicated that Apple were serious in their aims of reaching a wider audience. Ridley Scott, director of dystopian sci-fi drama ‘Blade Runner’ made the commercial in the same vein as his previous work, with a sympathetic heroine intent on single handedly fighting the ‘forces of evil’ so to speak.    

‘Think Different,’ was yet another phrase conjured by team Apple. This cleverly aspirational quote of the consumer led nineties played homage to many wonderful icons in an ad campaign featuring many historical figures who Jobs himself, held personal admiration for. Among those included were Einstein, Gandhi, Jim Henson, Martha Graham, Martin Luther King jr, John F. Kennedy and John Lennon to name just a few. What you might notice about these plucky individuals is the maverick element of their personalities, which Jobs was keen to promote and harness as a quality his own target base could relate to. The masterful way in which ‘Think Different’ worked to accumulate loyal cult followers and simultaneously set them apart from their rivals took true genius. Rarely has marketing been quite so slick. Purportedly the slogan was dreamed up in response to IBM, (Apple’s main adversary at the time) and their own catch phrase- ‘think’.* IBM, often playing the part of a common adversary, was regularly victim to Apple’s sly us-versus-them propaganda. This was indeed clear to see in most of their well-known promotional material (get a mac) with the only noticeable change over time becoming the casting of the villain, as microsoft overtook IBM as the main competitor.       

Often Apple’s advertising focuses less on the item itself but instead on the feeling one would acquire as a result of owning it. The odd pricing is never the central point of focus, however the cost is undoubtedly part and parcel in what the brand wishes to convey about the superior quality of their designs. There is a sense of achievement, an appealing level of elitism in owning an Apple product that the company has so successfully cultivated through their marketing campaigns. It’s fair to say that more so than any other computing giant, Apple is a brand with an ideology, a brand which promotes the same sense of ingeniousness and inspiration on which it was founded. ‘Think Different’ is not just a suggestion but an explanation as to how Steve Jobs and his team succeeded in creating such a large empire, in the end dominating the field of mobile technology.     

*https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=NlOcBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA18&dq=apple+advertising&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjihPrAzqDjAhVOIlAKHSgMDbYQ6AEIPTAE#v=onepage&q=apple%20advertising&f=false p.18

*How to think like Steve Jobs p.75

*Wikipedia, Think Different

NORREBRO

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Helly Hansen V Jane Norman

A cutting taken from parent company Edinburgh Woolen Mill but branching off as a brand within its own right, Jane Nor, having found it’s legs in the 1990’s, was the epitome of cool and was the defining feature of girlhood way back in my first year of high school, circa 2007.  So what was the masculine counterpart? I hear you ask. No need to fret as I will reveal all before the completion of this sentence, so without further ado, let me present to you: Mr. Helly Hansen. 

It is only through thorough research that I am led to believe that the popularity of Helly Hansen and Jane Norman exclusively, was, lo and behold, a geographic anomaly. Much to my amazement it turned out that my small-town high school wasn’t actually capital of cool (think if Napoleon Dynamite was set in Scotland), regardless, I do see the appeal of these brands despite being immune to their charm at the time. For every Mr. puffy-esque H/H jacket was a Jane Nor bag in it’s characteristic girlish font, reminiscent of a funky friends product featuring butterflies, love hearts...you get the drift. In those days tribe mentality was strong, we’re talking peak neds versus moshers territory here. The controversy behind which pack you belonged to, whether you affiliated with them by choice or were otherwise informed, was high on everyone’s agenda. Whether you did or did not prescribe to the trends of the time ultimately dictated which group you were allocated to. Needless to say I had no Jane Nor bag to speak of ergo Ich bin ein mosher, not really but I did have a pair of converse, which I remember being told sealed the deal.  

Personal politics, I know, a serious matter, not to be taken lightly. After recently visiting a local Caledonian Countrywear store I was struck with the subtly revised appearance which I didn’t initially associate with the hoodless raincoat from way back in the day. What was this? Could it be that Helly Hansen seemed to favour less of an attention grabbing garment as dictated by changing trends? Once again I am rendered wonder-struck by the continually baffling process which is the natural passage of time. Did memory serve me? Perhaps puffy was just a popular look at the time...maybe it was not so much the jacket itself but what, or more importantly who, I connected it with. (Suddenly the choice to have Sam Heughan as Barbour brand ambassador made sense). No doubt, I could certainly see the appeal in buying outerwear with a mind for it to last. Soon I found myself lost in a maze of the best of what Scotland and the Nordic regions had to offer and mentally set a reminder for myself to return again in the near future.

The rigidity of the rules regarding which clothing belonged to whom felt restrictive in those days, there was no freedom to express yourself without being given a label. In the end I opted not to let the opinions of others deter me from dressing however I felt, though it could be trying at times. Truth be told, my biggest opponents were my teachers, constantly aggravated by my inability to adhere to the school’s policy on uniform. Reality needn’t be an unscripted redo of St. Trinians, as humans we all contain multitudes. While it can be fun to simplify and study trends, even to commit to belonging to a community we love, none of us are one dimensional beings. Essentially, we ought to have the right to decide for ourselves how we want to be identified.

Whilst in high school such things are often emphasized and taken to extremes. As our identities emerge whilst young, it can be comforting for teenagers to anchor themselves onto one particular notion with regards to who they are. I’m glad to find that as we grow older, the world is not split into black and white so much as it was then. Following on from my research into weatherable clothing in the Nordic hemisphere, there lies in me a newfound appreciation of the appetite for attractive yet practical finds in these areas. This applies most especially when it comes to durable, sturdy stuff, which is no surprise, as after all, that’s what we Scots are made of! Isn’t it?    

NORREBRO

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WOMEN’S WEAR BY YOHJI YAMAMOTO

‘There is nothing so boring as a neat and tidy look’

This is what could be read on the labels of women’s wear pieces created by Yamamoto in the 1980’s.

There is no shortage of adjectives which could be used to describe the creations of the eponymously named Japanese label Yohji Yamamoto. The elaborately curated designs of the brand are characterised by a dark and distressed, visible wear and tear which is complimented by loose fitting and formless or irregular outlines showcasing the want for women to appear shrouded, mysterious but most importantly, safe and concealed.

What may also be recognised in Yamamoto’s work is an inescapable cultural influence, having been born and raised within his home country of Japan until he left for his first Parisian show in 1981, his heritage is unmistakably present in the overarching feel of his designs. There is a comparison to be made with the clothing Yamamoto makes and the traditional Japanese dress- the kimono which extends even to the fabric he uses which is exclusively sourced from the family-run Chiso factory established in 1555, known for crafting monk’s robes. The sleek, draped style can be seen as the ancestor to what could be considered the country’s updated, post-modern take on these traditional garments as Yamamoto, arguably one of Japan’s three biggest names in fashion, has truly earned his place as an icon, world-over.

Yamamoto has most definitely made his mark as a strong force in the industry from the early ‘80’s onwards, while his personal flair was not initially greeted with the acclaim which it deserved, even being clouted as ‘holocaust chic,’ it has slowly and surely grown in popularity over the decades. What might be considered an update on the national dress comprises of an experimental and deliberate ignoring of trends for which Yamamoto and his wife Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, have come to be appreciated for.

His distaste for waste is accented in his contradictory pieces which, though well-made, make a statement out of worn edges, frayed material and dirty, punkish looks. In some cases the outstanding feature of his designs are the sharp, angular silhouettes which contribute to the contemporary, new woman archetype. There emerges a kind of female equivalent of the new man (or ‘mod’) of the 1960’s which is an alternative to ‘80’s careerism that nevertheless empowers the woman who wants to be strong and edgy yet hidden, asexual and somewhat reserved. Does conservatism creep into the equation here? It is hard to say what Yamamoto’s motivations are in this respect but what he does express, not dissimilar to some other male designers within the field of fashion, is a want for women to feel protected, whether it be from the weather or the male gaze, yet also emboldened, fierce and powerful rather than humble, feminine and floral.

These feelings are no doubt, in some part, a reaction to the aftermath of the war devastated world in which he grew up in. With hints of the sombre and morose in his shaded wardrobe, there gives off a certain sense of the dark and alluring mystique, those qualities of the other that your typical disney villian so embodies. Put it this way, if Maleficent was to pick a preference for any trending brand, Yamamoto would certainly be a strong contender for she, in all her cloaked and hooded glory.

The almost exclusive use of the colour black is a marked component in all of Yamamoto’s collections, famously describing this as ‘…modest and arrogant at the same time…lazy and easy - but mysterious.’ and ‘above all black says this: I don’t bother you - don’t bother me.’ It is clear that the colour black conjures connotations of restraint, refinement, simplicity and austerity. Moody but never showy, Yamamoto encapsulates the culture into which he was born so well with his subtleness and minimalism as even these qualities remain highly valued in Japanese society to this day. The significance of the colour black has it’s origins in the samurai era and as with the black belt status in many martial art practices, the shade symbolises self-discipline in addition to simply being sophisticated and flattering.

In summary, Yamamoto is skilful in his ability to craft a mannish, hard-boiled version of the film noir aesthetic for the female market in his carefully sculpted designs. Despite the distinctively unfeminine appearance of his creations there is a dark, villainous quality which gives an impression of a tough yet lachrymose woman which is unique, rivalled by few designers outside of his Japanese contemporaries.                  

https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tzWz1v0riAQC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=yohji+yamamoto&ots=U6lmzzkDh9&sig=wdI_2paGewmEL1rYLSaZgS8KXVo#v=onepage&q=yohji%20yamamoto&f=false

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jqlVDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA62&dq=yohji+yamamoto&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwir04z089riAhVLSxUIHcbbCxo4ChDoAQhFMAU#v=onepage&q=yohji%20yamamoto&f=false

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8298329/Yohji-Yamamoto-30-years-at-the-cutting-edge.html

NORREBRO