ATTN MARKETERS: Not All Fashion Trends Are For Sale

What comes to mind when you think of  “rebellious” style?

You might say, “blue hair, piercings and tattoos.” And you’d be right…twenty years ago. Because yesterday’s “rebellious style” that was meant to fight against the mainstream has now become the mainstream. Too often, fashion trends that pop up as a way to combat societal norms or make political statements are packaged up and sold to the masses via tone-deaf marketing by brands looking to make a quick buck.

And don’t get us wrong, fashion and culture are meant to be shared. But not at the cost of the cause. Take for instance the punk movement of the 70s, which emerged as an “anti-fashion” movement meant to critique society’s beauty and fashion standards. It didn’t take long before every upper-middle class suburban teenager was rocking ripped jeans and mohawks at their 4-H Club meetings. Brands found a way to take a counter-culture movement and turn it into the very thing it was meant to protest.

If you take a look back at fashion history, you’ll notice a pattern. 

Whether it’s the flapper style of the 20s taking a stance against Victorian ideals of femininity or the Black Power movement battling white-centric beauty standards with natural hairstyles and Kente cloth to promote Black identity –– companies have found a way to package it up and sell it. Flip through any fashion magazine from the 70s and tell us how many white folks have Afros. 

Again, we’re not saying you’re not entitled to express yourself stylistically in any way that suits you. We’re simply saying that when brands try to commercialize trends that are attached to political statements…it softens the message. And in some cases, erases it.

If a consumer appropriates a cultural style that has been plastered all over billboards and social media, we can’t blame them. Brands need to take accountability. If they want to capitalize on a cultural fashion trend, they have a responsibility to gain a deep understanding of both the culture and the meaning behind it.

If you believe your brand lends itself to a current trend that’s tied to a political statement, ask yourself two very important questions:

Does your marketing match their message?

Do you understand your audience and their struggles at the deepest possible level?

If you answered “no” or were unsure on either question, you have two options. 1) Accept that your brand has no place getting involved or 2) contact a marketing agency that specializes in connecting with multicultural audiences.

So, what do rebellious fashion trends look like today? 

In light of today’s political landscape and anti-immigration discourse, a lot of Latin American living with a heightened sense of anxiety –– and sadly, hiding their heritage is becoming commonplace.

But Mexican-American millennials aren’t afraid to represent their culture through fashion as their own form of “rebellion.” In corporate and professional settings, they’re showing off their heritage…making a loud (and proud) statement. Wearing everything from blue and plaid flannels as a throwback to the Chicano movement of the 60s to huaraches to big gold hoop earrings and bold red lipsticks –– they’re not afraid to take a political stance through style. 

So if you feel like your brand has something to offer this audience, we’d love to connect and see how we could work together to keep their message strong.

Check out how we tap into deep cultural insights to connect brands with new audiences here.