What the author truly hates (i wish they had the courage to say this) is the mainstreaming and democratization of fashion. The internet made it accessible for everyone, and now the kids in the suburbs can catch on to trends a few months late, rather than years after the fact.
Subcultures are collapsing and yes algorithms were flattening the trend cycle in a way, which I would argue is starting to reverse, but really what people hate the most is looking basic and like everyone else.
Menswear and womenswear before the internet used to mean more because it was *mostly* a bourgeois pursuit only available to people who lived in major cities and cultural centers, and well now the nasty proles can partake with massive SSENSE sales and easy access to fashion media.
The reality is that there are plenty of brands, designers, artists, photographers, ADs, etc that are making incredible and inspiring stuff. What the author resents are the normies who try to be saucy and swagged out, but failing in the process. Not everyone has refined taste and that’s ok.
Very not true. We all religiously read Vogue, Paper and WWD. Designers and models were household names and fashion spreads adorned bedroom walls in the boonies.
1) this article is everything it claims to hate about “Menswear”
2) speaking about “Menswear” as a monolith is a flawed approach and way of thinking, and it becomes self-fulfilling prophecy when viewed through this lens.
3) the ALD hate is as played out as you claim the brand itself is. everybody hates on ALD because they’re good at what they do and everyone can claim they “saw it coming”
4) criticizing ALD for being white boy fast fashion with Supreme pricing and then praising a brand like 18East that does the same exact thing (and was criticized for potential appropriation) is actually laughable.
5) it’s really not that deep. people wear what they like. generations are nostalgic for their formative years. millennials love the 90’s and genz loves the 2000’s and they wear what they like and what resonates with them.
if you dislike what people wear, on a large or small scale, you are what’s wrong with “menswear” - people wear what they like. get over yourself.
signed - someone with ALD, Supreme, 18east, Noah, and lots of “gorpcore” in their wardrobe.
Wow! Someone on da web complaining about phenomena that they fail to define and entities they are too cowardly to name out right! Another hollow faux-iconoclast, one more careerist posing as truthbomb-flinger! That rocks!
confusing to see ALD (not a brand I like, for the record) referred to as "fast fashion with Supreme prices" when it's significantly better made than fast fashion and significantly more expensive than Supreme. beyond that, can't you just tell how cool someone is by looking at them? and why do you even need to be able to tell how rich someone is? beyond THAT, no mention of man-tle? evan kinori arpenteur? chcm? colbo? little homemade brands like never cursed?
things can be made in china and still well-made. also, did you not notice i said i dont like the brand? and either way, it's certainly more expensive (double or triple for the same stuff) than supreme
"nothing to rebel against" is the defining statement of all contemporary culture
just four years ago people were burning cop cars in giant protests, now even most of the people who were there in the streets can't imagine such a thing, too kitsch, too sincere
The fall of ALD from "occasionally making some cool unexpected pieces with ideas" to "Costanzawave Industrial Complex" has been a real slow-motion car crash these last couple-three years
this whole thing is just totally missing Mordechai Rubinstein a.k.a. Mistermort. All 5 dudes that know how to dress, learned how to dress from Mordechai. Ask Sam, ask Noah, who has style? Mordechai Fucking Rubinstein.
This was a fun read. I wasn’t a fan of the line about Rei “but it’s hard to continually introduce fresh ideas when you’re the same age as Joe Biden.” It’s sort of ageist-lite. I’m sure you know some people in their 80s are very sharp and creative and maybe this was just a buzzy line
blackbird spyplane they could never make me hate you…
an actually talented writer and thinker
What the author truly hates (i wish they had the courage to say this) is the mainstreaming and democratization of fashion. The internet made it accessible for everyone, and now the kids in the suburbs can catch on to trends a few months late, rather than years after the fact.
Subcultures are collapsing and yes algorithms were flattening the trend cycle in a way, which I would argue is starting to reverse, but really what people hate the most is looking basic and like everyone else.
Menswear and womenswear before the internet used to mean more because it was *mostly* a bourgeois pursuit only available to people who lived in major cities and cultural centers, and well now the nasty proles can partake with massive SSENSE sales and easy access to fashion media.
The reality is that there are plenty of brands, designers, artists, photographers, ADs, etc that are making incredible and inspiring stuff. What the author resents are the normies who try to be saucy and swagged out, but failing in the process. Not everyone has refined taste and that’s ok.
This! It reminds me of that Raf Simons interview where he says that the problem with the fashion industry has gone pop
Very not true. We all religiously read Vogue, Paper and WWD. Designers and models were household names and fashion spreads adorned bedroom walls in the boonies.
This is it right here.
Blame capitalism for creating soul sucking wave of never ending consumption, and train your eye to know real steez when you see it.
⚡️
lol the menswear blaccent substack is so accurate
wish they would drop those affectations because I find the ideas compelling
1) this article is everything it claims to hate about “Menswear”
2) speaking about “Menswear” as a monolith is a flawed approach and way of thinking, and it becomes self-fulfilling prophecy when viewed through this lens.
3) the ALD hate is as played out as you claim the brand itself is. everybody hates on ALD because they’re good at what they do and everyone can claim they “saw it coming”
4) criticizing ALD for being white boy fast fashion with Supreme pricing and then praising a brand like 18East that does the same exact thing (and was criticized for potential appropriation) is actually laughable.
5) it’s really not that deep. people wear what they like. generations are nostalgic for their formative years. millennials love the 90’s and genz loves the 2000’s and they wear what they like and what resonates with them.
if you dislike what people wear, on a large or small scale, you are what’s wrong with “menswear” - people wear what they like. get over yourself.
signed - someone with ALD, Supreme, 18east, Noah, and lots of “gorpcore” in their wardrobe.
Wow! Someone on da web complaining about phenomena that they fail to define and entities they are too cowardly to name out right! Another hollow faux-iconoclast, one more careerist posing as truthbomb-flinger! That rocks!
confusing to see ALD (not a brand I like, for the record) referred to as "fast fashion with Supreme prices" when it's significantly better made than fast fashion and significantly more expensive than Supreme. beyond that, can't you just tell how cool someone is by looking at them? and why do you even need to be able to tell how rich someone is? beyond THAT, no mention of man-tle? evan kinori arpenteur? chcm? colbo? little homemade brands like never cursed?
ALD quality has actually gone DOWN as prices have gone up. 70% (if not more) of their catalog is made in China. Suckle Teddy Santis’ cock more bruv
things can be made in china and still well-made. also, did you not notice i said i dont like the brand? and either way, it's certainly more expensive (double or triple for the same stuff) than supreme
a brave post … and yet the first Hate Read that i think has sadly gone “too far”
this is the only hate read that seems to understand the subject enough to skewer it properly.
"nothing to rebel against" is the defining statement of all contemporary culture
just four years ago people were burning cop cars in giant protests, now even most of the people who were there in the streets can't imagine such a thing, too kitsch, too sincere
we don't even get to suffer nobly
The fall of ALD from "occasionally making some cool unexpected pieces with ideas" to "Costanzawave Industrial Complex" has been a real slow-motion car crash these last couple-three years
costanzawave lmao
this whole thing is just totally missing Mordechai Rubinstein a.k.a. Mistermort. All 5 dudes that know how to dress, learned how to dress from Mordechai. Ask Sam, ask Noah, who has style? Mordechai Fucking Rubinstein.
The anti-algorithm sentiment amongst young fashion students / brand owners is real. age of nostalgia in menswear is (I hope) coming to a close
This was a fun read. I wasn’t a fan of the line about Rei “but it’s hard to continually introduce fresh ideas when you’re the same age as Joe Biden.” It’s sort of ageist-lite. I’m sure you know some people in their 80s are very sharp and creative and maybe this was just a buzzy line
You don’t know any graffiti writers or anyone arguably cool. Tfo they work at Condé Nast.
What does "white boy coded" mean?
I miss the Menswear Dog era.
Writer: ALD is too “white boy coded”
Also writer: ideal menswear outfit is Loewe with dog hair on it
Oh the irony