Part 1 of Mittleman write up.
New Blank Document
This is an option in Microsoft Word. It seemed like a good way too start, or at least it did at 7 in the morning I was thinking that I should write something. After a coffee and a fast check of the world news it was now time too do some work more in my field. I never thought that a naive interest started long ago with a curiosity with music, art and style would lead me into a field. Who would of thought that 25 years ago a new industry would open and evolve creating opportunities for so many? Street wear and street culture might be hard to place and sometimes a bit trite, but what kind of job and life would we lead with out them?
Street wear update time. So I hit the blogs. Lots of new tee shirts, shoe color ways, no new shoes per say, at least none that I like, just lots of more color ways. Some new sweat shirts. A peak at some fall collections. Lots and lots of new New Era caps. Some art shows. Some sales at shops. Some old companies making comebacks. So with all this action you would think that there is lots too look at, however it all seems old. Were earlier forms of street wear more experimental, more pure, or just uncharted territory? Has the market place become so harmonized and conservative that only validated product sells? What happened too fun, style and the individual? Have the free thinkers moved on and are just no longer interested? Has the crossover to mainstream frozen all interesting progression? So many questions, not many answers.
I just bought a stack of magazines, not much inside. I threw a bunch away after one run thru. Can someone explain how MONOCLE picked Munich as the best city in the world to live? I hope the city is better than the movie. Wired had a few good articles about the emptiness of Second Life, the failure of video game placement ads and the pollution in Beijing and how it will affect the Olympics and the athletes. And why do I care about Beijing or the Olympics or Second life? I don’t. Maybe the Olympics should take place in Second Life? I guess if it did it would be a video game, a video game that would suck, who would play an Olympic video game. A dog fighting game would sell better, and a dog fighting game is an insanely horrible idea. But a while ago who would of ever thought Grand Theft Auto could become a real game? Might we be traveling into a place where commerce, creativity and culture need to do some real sole searching? Cant we all just get along?
It is the summer, nice time for a vacation or a break. Back 2 work in the fall. But what will happen this fall? Soon it will be time to work on something new. I feel like I am in a world of stasis (maybe its just me?). What has happened? Is it the Internet? The companies? Or is it the consumer? I would guess all three plus some more things that I am not smart enough to think of (add in your own thoughts here)…
However, I like my job, my career, and my life (I would like my life more if the AC in my office was working, I had more options for lunch, I could find the perfect bag and I lived beach front with one of those big Viking BBQ's things, over looking the ocean and a pool…. Oh ya a matte black 2008 Dodge Hemi Challenger and matching Ram pickup). With this said it would be great too be able to do something about my boredom and lack of inspiration at the moment. Inspiration can be found anywhere, but being inspired and doing something with that inspiration is a whole different game. Inspiration and conversation are just one facet, having too produce is when it can get tricky…
I can think of a few inspirational things:
-iPhone (I like 2 watch people try and find flaws with it. Have you ever scene someone look for flaws with a blackberry?)
-Wii
-Sunshine (the movie) and real sunshine
-thinking that tons of snow will fall this winter
-Bike riding
-The fact that I can make good photo prints at home
-Doing things with my daughter
-I just rearranged all of my books so I can find them
-I finally got good quality sound out of my computer
-I am just not very inspired with clothing now, but maybe that is because it is 90 degrees and what would I care about winter gear in during the hottest week of the year?
I assume if you are reading this that you must have some interest in this arena, if not why are you be reading this? And if you are reading this and just hating on it maybe you are part of the problem? Not that what I am saying is right or wrong, however this industry and culture needs progress if it is too flourish. We can no longer just reference the past fifty years of creativity and infinitely regurgitate it back in remixed forms.
We now have multiple Brands, blogs, all over patterns, parodies and a seemingly absence of places too go. Time is going so fast, that what was last week seems like last year and next week is now. Not long ago great vintage BMX bikes were easy too find, now they are gone. The same goes for Track bikes today. Have we raped culture the same as we have broken the earth? (Myself not excluded from any of this) Is it just how history works? Maybe when I am older and have lived through more cycles and it will all become clear?
I have seen the Wizard of Oz; in the end the guy behind the curtain is not what I expected.
one guy's response.
Mittlemans write ups are always a good read and between his write up and Eddie Cruzs “SMAFU” these are defiantly feelings that are felt across the industry, at least amongst some...
Mittleman and the response he linked to, bring up the facts that another problem with our culture is that history and past sells with very little effort. Another thing to go a long with this is shock items like naked women on t-shirts and or the word FUCK on anything. These kinds of content i find is a problem that actually is not only within the streetwear industry. Think about some of the movies that came out this past summer: Transformers, Simpsons, Die Hard 4, Bourn Ultimatum, Rush Hour 3 and Harry Potter (5) to name a few. Another thing to look at is the huge gross in the amount of reality shows on TV. The entertainment industry is no longer willing to take any sort of risks, especially creative ones that might not make money. From a financial point of view why should they? Sequels and remakes are guaranteed a certain audience and reality television the same with costing almost nothing. These have made the media dwindle in quality over time. The only thing that some what maintains a level of quality is that some “creators” still have enough pride in there work to make the best of what the studios and the stations allow them to make.
Now to bring it back to streetwear where i always found should be the place where the money shouldn’t matter as much and creativity and innovation should be more important and the focus of the products created and sold. Unfortunately a lot of the brands have instead followed what is happening in the other creative fields and have become conservative in what they put out and instead produce there lines in the best interest of what will sell and cost the least to make. Sure there are exceptions to this like Supreme who has always pretty much done what they’ve been doing since day one and Visvim who are at the forefront of quality almost to the point of not even being able to be called streetwear anymore because of there prices.
The “scene” (sorry only using the term for lack of a better word) needs to as funny as it sounds, go back to what it originally was in terms of trying new things and exposing new aspects of culture, history and future trends that haven’t been exploited a millions of times before. Sure its more work and the market might originally not get it, but these are things i feel will need to happen for everything to evolve.
Ecr L'Inf
ABSORB All this.
