Source: wetsuitcentre.co.uk
A number of days ago, I posted an article on the decline of Quiksilver, in my mind, as a surf brand in the true sense of the word.
For myself, and only personally speaking, a brand that I have grown closer to as a surfer is the Brazilian surf brand 'Reef'.
Reef
Reef: famous for shoes, boardies and nice bums.
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| These are shoes... |
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| These are boardies... |
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| These are some girls' bums... |
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| And this is a guy's bum. (Yes, I am straight - I just believe in sexual equality) |
I can't say that Reef is 100% surfing, as I know the business also has a presence in skating. I guess what appeals to me about Reef, is that they seem to be much less of a corporate machine than many other larger surf brands. I'm prepared to admit this may only be a perception. Either way, the company still seems to have it's roots genuinely in surfing. While their gear seems to be of a high quality, I wouldn't call their range outside of footwear, boardies and t-shirts 'comprehensive'.
Still, one of my favourite surf brands for mind...
Question.
ReplyDeleteWhy must we wear brands that represent a lifestyle?
Should not our actions define our image, rather than the clothes we choose to wear?
Are we not multifaceted creatures that represent something far more than what the brand purports to represent?
By aligning with a brand are we not saying this generalised image is me? Look no further, all your assumptions are correct?
Maybe im digging too deep. I just don't like the ethos of a company to speak for me, especially when they get their products made in china to massive markups like any of the big 3 surf brands.
Gav, that's a totally fair point you make. I do however think you're probably reading too deeply into what I've written.
DeleteTrue, I have often wondered this very point about myself and my own actions. Having done some Consumer Behaviour (a combination of psychology and business/marketing) classes in my business degrees, I have reflected on my own behaviour armed with this understanding.
I guess the way I see it with brands, is that it depends on your motivation or 'goal'. If you're doing it to fit in, then I probably think it's not that healthy.
I don't do it to fit in. For me, I take my fun seriously - if that makes sense. Even though I'm an average surfer, I like to pretend I'm a pro. This means having all the gear I need, and keeping it in tip-top condition. And this also includes looking the part. For me it's just fun and part of the passion - and I don't see a problem with that.
At the end of the day, I totally agree with you Gav: What comes out of our mouth is far more important than what we wear. I just also happen to think that it's okay to care about what we wear too - as long as it doesn't take priority.