How much of you is owned by brands?

faceman

So how much of you and your soul is "branded" by corporations and brands? Do you parade in nike runners, Gucci handbags or do you buy the best and hide the brand label? Or maybe you prefer a bit of St Bernard instead?

When meeting people for the first time, do you check out their Jimmy Choo shoes or look to see if they are wearing a designer watch?

What do you think of it? What do you think of those who dont live by the brand?

Is it an unescapable evil?

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Amp test!

doctor_gonzo

I am the exact opposite! Most of my clothes are either from little shops here and there, Camden Market or Pennys! I even have a few lovely things that I've picked up in charity shops over the years. I prefer my approach - it's cheap, you can get some really unusual stuff that no one else has and look a bit different from everyone else...

Loomis

I have to say I live in Nike runners and do wear some brand name clothes. Mainly cause I go to Florida nearly annually and buy clothes that I'd have to sell a few vital organs on the black market to afford over here. Don't parade it like a ditsy girl showing off her handbag though. I'd imagine it'd be hard to parade in that manner as a guy

Femelade

I have very littel designer clothes, any designer things i do have were bought in places like TK Max or in New York last yr..thats about it, i cant afford designer gear to be honest.

DonkeyStyle \o/

When it comes to clothing, meh, nothing... I wears what I likes the look/feel of... couldn't give a shíte whos 3rd world sweatshop cranked it out.

Things like electronics are a different matter though, since I may actually have to go and contact this company for repairs, I may want drivers or software updates in 4 years, so it helps if they're well established enough to still be around in years to come... it also helps if they're popular enough to have sold enough of the product that I can find reviews/oppinions about it.
Having said that, I've no specific brand loyalty apart from what has worked well for me in the past.

Overheal

Brand name Hardware. After that its just Head & Shoulders brand name cereal and my local butcher. Everyone in this house refuses to eat Tesco meat.

cant remember the last time i wore a brand.

biko

"Get your brands of my body"
I purposely buy clothes with no or small logos.

Dave!

Nike (Man united shirt)
AFAIK no-name combats
Lonsdale runners
Jocks and socks = Dunnes

I'm not picky really... as long as it looks good, I'll wear it. It just so happens that the 'fancy' names make nicer clothes than Dunnes stores and Pennys.

connundrum

biko wrote: »

"Get your brands of my body"
I purposely buy clothes with no or small logos.

Samesies.

I can't remember wanting to grow up and walk around with a massive YSL sprawled across my ill fitting t-shirt

workaccount

faceman wrote: »

So how much of you and your soul is "branded" by corporations and brands? Do you parade in nike runners, Gucci handbags or do you buy the best and hide the brand label? Or maybe you prefer a bit of St Bernard instead?

When meeting people for the first time, do you check out their Jimmy Choo shoes or look to see if they are wearing a designer watch?

What do you think of it? What do you think of those who dont live by the brand?

Is it an unescapable evil?

Of course it is inescapable....brands help us to make buying decisions. Without brands we would not knows what's good quality.

Clothes branding is very different to buying good tools, computers or cars. You always know you can get spares if something breaks or that there's someone with expertise to fix it.

Jigsaw

Less is more. Understated and classy. I definitely would not wear a top with a massive logo or brand name on the front of it but I have no problem wearing brands as such.

Beerlao

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

When it comes to clothing, meh, nothing... I wears what I likes the look/feel of... couldn't give a shíte whos 3rd world sweatshop cranked it out.

Things like electronics are a different matter though, since I may actually have to go and contact this company for repairs, I may want drivers or software updates in 4 years, so it helps if they're well established enough to still be around in years to come... it also helps if they're popular enough to have sold enough of the product that I can find reviews/oppinions about it.
Having said that, I've no specific brand loyalty apart from what has worked well for me in the past.

i completely agree

stevoman

the nike corporation basically own my feet!

galah

Pretty brand-resistant due to sheer ignorance.

Up until recently, I thought 'Abercrombie' was a Scottish village (it probably is as well...)

Bought a 'Banana Republic' shirt because it reflected my feelings towards this country at times - until someone told me it was a brand.

Plus, I do not see the extra value in designer clothes - just because there's a famous name attached or some ditzy idiot wears it. So why pay more?

The Hill Billy

faceman wrote: »

So how much of you and your soul is "branded" by corporations and brands? Do you parade in nike runners, Gucci handbags or do you buy the best and hide the brand label? Or maybe you prefer a bit of St Bernard instead?

Doc Marten's footwear. St Bernard's underwear.

faceman wrote: »

When meeting people for the first time, do you check out their Jimmy Choo shoes or look to see if they are wearing a designer watch?

Check out their knockers, tbh.

Wibbs

I buy what works for me. One of the best pair of walking boots I've owned I got from lidl. This was after years of spending big money on brands. My watches are pretty much all vintage so fairly understated. I will say this though I have bought and would by again YSL shirts. V good quality and the colour lasts for years. I have two that are nigh on 10 years old and look like new. They're the only brand I can think of that I would have a preference for.

The_Minister

I am wearing St. Bernard Jeans right now.

Schism

Well right now the only thing on me branded is the adidas logo on the jersey I'm wearing. The runners I have on I've had for about 6 years :eek: and they only cost €20!

Do band t-shirts count?

seraphimvc

i buy stuffs/clothes that suit me ,simple as that,no matter its branded or not.but the price do matters in many case and of course i wont wear/use any big logo products showing off i am using good stuffs ,except my pc!:Dlove the intel/AMD/nvidia sticker~~wohhooo!

r3nu4l

Everything you wear is branded :rolleyes:

St. Bernard is a brand! Tesco Fred & Florence is a brand. Burtons trousers? Yup, that's a brand too.

Just because it's not an expensive brand doesn't mean it's not a brand. You are just wearing a cheap brand

Butchers meat? The victuallers association brands butchers meat as being better than that sold in supermarkets! It usually is too because that is now the market niche they have been forced to adopt by crap supermarket cuts. Don't think they didn't pay an Advertising or PR agency for that positioning and segmentation advice, they did!

Ever see a scruffy hippy-type wearing rastafarian type oversize baggy jumper and distressed combat trousers...that's all branded too and designed to appeal to him/her. The corporations have fooled them into thinking that they look different and are railing against the system when in fact they look the same as all other hippy-types...they are a brand.

Sad but true

r3nu4l

Schism wrote: »

Do band t-shirts count?

Does a bear...Is the Pope a...?

Of course it counts! Band branding is an amazing marketing trick that works brilliantly. It's free advertising for the record company and you get to charge far more for it than you would for a regular t-shirt Win-win for the music industry!

swiss

I conscientiously avoid clothing that have large or prominent brands. Not that I have a problem with the brands, but I don't want to define what little sense of style I have by the brand of clothing I wear. That said, I can think of a number of exceptions in my wardrobe.

For the consumer, the only benefit I can see in branding terms is that it sets the expectation for a certain standard or quality in the provision of a good or service. Sometimes these expectations are skewed by marketing, for example there are many supermarket "own brands" like St. Bernard and Tesco that are of similar quality to market leading brands. However in general people will have gotten used to certain brands and will seek them out. Having no branding means the consumer does not know who manufactured a good and is subject to possible differences in quality.

Other than that, I find branding an annoying marketing exercise.

Sleepy

I don't tend to know what brand most of my clothing is but I'd say most of them are brands. I certainly have a fair bit of Quiksilver stuff though it wouldn't be through any consious choice.

nice1franko

^^^^^

wot he (r3nu4l) said.

unless your granny knitted it, it's a brand.

personally, i'd rather wear cool stuff knitted by children in sweat shops than uncool stuff knitted by grannies in sitting rooms.

mikedragon32

I used to be a slave to Nike for all my sports gear and some casual wear.

Nowadays, I have no brand affiliation and buy what I like, regardless of brand/cost and I buy it because I like it, not because someone might think differently of me.

I don't think too much about what other people wear and would be oblivious of the branding unless it was very obvious.

Some of the best quality, most comfortable cargo pants I have are from Dunnes.

JC 2K3

If it advertises something on the outside that I don't wholly endorse I won't wear it, simple as.

ScumLord

Mostly Dunnes stores better value beats them all. Shopping for clothes is fairly new to me. I used to be too fat to buy clothes in shops, and have only started buying the brands in the last two years. Only in TK Max though.

Overall Dunnes seems to be the best place to buy clothes, looks good and won't break the bank.

The worst thing is I've little or no sense of style from years of wearing whatever I could get. Right now I'm in the middle of my Knacker sheek style. Stripy jumper, tracksuit bottoms and shoes.

KatiexKOUTURE--

Do river island and h&m count?

ibh

KatiexKOUTURE-- wrote: »

Do river island and h&m count?

No they are exempt. Same as Top Shop..

Dave!

Isn't it a great trick by manufacturers that YOU (the consumer) are willing to pay THEM more to wear their brand/logo, and thus give them free advertising? Whereas on TV, etc., it's the case that they pay the production company to have their logo appear on it. It's a mind f*ck! Or maybe it's simply a compromise. Often (usually?) big brands like say BMW manufacture the best quality products, so the consumer pays a fee for that product, and in return for a small % off the total, you give them some free advertising. Perhaps that's how it started! But certainly now, consumers seek out the opportunity to provide free advertising for corporations.

Chardee MacDennis

faceman wrote: »

So how much of you and your soul is "branded" by corporations and brands? Do you parade in nike runners, Gucci handbags or do you buy the best and hide the brand label? Or maybe you prefer a bit of St Bernard instead?

When meeting people for the first time, do you check out their Jimmy Choo shoes or look to see if they are wearing a designer watch?

What do you think of it? What do you think of those who dont live by the brand?

Is it an unescapable evil?

who the f*** lives by a brand? the smell of anti-capitalism here is horrible.

Tricity Bendix

I see no correlation between the shoes I wear and the ownership of my soul.

r3nu4l

b.ie curious wrote: »

I see no correlation between the shoes I wear and the ownership of my soul.

No, but there is a strong correlation between the brand of your footwear and ownership of your sole...of your shoe.


/grabs coat, runs

The Hill Billy

Call_me_al wrote: »

who the f*** lives by a brand? the smell of anti-capitalism here is horrible.

I can smell roses. Interflora-branded roses.

Korvanica

i dont wear any brans at all, mainly because i think spending 70 on a shirt or trousers. maddness! id wear anything as long as its comfortable.
Pennys Rocks!!

Irish Halo

Normal day's clothing:
Doc Marten boots
Boxers & Socks from Dunnes (or wherever is cheapest/handiest)
Jeans by Road Jeans (not sweatshop made, no logos visible, cheap on eBay, don't fade/fall apart after 2 weeks, are a good loose fit and I know exactly what size fits me)
Shedload of Band Hoodies and T-shirts

I own nothing by what most people mean by brands i.e. the fashion brands, besides some old football kits and I don't think they are fashionable (are they?)

As r3nu4l says everything is a brand, I try to buy nothing with a logo (or at the most very small) as I do not want to advertise clothing brands.

Band shirts et al is different they make me look kvlt, necro and underground and show support for the bands I like (also for smaller bands it can mean the band gets breakfast the next day as I buy them at their show).

Also "who lives by a brand?" I know a few people who spend more on one bag because it is Louis Vitton than I have ever spent on bags in my life. People have priorities and if that is how they spend their money fine, just not for me but then I buy games for my Wii, CDs from obscure bands and consumer electronics and they wouldn't understand that.

r3nu4l

Korvanica wrote: »

i dont wear any brans at all, mainly because i think spending 70 on a shirt or trousers. maddness! id wear anything as long as its comfortable.
Pennys Rocks!!

Sorry to dissapoint you but you do wear a brand. Penny's are part of the Primark group and one of their menswear brand is 'Cedarwood state'.

You wear brands alright...they're just cheapo brands and there's nothing wrong with that!

Primark website. Recognise the brands? I know I do.

ergonomics

I have a few 'designer' items but they weren't bought because they were designer. When I say designer though I'm talking Converse etc. I buy most of my clothes in H&M or Penney's.

c0rk3r

Irish Halo wrote: »

Jeans by Road Jeans (not sweatshop made, no logos visible, cheap on eBay, don't fade/fall apart after 2 weeks, are a good loose fit and I know exactly what size fits me)

Can you pm me a link to these. I bought a pair of road jeans the other week that cost €95 or so with a massive, dirty yellow "R" on the rear pocket. Road etc are a fashion brand. Everything you wear has a label and an imagine associated with it. It tells people who you are, to an extent.

thelordofcheese

r3nu4l wrote: »

Sorry to dissapoint you but you do wear a brand. Penny's are part of the Primark group and one of their menswear brand is 'Cedarwood state'.

You wear brands alright...they're just cheapo brands and there's nothing wrong with that!

Primark website. Recognise the brands? I know I do.

Stop it now, nobody likes a pedant.

The Op was clearly refering to the 'big name' brands, the ones that some people will pay extra for and consider to be worth showing off that they own (like the latest Nike runners or some such ****), not cedarwood state.

I really doubt anyone would be gushing over getting a cedarwood state jumper or make a conscience effort to wear only jumpers from that range, where as for bigger brands some people might just do that.

Chardee MacDennis

thelordofcheese wrote: »

Stop it now, nobody likes a pedant.

The Op was clearly refering to the 'big name' brands, the ones that some people will pay extra for and consider to be worth showing off that they own (like the latest Nike runners or some such ****), not cedarwood state.

I really doubt anyone would be gushing over getting a cedarwood state jumper or make a conscience effort to wear only jumpers from that range, where as for bigger brands some people might just do that.

i think people are deluded if they think that some people will make a conscious decision to only wear branded clothes.

ibh

Just wondering if people who make a conscious decision to avoid brands do so when they're in the pub?? Do you request that your pint of Heineken, Guinness etc is served in an unbranded glass???

I used to work in a pub and a crazy old fcuker used to come in and always insisted on an unbranded glass. Used to always say that until Smithwicks started paying him to drink it and not the other way round, he wasn't going to be a part of their ad campaign...

Neamhshuntasach

There's a monopoly on some things that you can't help but wear or use brand items.

For the most part i shop in smaller stores and buy a lot of stuff from smalltime designers i know from latin America.

MIN2511

Designers; do we mean LV, Gucci, Guess, Dior, Karen Millen, Burberry, Coast, A&F, Uggs, Channel?

I have bits and bobs from the above labels and more; it's all about satisfaction and finding a balance... i would do Penneys dress and a dior bag

swingking

I wear brands

American Eagle Hoodie
Diesel Jeans
and Sketchers runners

I don't see anything wrong with wearing brands. Each to their own

Those people who tell about sweatshops etc. I don't really care

Nightwish

Today the only brand I'm wearing are DC's (skater shoes). I don't think I own anything branded. I bought a designer dress in New York last year that was down to $50 in a clearance in Macy's but that's it.

Pye

I don't see anything wrong with wearing brands (apart from some of the pretence involved with wearing certain ones). I just don't see anything right with wearing a brand over a perfectly good alternative. I don't buy based on label myself but I don't not buy something based on it either unless I feel the company is unethical and have chosen not to buy from them (like Coca cola).

That said I do prefer unbranded clothes merely because I'm not as likely to see people dressed the same when I go out. There's nothing more annoying than looking the same as someone else for me.

Sleepy

ibh wrote: »

I used to work in a pub and a crazy old fcuker used to come in and always insisted on an unbranded glass. Used to always say that until Smithwicks started paying him to drink it and not the other way round, he wasn't going to be a part of their ad campaign...

What was the pub? Sounds like they've some interesting locals!

All my clothes are either Abercrombie,Lacoste,American Eagle,Aeropostale,RL or Canterbury.Shoes are K-swiss.

Corruptedmorals

All my clothes are Topshop/A-Wear/Miss Selfridge/River Island/H&M/Dunnes/Penneys. Only branded footwear would be Converse. Office/Schuh/high street don't really count, I can't afford designer shoes..yet. Or 'organic fair trade clothes' or vintage, unless it's Eager Beaver but I don't like that place anymore. So I'm stuck shopping in the same places that everyone else does.