I too love material items, there’s something about product design that I really appreciate. Industrial design’s satisfaction of aesthetics and function is the foundation of many of the products I enjoy and seek to obtain. And having said that, that’s why I look at some segments where you can really own something that’s top-of-the-line, looks badass and performs to boot. Sports cars are out of my reach but folding knives, pens, flashlights, notebooks, they’re all dumb shit that you can own something of high-quality without breaking the bank.
No doubt the whole recession brought two divisive forms of thinking, people thought #1: tough times brings out the simplicity and timeless aspect of design or #2: time to go balls out and make something truly memorable and crazy to offer that differentiation. While I saw both sides, #1 seemed the much more legitimate argument. I wonder how many shoppers keep in mind the disconnection they face when they shop online? Do they know that perhaps a good feeling about a product can and might turn into a sure-buy if they see it in person. Despite what Hypebeast essentially is, a glorified buyer’s guide at times, I still don’t really know how our readers shop. I rarely if ever buy clothing online cause of my stupid proportions and I simply can’t risk it. But are others quite willing to make the jump? Hopefully the Internet becomes a buyer’s tool rather than solely a place to buy. That’s how I’d like it to be anyways.
The disconnected part of online shopping is something we’re trying to minimise on Crooked at the moment. Not being able to try on or touch is a big thing to miss out on – I’ve always been a little gung-ho, so I rarely try on in-store, but I know the majority do. By tightening the delivery and returns sides of the buying experience, there’s a safety net of sorts, and allowing published feedback regarding fit, quality etc. Just trying to be as detailed as possible with the copy… being an old fucker, I was obviously raised in a time when visiting the sports store was an exciting thing, seeing new releases, handling technologies – of course in the late ’80s and early ’90s they were plentiful, begging for booklets and promo materials… sorry if I’m getting carried away in nostalgia land, but we want to push that on the site. We’re not at that ideal point now by any means, but it’s a target. At present we hope the enthusiasm outweighs the cynicism on there and proves infectious.
I like the buyer’s guide feel of blogs showing items like Hypebeast does. It enlightens me, and it’s funny how much stuff has me immediately running it through and inner, decisive flow-chart to determine the most efficient route of getting something. Chances of getting it at retail? Possible markups due to unavailability? Do I have a connect who can hook me up? Should I go straight to eBay? It’s kind of fun. I’m sure as time goes on, blogs will expand the retail side like you did with the Subcrew and Zeitfrei adi pieces. Why not? Shit, you can hype it up as much as you want to determine desirability. It’s like insider trading!
For the most part, on hype blogs, everything, from shoes to an overpriced piece of GORE-TEX is within reach of a working income minus dependents. That’s a hefty generalisation of course, and the focus on more and more luxury goods in the current confusion can negate it, but I think the feasibility of ownership makes all the difference. It’s all aspirational to a certain consumer, but predominantly reachable.
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