Trapped in a B(r)and
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Having lived in a number of cities across India, I have always enjoyed observing the way consumerism has swamped our country and the different ways in which it has made people aware of the kitschy brands flooding our markets. While liberalisation of the economy has put some of the best and most fashionable things in the world right within our reach, most of us are yet to achieve that level of sophistication in being able to carry a brand off on our self. But before I am subjected to brickbats for making such generalised statements, I must state and you must agree that the propensity of people to flash their affluence and style quotient with their embossed outfits and other paraphernalia differs from city to city. In a very hilariously smart, but maybe overused, example of the law of science “light travels faster than sound”, I have seen my first impressions of far too many well-dressed-in-expensive-branded-clothes people carrying over the top accessories garishly flashing their logos and labels, going kaput after they opened their mouths to start speaking. They may have all the money in the world, but their awareness quotient is so alarmingly low that it makes me feel severely geeky in a nice and proud way. During an interaction at a wedding with one such man in his mid-twenties he kept referring to his Armani suit that he (also made a point to drop) had bought for a jaw-dropping amount of money. The cheek inside me decided to have some fun and I asked this man very innocently the full name of the designer again. “Emporio Armani,” came the instant reply. I choked on the sherbet I was sipping and after excusing myself rushed to the other corner of the hall to be able to laugh at his answer. It reeked of his ignorance and misplaced pride in being so filthy rich. Another time, at another wedding, a sari I wore was admired by many. It was a pretty sari no doubt, but bought from a small store in a popular market in a modest city. I was constantly asked if it was Ritu Kumar, or Neeta Lulla or even Satya Paul. The look of horror on each of their faces as I repeated the name of a never-heard-before, non-descript store kept me grinning. During such moments my subtly sarcastic alter ego takes immense pleasure in giving these people a good jolt. It is not that I am anti-brands. I like them too. They are pretty, they are quality, they do make me feel nice and pampered, but they are overrated and irrationally expensive too. I have seen men and women spend more than they can afford to sport brands, only because they feel they are worth what they wear. As if what is on them is a clear foolproof indicator of what’s within. So, for a rich dad’s girl decorated with Tifanny, Cartier, Valentino, Prada, Chanel and Jimmy Choo and out for a ride in her equally spruced up boyfriend’s swanky Rolls Royce, to roll down the car window and buy a five rupees worth rose to help the little flower girl earn enough for a square meal is “oh so downmarket!” (complete with the scrunched up nose). She’d rather have Orchids and Tulips shipped from abroad. She wouldn’t be caught dead with that pretty rose which unfortunately doesn’t have a brand name tagged to it. I am also not saying that all well-to-do people who are afflicted with brand fever are mean and uncaring towards the less fortunate. There are many who think nothing of spending their hard-earned and easily-inherited money for the greater good of society. But to see this huge young population of India, that is considered to be such an asset to our country getting blinded by the bling of Guess, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Aldo and doing just that (getting blinded) is somewhat depressing. The fascination for fashion labels is fast overtaking simplicity and common sense, which are more useful any day. Why can’t we flaunt intelligence, mental brilliance and an affable charm with as much elan? |
(19 votes, average: 4.16 out of 5)
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November 24th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Article is very well articulated with abundant usage of contemporary words which were seldom used in earlier styles of writing. See , how styles change in literature too. Changes are ever happening phenomena. Every time there is a crave for creating own image.which in modern parlance is referred to as BRAND IMAGE. Nothing wrong,as long as we stay within sensible limits. The craze for Brand madness has gone thus far that, leave alone wearing Branded clothes, people have gone to the extent of another Branding style of Baring major part of the Body, and wearing Tattoos instead. BRAND IMAGES such as Modesty, Integrity, Character ……. etc etc are becoming history, TO BE REPEATED
JAI HO!
November 14th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Shibangi,
Unfortunately, people in India are judged by the brand they wear/own/carry/drive. In India we have more admiration for anything western than a home grown brand. In the name of brand we do not judge the price we pay for a particular product, we blindly pay for its brand equity than for the actual value of the product.
November 13th, 2010 at 2:01 am
Fashion, trends, class, all come from within. Brand names look good if you look comfortable in it, boils down to it is simply for your comfort whether a brand or no brand! I love it my dear, keep writing and exude the power brilliance…
November 11th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Dear Vivek,
Purchasing brands is absolutely someone’s choice. But making it a barometer of good / bad/ cool / uncool a person is not acceptable and not right in any sense of the word. I do not mean to say that you should know the entire history of what brands you choose, but the example has something to do with vanity in terms of being affluent. And you and I seem to be in perfect sync when we talk about cultivating a sense of civic niceties. We are really lagging behind there.
Dear Arjun,
Your comment had me googling, and very interested in the book you have mentioned. Thanks!
Dear Meenakshi,
My thoughts exactly. The way each of us is proudly sporting a brand and not realising that somehow, somewhere we are becoming slaves to these brands, seeking attention from others and trying to arouse some kind of envy very very unconsciously is a very controlled from of psychology.
Dear Koshy,
Thanks! Really glad you liked the blog post.
Dear Mehul,
Thanks a lot!
November 11th, 2010 at 10:39 am
shibangi,
what u have written here is truth about todays youngsters…..
my cousin brother is BRAND Crazy….
at home also he wears branded clothes…e.g UMM., ED HARDY..etc..
family members tried to explain him d reality but he doesn’t understand…
i am impressed by ur article….
November 10th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Your blog highlights the futility of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. Austerity is a virtue which goes a long way in enhancing a person’s financial security. Keep up the good work.
November 10th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
I wonder, is brand ,a controlled psychology?
November 9th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Status Anxiety, is that the answer to your question? Or, to be a snob?
From a book by Alain de Botton on Status Anxiety I learned that the origin of snob is “s. nob” or “sine nobilitate (without nobility)”…he notes that it has diametrically opposite meaning these days.
November 9th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Shibangi,
I can’t decide about overspending on the brands by those who can afford it. It’s their choice. But yes, they shouldn’t make faces if they see someone carrying something with no-brand.
I can’t relate to the first example. If I am eating at McDonalds, it’s not necessary for me to know its history. But yes, if I don’t know about that I shouldn’t bluff. But yes, I should eat elegantly and without making the sounds of chewing and burping. that’s how I should carry the brand-Mcdy. I think we need to have civic sense first which include respect others’ choices.
Leave this Brand-topic. Our society hasn’t learnt the civic sense till yet. And I am not talking about the poor. Elite also do not care for public property. They live in posh apartments, travel in Mercedes but let their pets shit on footpaths and all. same for those commuters who marvelously paint local trains RED by spitting the pan-liquid.
Leave those pseudo-brand-people aside.