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With each new season's ad campaign, I ask myself why Phillips-Van Heusen just had to save the failing Tommy Hilfiger brand. Recently watching the new fall video, I felt ever so compelled to highlight several of the preppy-mansion-party-people.
A few of my least favorite buzz words come to mind.
Max - Authentic is everyone's least favorite frat boy looking stoned with with sloppy hair and ski goggles. Oh, and the ascot. Right.
Francis - Iconic in that sexually ambiguous hair cut. Maybe Max should lend this guy his facial hair. Just below is Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas. Separated at birth? Hmm.
Luis - Tradition shines forth from another ski bum toting the whole late 90's ski goggles and fuzzy hair thing. Who knew Tommy Hilfiger drew inspiration from Seth Green?
Emily - Heritage on cue from Annie Hall. Well, close enough.
Yes, I realize Ralphie uses these buzz words all the time and to his brand I hold great loyalty, but still I despise the grossly overused verbiage. If you're going to put an emphasis on WASP/prep/trad/whatever life, stay away from all this frat boy/beatnik/ski bum/hipster
I know MANY of these coked-out ski-bum types, though most are from indulgent parents with new wealth and no sense.
ReplyDeleteI went to school with many such people, though they've burned out on marijuana, not the white stuff.
DeleteRalph is part of the original Tribe which is why he can pull off the Lost preppy look which was never anything but an expression of bring Lost in a wealthy pseudo old money Left coast habitat. That is to say: the left coast is part of the flyover on the way home for the old money. Nobody in The Tribe took Ralph seriously except as beau gestes (a pose noble in form but bereft of substance). For some reason Old Blues (Yale) got the joke but Preparation H (Harvard) couldn't. That said, nobody is laughing at Tommy's cry for help.
ReplyDeleteTommy is best left in the mid-90s with carpenter jeans and obnoxious logos (oh wait, that last part hasn't changed). The problem with trying to appeal to this image is that none of these "characters" are people you'd really like to be, or know. They'd sit there trying to be cool and cultured while hiding more securities than the amount of unsold crap at Tommy's stores. Anyone who actually puts time into getting dressed isn't walking out of the house looking like this. Now that I think about it, that's probably why Rugby died as well. Also, there isn't an ounce (or even a hint) of class anywhere to be seen from any of this random thrown-in-a-blender wannabe prep, just the facade of nonchalance and vague pretentious wealth. Not for me, thanks. The look-a-likes are spot on though. At least Ralph's inspiration is more subtle, but even then he's starting to lose me with his more recent stuff.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the 90's, I think you'll appreciate this article. http://www.complex.com/style/2011/09/the-90-greatest-90s-fashion-trends/
DeleteIt's Tommy's trendy fashion pandering over the years that has kept me away from the brand. While I realize Polo falls victim to this as well at times, the classic staples have always been there. The stodgy pretentious aura has always been there too, but I almost appreciate that. I think.