Are Prints The New Logo?

via jakandjil

 A decade or so ago there was a movement in fashion when logos just took off. Consumers felt associated with the brand of the bag they're carrying and fashion companies benefited from  the free advertising. Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger are great examples of companies who experience tremendous growth from the trend. Everybody won but eventually all good things must come to an end.

There was a sudden fall-out with the trend and logos became passe and considered tacky by some. Part of the allure was the exclusivity and with over saturation the fantasy vanished. The collapse of the trend can also be blamed to quality control as the demand of the product increased companies needed to find a way to increase supply and unfortunately, cutting corners was part of the game. Or perhaps it simply were a trend and by definition comes and goes.

via purseblog

Still, the power of logos in fashion can still be found in designer bags such as Marc Jacobs. It seems that the challenge is finding the balance between exclusivity (bags for those that can afford) and accessibility ( can't buy the bag? How about our earrings?) But a move to focus on design instead as the selling point has also emerged. Proenza Schouler who proclaims the PS1 as an "anti-it bag" has created a cult following within fashion circles and ironically is close to reaching the "it" status it didn't want to be due to its popularity.

via creativedusk

via styleandthestartup

So what of prints? It seems that of late, fashion houses are becoming synonymous with the prints that they use. Christopher Kane, a prime example, has made a name for himself, initially, with the monkey tees and followed it up with the volcano, doll face, and galaxy prints. Givenchy with their rottweiler graphic is already a fixture on blogs. Heritage is also coming to play with Pendleton's print popularized by Opening Ceremony as well as Canada's own Hudson Bay Heritage stripes playing a big part of the re-branding of the company.It's clear that the next frontier are prints and like its older ( younger, depending on how you see it) sibling is experiencing a big moment in fashion.

via refinery29

via chatelaine

Part of the success of prints is that unlike logos, prints are more subtle (except  for the rottweiler graphic). Only those in the know will be able to recognize the print. It is like a secret between fashion people that recognizing the print says something about the wearer's and the admirer's knowledge of fashion.  Prints can also actually contribute to a person style, a plus that logos were not capable of doing. But where does the difference end and the similarities start?

So will prints suffer the same fate as the logo? Like logos, prints ages. One may feel tired of feeling outdated after every 6 months when a fashion house introduces a new print. Prints can also fall out of trend. A focus on tailoring and silhouette (a la Celine) may be on the rise and erase prints from the picture. Perhaps colour will be the next big thing and will not let a print take the spotlight from it either. One hope that prints offer is its exclusivity. $300 for a t-shirt is pricey but an entrance to becoming associated with Givenchy for the aspiring and dedicated. But what about heritage brands like Pendleton? Perhaps accessibility is the answer by branching out beyond the print.

via jakandjil

For now, the spotlight are on prints and the deliberation about its fate is yet to be brought up. Perhaps the question is not whether or not it will still be relevant in fashion 5 years from now but will it still be personally relevant to you 5 years from now. If no, maybe wait till the shirt goes on sale. If yes, then go ahead, take a bite of Tisci's rottweiler moment.