#03: Jesus Shoes, Radical Optimism and Affordable Abloh
Hi, anyone else feels like a lot happened this week? On Sunday night I finished watching Succession and wow, it did not disappoint. The writing is unmatched, the character development is impeccable, the narrative is perfectly structured for high-intensity emotions. Yeah, just watch it.
I’ve also been following the #FortniteBlackout, an incredibly bold move from Epic Games that’s created a global cultural event. It will be interesting to see how the game will be brought back online, but in the meantime, this brilliant thread explains why this is marketing genius.
ALSO. I couldn’t send this recap on culture without including a shoutout to the Colleen Rooney v Rebekah Vardy scandal that consumed the UK last week. Vox’s article perfectly explains why it captured the nation’s imagination: “the genius weaponization of social media, the demonization of a woman named Becky, the exposure of shady tabloid inner workings, and two very rich women fighting with each other.” A strategist even dissected Rooney’s comms strategy. Now let’s get into this week’s edition.
⚡️Fast culture (featuring something popular/trendy/viral this week, and the meaning behind it)
This week a redesigned version of the Nike Air Max 97s, which features holy water injected into the soles, sold out within minutes for $1,425. Creative label MSCHF is behind the “Jesus Shoes”, and my god the concept is incredible.
Yes, the soles are filled with Holy Water (originally sourced from the river Jordan, and then blessed). The shoes have red insoles as a reference to the traditional red shoes that the Pope wears, a crucifix on the tongue, and a Matthew 14:25 inscription on the side. After Jude Law in tiny Speedos on The Young Pope, the irresistible Andrew Scott as Fleabag’s Hot Priest, and the Hot Priest Summer TikTok meme, now religion has permeated the sneaker world.
Even though not much in religion has changed in the past 2000 years, and younger generations are rejecting organised worship, its mystique and highly-charged symbolism are resignified when interpreted through the lens of streetwear. I don’t think this limited edition could have worked with any other brand but Nike, the shoes of the Goddess of Victory. I’d like to know what the brand thinks about this particular drop, but it serves them well by elevating it to deity status.
🌎Slow culture (related to our behaviour or values, which reflects a bigger change in society)
On Tuesday I went to an event hosted by Flamingo and the APG to explore a cultural trend called “radical optimism” and the different ways in which social movements and frameworks for positive change are emerging.
A recent survey found out that 79% of Britons believe the country is “on the wrong track”, with the global average at 58%. So, to quote Guillermo del Toro, the most radical and rebellious choice we can make today is to be optimistic.
In this context, people are looking for more connection to others, more meaning in the immediate world around them, and agency over their own choices. A new sense of urgency is fueling innovation, and if brands want to add value to people's lives, they should invest in enabling more meaningful and positive connections, create the tools for people to make their own meaning and empower people to take individual and collective action. It’s our job to help brands look outwards, rather than inwards.
🖌Unusual pattern (exploring the relationship between the unrelated)
In 2017, luxury fashion house Balenciaga was selling a £1,600 bag that’s very similar to the classic Ikea ‘blue bags’ - which cost just 40p. Later, we found out that Rihanna, the first woman to create an original fashion brand at LVMH, owns a Sainsbury’s bag for life (the one with the elephant, retail price 10p). Now, Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton's creative director and the founder of Off-White, is releasing a homeware line with the most beloved affordable brand of the world: IKEA.
The collection has 15 pieces and looks at the intersection of contemporary art culture, street art, and IKEA product design. The items have that subtle ironic tone so characteristical of Abloh, and a focus on “elevating the anonymous, everyday icons that we use without noticing”. The brown “Sculpture” bag and the IKEA receipt rug do exactly that, turning the mundane into art (I’ve read that there’s also a little Easter Egg and the postcode listed in the rug is the first IKEA store in Sweden). Partnering with the hottest designer of the moment while keeping IKEA’s brand promise of affordability at heart is a very smart move that makes the collection a must-have (FYI, to buy the items, you need to get your tickets here)
🎯Cultural insight (the insight behind an advert)
The latest BMW ad by German agency Jung von Matt tells the real story of a man who turned his BMW Isetta (a tiny 13-horsepower, single-cylinder car, launched in 1955) into an escape vehicle to get a friend out of Soviet-run East Germany in 1964.
Although I’m not sure BMW can really claim to have been an active participant in this story, the ad is worth watching. Running almost 4 minutes long, the craft is beautiful, from the music to the photography and the CGI worthy of a film trailer. It says a lot of today’s world to choose to tell a story about the impact that political borders have on lives. As I was saying earlier, people want agency over their choices, and a story like this shows that it’s down to us to follow our values and beliefs to change the world - even if it’s only the closer world around us.
🕶 Bonus track
TikTok of the week: This Chemistry teacher #ChemTeacherPhil did a really cool demonstration using a substance called Lycopodium and kids were quick to comment “I learn more on TikTok than at school” and “honestly i hated chemistry until now”. Kids are more engaged when the playing field is even and they feel in control.
Extra links:
Disney reveals its Disney+ launch titles in the mother of all Twitter threads
Adidas released “Gardening Club”, a gardening-inspired capsule collection and modelled by Alan Titchmarsh, the 70-year old TV presenter of Gardeners’ World
Hasta la vista, Arnie: Sarah Connor is the Terminator's true cultural icon
The ultimate Twitter thread on most embarrassing pop culture moments
The tennis player Naomi Osaka surprised people by choosing her Japanese citizenship over her American citizenship, declaring a wish to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. She’s made this long-term decision based on a specific moment in time, which makes me wonder if in the future we will take a more flexible approach to identity and citizenship.
Thanks so much for reading, and if you want to share any thoughts on this week’s edition, just hit reply to this email and I’ll get back to you, or connect with me on Twitter.
Flo
Cultural Patterns is a newsletter by Florencia Lujani about cultural insight, creativity and strategy. If you’ve enjoyed it, consider subscribing :)