The boom in the crisis
Today, our finance minister is leaving the government — the same one about whom there is still a legendary meme from his youth that shows him as a wannabe advertising guru with the mindset coach mantra “Crises are just thorny opportunities.” Well, he and his party don't seem to have come out stronger from the last crises, but let's wait and see.
Looking back on the last twenty years, crises seem to be almost taking place: financial crisis, corona, Ukraine war — accompanied by doomsday scenarios and new fears. But where do the opportunities actually lie?
A clear observation in times of collective uncertainty is a return to the tried and tested. People are looking for products and brands that promise stability and safety in the midst of chaos. But the most exciting trends rarely come from the strategy forges of the big branding and consulting firms. No, they are formed and spread by subcultures.
From smooth Wall Street banker to full beard hipster
The hipster culture of the 2010s is the best example. After the financial crisis, which exposed the complexity of our globalized world in a destructive domino effect, urban young people suddenly dressed like their great-grandparents again: extravagantly, ironically and deliberately differentiating. Not only fashionable, but also in their consumption habits. The flourishing of micro-roasters, hand-ground coffee and the explosion of craft beer breweries began as a countermovement to standardization in large corporations. A statement: better quality and originality than the same, interchangeable mass-produced products.
From lockdown to nature
Then there was corona, and suddenly the crisis had an even more direct impact on our freedom and security. Trapped in lockdown, many were soon fed up with the peloton and yoga mat and dreamed of freedom. Get out into nature! Not necessarily as a prepper in the forest hut, but at least for forest bathing or mountaineering — or at least looking like you could survive in the wild.
The phenomenon of perfectly equipped tourists from small towns conquering Berlin's Ku'damm in Gore-Tex and trekking boots is a symbol of this time. Because in the middle of the metropolis, you never know when there will be a sudden monsoon. Or the next pandemic.
This trend has not only swept outdoor brands onto the streets of the big city, but has also catapulted them straight into the realms of high fashion. Collaborations such as The North Face and Gucci meet brand icons such as Patagonia, which continue to stand for more sustainable consumption and environmental awareness. And somewhere in between, the good old Federal Minister of Finance also appears, who likes to preach a “hands-on mentality” during the crisis and presents himself in hunter boots during the farmers' protests. But is it really needed?
Hands-on mentality and the workwear boom
Speaking of a practical approach, workwear is currently making a strong comeback. While the classic craftsman made love with the suit suit, the workwear brand Strauss is now cooperating with Metallica, and protective clothing has made it all the way to gang advertising in the Bundesliga. Unlike the craftsman who equips the entire catalog with home clothes (deductible via the company, of course), the fashion world prefers the great American workwear classics such as Dickies or Carhartt. As early as the 1990s, these brands were booming, thanks to skater and hip-hop subcultures that appreciated the robust quality and value for money.
But even these brands have now paradoxically changed from the street style of the masses to a high-fashion Olympus. Collaborations with brands such as Louis Vuitton and Timberland show that workwear is no longer just work, but luxury.
Conclusion: The theory of crisis
So what can be learned from the crises? Uncertainties awaken in us a desire for consistency. But instead of pure reflection, we often experience romanticized nostalgia that exaggerates the practical into the theatrical. Anyone who fights their way through the big city in Gore-Tex and with a water bottle, even though there is a Starbucks or even drinking fountain on every corner, shows how times of crisis fuel the desire to stage. Be prepared for emergencies — or at least look like you could clean a hut with an axe. Because if the crisis is no piece of cake, then at least you should wade through the thickets in style.
