Style Going out of Style

For about a century now, fashion houses like Channel and Louis Vuitton have used their iconic logos and silhouettes to define themselves as a company; Valentino even has his own shade of red.  These particular traits are what we think of when someone utters the company name. What happens when this phenomenon trickles down to men, women and young people in our society? With social networking, people can manipulate virtually their profiles and change how people perceive them. Is this the branding of the 21^st century? Are people developing their own personal brand instead of their personalities? 

Some people walk around today, plastered from head to toe in a company’s logo like a walking, talking advertisement for the brand. As a heavy consumer, I have never felt comfortable sporting a logo. I wish for people to notice style and the thought put into an outfit rather than the brand and the amount of money I spent on it. Are young people allowing a brand to define their personalities, following the companies every trend? Is cultivating one’s personal style going out of style?

In today’s consumer driven world, celebrities are turning into brands and brands are turning into people. What kind of effects will this have on our generations to come? Will infants of the future just shoot out of the womb wearing Gap sweaters? Or will being a real person come back in vogue?