Vogue China Shares 'New Generations, Old Pleasures', A Trend Story in Overdrive
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Folk Schools for All
Sharing this Vogue China fashion story was impacted by an excellent weekend story in The New York Times, ‘The Comforting Resurgence of ‘Grandma Hobbies’ [gifted 30-day link]. Written by Kate Brennan, with photography and video by Lindsey Makuwatsine, the article opens in Traverse City, Michigan at the Green Door Folk School, which opened in 2024.
Millennials and Gen Z make up the majority of the students, mostly local but also arriving from distant places like New York City, with Airbnb units on the property. The article references as well the John C. Campbell Folk School, the oldest folk school in the country, located in North Carolina and the Ely Folk School in Minnesota.
In America, you can find a Folk School here at the Folk School Alliance.
Golden Goose Is Targeting This Trend
This article in the Times is so very relevant, because next up in the AOC queue is an incredible update on the on-fire brand Golden Goose and their new store prototype.
The Venetian-based brand Golden Goose is on this exact course of development, where the store is a modern atelier and community center. It’s not only a place for the customer to co-direct customization of their sneakers with the shoemaker, but folk school type classes, as discussed in the Times, are also held there.
It’s all a very old-world vibe in a modern world that is totally out of balance.
Global VICs in America and China Change the Luxury Hierarchy
AND, also in the queue is new research by McKinsey and Business of Fashion of 2000+ global VICs. Everything is turning inside out with over half of VICs saying they don’t care who the designer is of their clothes. Specifically, they are disproportionately Americans and Chinese VIC clients — for different but compatible reasons.
Honoring Chinese culture is a core value for these VICs, where the Americans want the brand to reflect their own personal values. Sentiment is strong that VICs would rather know the artisans making the clothes than hanging out with the designer. And they don’t give a wit about the status of wearing the luxury brand, as long as they like the design and house heritage, and the brand reflects these top values.
Values alignment is far more important than status for these VICs. AOC can think of one brand in particular where this trend could have serious impact on the bottom line. These other articles will be up Monday. I’m not one to jump on trend wagons, but I believe strongly in this particular topic. ~ Anne
