Long time ago, when rock concerts was at its peak, where crowds flock to sing along –and recording every highlight was the least of their priorities. Band tees would symbolize one’s fandom. not only is it your average overpriced cotton tee, but it signifies one’s interest to a certain degree, sort of like a badge of loyalty. I mean what better way to say ‘I actually went to their concert’ than a shirt that says you did.
Fast forward to 2016, where we line up for concerts to be in a sea of smartphones and be surrounded by people who’s most likely there for the sake of posting about it; the then-sacred band tee is now just another piece of clothing that gives anyone an easy ticket to looking cooler and more ‘badass’ than they actually are. Do you really think that hot instamodel on instagram has Slayer on her music library? I bet not.
With a multitude of fast-fashion brands hungry for the newest trend, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of these shirts on store displays and digital campaigns anytime soon. Just recently, H&M released a collection of vintage merch-inspired tees featuring the classics like Nirvana, Gun’s & Roses, and Metallica. Pretty sure we all saw that coming. But as it normally goes in the fast-fashion scene, with every trend that crosses over to the mainstream department, their expiry date unfortunately comes with them. It’s only a matter of time until a new fad falls prey to the ruthless industry and be labeled as another disposable trend.
This movement, similar to how it is with the skateboarding community, may cause an uproar from the real metal and rock fanatics, and be considered as another case of cultural theft ...buuuut that’s another story, something too critical for me to delve into for now haha
