Word On The Street

As several luxury brands rehash their iconic insignia, we’re witnessing a new wave of logomania.

- Tanya Mehta

Ain’t no Laurent without Yves? Our feelings exactly. What’s the common denominator across the topography of street fashion around the world? It’s probably the abstracted ‘F’s emblazoned head-to-toe on cashmere coats from Fendi, or the not-so cheeky Double ‘G’s leaping up from the quilted Gucci fanny pack, or better yet, the sizeable ‘VLOGO’, beckoning you from across the street, as it stares back at you on the Valentino Escape Shopper Tote. While hemlines might alter as per the season, you can declare the logo as that trusty companion whose inexplicable allure only multiplies by the year. Logomania is a puzzling concept, it bubbled up to popularity in the 80s and the 90s. Remember when it was cool to own a T-shirt with ‘GUESS’ splattered on the front? And way before the existence of Netflix, it was perfectly routine to watch your favourite hip-hop artist casually flash the band of their Calvin Klein underwear on MTV every evening. But as is the case with most things in fashion, good taste turns bad, and what was once the object of mass covetablity gradually transforms into a moniker of obsolescence.