With spring around the corner, dream projects on our screens, and good food in my system, the mood over here is A+. 

The other week, I discovered one of my new favourite words in the English language.

Idiosyncratic. meaning peculiar as in having a distinctive way of thinking and behaving that sets you apart from others. And it inspired some thoughts… 

But first, let’s see what else awaits you in this week’s edition:

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• Tonight's Thoughts 

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TONIGHT'S THOUGHTS
ON LOW-EFFORT DIFFERENTIATION AND OTHER THINGS
 

Nichification is a collective cry for belonging. Despite being loathed for its restricting qualities, the niche plays an important role in today’s society: it gives us a sense of community. Think of all of the something-core aesthetics for a minute. In our eyes, they are simply modern interpretations of subcultures because more than just grouping visuals, they represent collective values and aspirational lifestyles. Cottagecore for example visually embodies the slow-paced life in the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. By decorating your house and filling your wardrobe with Cottagecore items, you’re creating an illusion of living this different life, a state of mind if you will. This is the same for the Coastal Grandmother aesthetic. Both are a form of escapism but when made public through fashion, also a way of finding like-minded people.

What’s interesting is that subcultures have historically felt like groups of misfits (think punk or grunge) whereas now almost everyone – including the popular kids – counts themself into a group. The “clean girl” phenomenon is the best demonstration of that. It’s almost like people feel that belonging to a smaller group makes you more special when really, these niches are just pockets of all-the-same. The question is: what does it mean for our individuality? I believe it’s a way of people to feel more in control of who they are and “break free from the norm”, whatever that is in their perception, but in a safe environment. 

We see something similar happening in design. Clients want a “fierce”, “high-end” brand that communicates “different from the norm”, they get a black-heavy colour palette paired with an upper case serif font, and photography that centers oversized blazers and drink in hand. The most stereotypical depiction of that value. They ask for “fun” and get neon-coloured elements (ideally smilies) on pictures of the sky. They want to be perceived as “down-to-earth” and “spiritual” so their designer gives them the same beige boho brand they gave 100 people before. 

It screams “this is an attempt to stand out” but a failed one. Part of the problem is the mood board. Because when not done right, it becomes a tool to copy and paste from the competition. What it should do is deliver abstract inspiration from the outside world that becomes the basis for original concepts. This will give you way more direction to express a sentiment in a less overdone way. 

To end this thought cluster: the real question is what does it mean to be unique? We’ll leave this with you today.

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Martha and team 🪲