In a world dominated by brand names, we often find ourselves chasing logos rather than authenticity. The question we must ask ourselves is: are we really expressing our individuality, or are we simply conforming to what brands want us to be? Fashion has always been about personal expression, but the rise of big brands seems to contradict that very concept. When we strip away the fancy logos and high-end packaging, what remains? Ironically, the originality we seek from brands often comes from the streets, where creativity thrives without boundaries.
At Original Art on Things, we are not in the business of building a brand to fit people into molds. Instead, we champion creativity and the artistry that comes from individual expression. In the words of Keith Haring, we believe that art is for everybody, and through our graphic t-shirts, art prints, and apparel, we aim to reflect the true spirit of street culturethat represents authenticity, originality, and the power of personal expression.
The Blind Loyalty to Brands
There is a psychological component that plays a significant role in the loyalty to big brand names. Brands often build trust through consistent quality as they make us feel secure in our purchases. This sense of trust is appealing—when you buy from a brand, you know what to expect. But here’s the catch: brands thrive on familiarity, and that familiarity comes at the cost of individuality. The designs they churn out may be consistent, but they often lack the uniqueness that personal expression craves.
What’s the irony? We buy into brands because we want to stand out, to be seen as unique, but ultimately we end up looking like everyone else who’s wearing the same branded item. Fashion should be an avenue of creativity, not conformity.
The Homogenization of Fashion
Consider this: fashion trends have always started from the ground up. Street style, especially in urban cultures, has been a source of innovation, creativity, and rebellion. The streets are where true fashion risks are taken, and where silhouettes,deconstruction, graphic tees and other elements of street fashion emerge. These bold expressions represent the power of creativity—style that isn’t bound by commercial expectations.
Big brands, however, often appropriate these trends, repackage them, and sell them back to us with hefty price tags. In essence, the very creativity that started in (on) the streets is co-opted, diluted, and turned into something more palatable for the masses. The result is a homogenized fashion industry, where the people who pioneered these trends are pushed aside, and what remains is a generic, brand-centric version of the original concept.
This isn’t just limited to fashion. Art, music, and culture have always been appropriated by those who seek to capitalize on originality without respecting the origin of the art form they steal from. Brands remove the rawness, the authenticity that makes street fashion powerful. What’s left? Cookie-cutter designs that we blindly accept as “trendy.”
Supporting Artistry Over Branding
At Original Art on Things, we focus on supporting individuality. Our graphic t-shirts and art prints are not meant to fit into the latest trend; they are meant to speak to the unique spirit of the individual. Art isn’t a trend to be capitalized on—it’s a way of life, a mode of expression. And that’s what we’re about.
We believe that power to the people means the power to choose—choosing art that resonates with who you are, not what (who) a brand tells you to be. Every piece we create is an opportunity for someone to express themselves in a way that no brand can dictate. We aren’t selling a lifestyle or an aesthetic; we are offering a canvas for creativity.
The Irony of “Unique” Branding
This brings us to the core irony of modern fashion: We buy brands to stand out, yet we end up fitting into the boxes that these brands create for us. We’re sold the idea that we’re being unique, but what we’re really doing is adhering to a script written by a marketing team. When everyone is wearing the same branded graphic tee, where’s the individuality in that? Where’s the personal expression?
Big brands package and sell trends to us, but these trends come from the very people brands tend to ignore — the innovators on the street, the artists, the creators. They appropriate the style of the everyday person, put their logo on it, and then tell us it’s exclusive. But is it really?
Creativity Over Branding
At Original Art on Things, we’re here to remind you that true style doesn’t come from a brand—it comes from within. Whether you’re wearing a tee you love, re-inventing your own silhouettes, displaying an art print in your home, or rocking a new thrifted look, you’re supporting the artistry and creativity that come from real people, not corporations. You’re supporting individuality, not mass production.
And that’s the beauty of street fashion. It doesn’t need a brand name or a logo to be validated. It’s born from the creativity of people who choose to be themselves, not who they’re told to be.
Art is for everybody. Fashion is for everybody. And originality should never be compromised for a logo.
So, the next time you reach for a brand-name product, ask yourself: Are you really expressing your own style, or are you conforming to what the brand wants you to be? When you support originality and artistry, you’re not just buying a product—you’re buying a piece of someone’s creativity, their vision, their story. And that’s far more valuable than any logo could ever be.
So, let’s give the power to the people and embrace a world where art and fashion are not dictated by brands but by individual expression.
The trend will end. Be an original.