Sorry, generation.
Well, It must have been 20 years ago.
London. Anarchy. Or something.
Or clever marketing, as we learned later.
Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood
making money selling trash to people with money
but not willing to look like Sloan Rangers.
Apparently the Westwood and McLaren garb fell
apart after a couple of days.
But who the heck cared? It was bloody cool.
Sex Pistols and Clash and London Calling and what not.
Fast forward.
2009, New York, the Art Director's Club's exhibition space,
fresh hopeful students out of the School of Visual Arts.
40 grand a year to attend?
Drugs served: Bottled water, and, I think, Diet Coke. Oh, dear.
No rebels. No new ideas on the walls.
Same old ads as ever.
Okay, in fairness, some of them were pretty good still.
And there were a few interesting design ideas in the 3d space.
But.
I even saw a complete rip-off of an Economist ad.
Same picture, I guess they scanned an Economist ad?
(I'll show it tomorrow.) Now the ad was for the Enquirer.
Which means the professors or teachers who let that through simply don't know shit.
They are not connected.
A crime against the students if you ask me.
And obviously involving a crooked student as well.
Would love to see her/him apply for a job with Khai Meng at Ogilvy,
the guy who was responsible for the original ad.
That ad won something big in Cannes and all other shows
as late as 2-3 years ago or so.
Shame on you student. Shame on you professor.
Please note that the lovely couple in the picture
has nothing to do with that scam.
As a matter of fact, the elegantly robed and groomed male punk
was one of the more ambitious, and talented, students I met when
doing a couple of stand ins for another teacher.
A rather great teacher as amatter of fact. Jeroen Bours.
Still very active as a creative director, conceptualizer and designer.
Well, the hair did stand out the crowd of beige and black scare-to-stand-outs.
So even though punk fashion was invented a long time ago
in a faraway country it still looks fresh and brave
- with no other intent than being a fashion statement obviously -
in the land of political correctness.
Well, these guys are no punks.
Can't still figure out whether it's a mask to cover insecurity or if it as way to say "I am what I am and want to be, f**k you, and I'm way better designed that you are, cretin".
I hope its the latter. And I'd hire the guy too, if given the opportunity.
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