Once upon a time people were born into communities and had to find their individuality. Today people are born individuals and have to find their communities. A new youth culture is emerging. Read more about this macro trend.
There’s an exhaustion with trying to seem different. People are genuinely tired by the fact that to achieve status you need to be different from everyone else around you. With indie, punk and hipster culture reaching a peak, people find themselves to be unique… just like everybody else.
Normcore moves away from a coolness that relies on being unique to an unclassifiable culture that proves demography is dead and generational linearity is gone.
Normcore’s main feature is adaptability – nondescript clothing & a camoflage personality. This could very well be a reaction to our culture’s valuing of individual hyper-visibility. Modern technology (Twitter, Facebook, selfie culture) has enabled us to easily achieve hyper-visibility: to see ourselves outside of ourselves, to be like celebrities. But being so visible hasn’t calmed everyone’s existential angst.
Gone is the 20th century story of adolescence – where you had your real truth and then there was society or “mom and dad” who misunderstood you, where that misunderstanding was a trauma that you had to overcome by speaking your truth in a better way, by holding onto your authenticity. Presently there is an overwhelming desire among young people not to be unique, but to be free.
Youth culture has a massive effect on consumers. Because Normcore is not limited to a specific social division, it has the overwhelming potential to be a cross-culture trend. This will provide numerous opportunities for brands and businesses worldwide.
A fantastic example Normcore in action is Chanel’s 2014 Autumn/Winter collection, where Karl Lagerfeld turned Grand Palais into a giant supermarket. With models like Cara Delevingne pushing trolleys down the aisles, it knocked the Normcore nail on the head.
Defying the stereotypes that come with a culture based on individuality, this trend is all inclusive, aiming to address more than just one community or class. Is Normcore is a sign of a growing cultural maturity?
