Do you know this meme? The text reads: “You can only wear one for the rest of your life. Which one?” And the image is a collage of popular brand logos: Supreme, Nike, Chrome Hearts, Kith, Fear of God, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, etc. It’s an early example of the engagement bait that is so prevalent nowadays, an attempt at juicing comments to arouse the algorithm. This one has been around for years, but new versions still crop up regularly. Lately I often see this meme including brands that are only intended to induce rage, like Lululemon or Zara—what kind of psycho would choose those brands over LV?—or brands that I’ve never seen or heard of before, in which case it’s an obvious attempt for some unknown upstart to get traction. Because all great brands started as memes.
To be fair, the meme proposes a provocative and irresistible question. Chrome Hearts might seem cool today, but if that’s the only thing you can wear every day for the rest of your life? Nike might be the better bet. More comfortable. But Nike doesn’t make jeans and leather jackets. In which case, Supreme actually makes everything you need for a complete wardrobe. And so on.
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But beyond the practical question, the meme reveals just how central brands have been to our perceived quality of life. The question isn’t really about the day in and day out of getting dressed, it’s about what resides deep in your soul. What kind of person are you? It’s a relative of the desert island question: Which one album or film or book would you want to be stranded alone with? Or your last meal on death row—you only get one chance to make the right decision.
I also think it speaks to a secret fantasy shared by many brand enthusiasts: Wouldn’t it be sick if you walked into your closet and every single item in there was made by one brand? On every hanger, in every drawer, the shoe rack, right down to the socks. How satisfying would that be? It’s an eternal, aspirational flex for some people. Which is why I think the meme has continued to endure.
Whether we like it or not, we’ve all been programmed with a tendency toward brand loyalty. Our entire lives we have had to choose between near-identical products made by different corporations. In many cases, the only way to choose is by forging an affinity for a certain brand. Eventually, those choices begin to embed themselves in your personality, and feel as integral to who you are as, say, your music choices, favorite foods, or religion. When someone says they prefer Pepsi to Coke or vice versa, we can summon a litany of defining characteristics associated with that choice.
