Intellectual Honesty in Fashion

This is Yet Another Maekan Briefing Intro (Thursdays’ Briefings are for subscribers).

With record-setting temperatures here in Seattle, I’ve found myself spending quite a bit of time at the lake. My newest companion is one of Outlier's latest experiments, the grid linen beach hole (yes, that’s its name) — a blanket that converts into a bag of sorts. 

I'm not a minimalist, but I do appreciate and seek out objects that not only do their core jobs well, but also invite me to expand my understanding of how to use them. I think beyond the idea of being “well-designed;” I instead consider these things to be “intellectually honest.” Two of my favorite examples are Acronym’s JacketSling and the drawstring in Outlier’s New Way Shorts.

Both the Acronym jacket and Outlier shorts do their jobs incredibly well, unhindered by the (arguably necessary) additions, while simultaneously helping the wearer realize that every prior version of a similar object lacked the recognition that an alternative future was possible. A better future.

You know what’s better than carrying your jacket? Slinging it across your back. You know what's better than wearing a belt (most of the time)? A drawstring.

In some ways, this honesty is empowering — what an incredible thing to have objects (and their makers) that see more in themselves than you do and invite you to realize their full potential. But in another way, it’s a damning indictment of the many other things out there which are strictly worse on so many dimensions.

Just like the double zipper before them, the JacketSling and drawstrings have set a new standard for what I want in my clothing.