JKR

I recently read a great definition of the difference between the post-war make do and mend generation and ours: they spent time to save money, we spend money to save time. This occurred to me when looking at these bags produced by workers’ collective Mend. They look cool and are a responsible choice. Each label carries the name of the woman who actually made it – people for whom working for Mend is a great second chance.

All great, but also, for me, evidence that the “no-logo” generation of consumers is just as badge conscious as their mainstream counterparts. It’s just that the badges being flashed are more alternative – arguably a subtle form of one-upmanship and display of piety.

Such consumers’ ‘70s equivalents were genuinely no-logo: itchy home knitted jumpers and wonky self-thrown crockery. The Good Life was not a designer choice.

Today, no-logo really means right-logo. Nothing wrong with that – it means our jumpers aren’t scratchy, our crockery looks attractive, and we have the choice to pay decent people a decent wage.