What Chucks & Pearls Can Teach Us About Brand

I’ve been thinking a lot about Kamala Harris’ Chucks & Pearls.

It's been a few years since women wore this combo to honor the inauguration of the first woman VP of the US, but the look remains fresh, as ascendant as the woman it represents. Chucks and pearls will never NOT be cool.

Why? Tension, I tell you.

If you have no imagination, Chucks and pearls don't go together. They're opposites. They clash. That's a good thing, though. Because if you are someone with a progressive attitude, someone who is interested in being iconic or iconoclastic even, then you WANT that kind of dissonance. You NEED that fuck-you.

"Chucks & Pearls" is brilliant because it's an oxymoron. Elegantly gritty. Masculine femininity. Both elements are classic but in opposing ways. Priss meets punk.

This is revolutionary, world-changing energy. 💣

It calls to mind one of my favorite clients ever, BUSCEMI.

About a decade ago, before every luxury fashion house on earth walked streetwear down their runways, this genius sneaker brand created $1200 high tops inspired by the Hèrmes Birkin bag.

👟 At the time, their tagline was "Obnoxiously High Quality."

👟 I changed it to OBNOXIOUSLY ELEGANT.

I wanted to crystalize the oxymoronic idea of combining high and low culture in one irresistible, utterly unique brand at the beginning of its outsize influence on the fashion industry.

If you're working on building a brand and you can't think of a brand story that is interesting and makes sense, start thinking about doing something that makes NO sense. Challenge yourself to create interest by combining two opposing ideas in an undeniably cool way.