Fountain of Yus - #014

Fashion as Entertainment, Drop Culture, the TikTokification of Spotify and Football’s Blackout rule, I bring you issue #014 of FOY. Salaam

Have Fashion Shows Turned Into Entertainment Spectacles?

As the most recent fashion week season has come to an end, we look back and notice a growing trend, with shareability becoming a key component of the runway experience. This isn’t totally new though, but rather an evolution of what’s come before. While previously designers would entertain viewers through their set design and performances during the show, we’ve seen new layers be added to this over the past few years.  Take a look at Virgil Abloh’s shows, Virgil’s runway shows were known for featuring a host of talent from different subsets of culture and entertainment including Hector Bellerin, Playboi Carti and Lucien Clarke to name a few. Alton Mason did a dance performance for the Louis Vuitton FW19 runway show, while Tyler the Creator cycled around the set on his bike for the FW22 show, by co-creating with unexpected characters, they add layers to the experience beyond conventional collection and set design. 

When it comes to entertainment through fashion, we of course can’t afford to not mention Demna. From satirical runway pieces to dystopia set designs and a Simpsons runway show in between, Demna had the virality component on lock. Not to mention the amusing way the models would stride down the runway and his use of high-profile stars like Kim Kardashian to walk the runway too. However, Demna seems to be dialling back on virality, for obvious reasons too. 

We’re seeing entertainment increasingly become a main component of fashion shows. This past season, we’ve seen Moncler host an unforgettable experience, Heliot Emil send models down the runway in flames, AVAVAV’s collection purposefully falling apart on the runway, Kid Super turn a fashion show into a comedy show and Coperni using robodogs to undress models on the runway, following up from last season’s viral spray-on dress with Bella Hadid. 

Looking at all these examples, we can see that the fashion show has turned into a spectacle and when looking at fashion through this lens, you get a better understanding of why Louis Vuitton would hire Pharrell Williams as Creative Director, or Rihanna using her Superbowl performance as an opportunity to promote her Fenty product. The lines between fashion and entertainment are truly blurred and designers want to stay front of mind, attract attention and have their brands spoken about, virality via social media is the currency used to achieve that. 

Does seeking virality take away from the fashion experience runway shows are supposed to serve or add to it? I’ll leave you to decide.

Are adidas Set To Evolve Drop Culture?

adidas have been experimenting in the Web3 sphere for a good 2-3 years now, making a lot of moves and building their Web3 community as they go along, but their recent announcement may be one that attracts an even wider audience. 

At the recent NFT Paris event Erika Wykes-Sneyd, adidas’ Web3 lead, announced that they’ll be looking at using token-gating tactics for future sneaker drops - a move that should excite sneakerheads.

Now if you’ve ever tried to cop a sneaker you know how much of an uphill battle it is, almost virtually pointless. Currently, potential buyers have to enter and win a raffle and after that’s done, the real battle comes, the battle against the bots. Bots have ruined what it means to try and cop a gem, and rather handed sneakerheads Ls on a consistent basis, to the point where many have even given up on trying. 

However, with adidas’ recent announcement, the tide may seem to turn in their favour. Through token-gating access to sneaker drops, adidas are prioritising their community members for their loyalty, by ensuring sneakers get into the right hands. This not only improves the user's experience but also makes the hunt for a gem, fair game. 

As opposed to fighting bots, you can instead use your crypto wallet to stand a better chance of copping that crep you love. 

adidas are showing how Web3 can be a gateway for a better customer experience.

The ‘Tiktokification’ of Spotify 

The streaming platform that constantly revolutionises how fans consume music has once again reinvented the wheel. 

At this year’s ‘Its Stream On’ event, the platform announced that it will be adding a vertical scrolling feed to its homepage in its continued effort to function as more than just a music app. It's no secret that this is influenced by the impact TikTok has had on behaviours and how younger audiences consume content. As the new kid on the block, TikTok has put pressure on trademark social media apps, with a host of platforms making changes to keep up with the new wave. We’ve seen Instagram introduce reels and Youtube add shorts to its repertoire. Both moves were criticised for borrowing from TikTok’s model at first, but people soon hopped on. So, even though Spotify’s announcement is currently receiving backlash, I think it’s safe to say, this too shall pass.

What’s more interesting to note is another trend we’re seeing amongst platforms, the need to become more social but also to function as a media house with multiple offerings designed to make you spend more time on these various apps. Lo-fi, user-generated content is in and these platforms are creating an environment for not only artists to thrive but creators too. 

Spotify has been doing the same for a while now, over the past few years we’ve seen the platform welcome audio creators whether it’s through podcasts, audiobooks or guided meditations. They’ve also introduced video podcasts, a smart shuffle feature, artist merch, and even an AI DJ and token-gated playlists as of late, showing that the platform is now way more than just a music app and is well on its way to becoming more of a multimedia platform. 

The gap between social and streaming is rapidly narrowing.

Does The Blackout Rule Need To Change?

Watching football in the UK can be a pain in the neck, to be able to legally watch all games across all leagues, one needs to be subscribed to three separate streaming platforms; SKY, BT & Amazon Prime, which proves quite costly. Considering how frustrating this already is, it’s further aggravated when you pay for all those subscriptions and yet can’t watch your team play because of a rule that was set 60 years ago. This rule is the blackout rule which stipulates that no live Premier League, FA cup or league matches played between 2:45 - 5:15 on a Saturday shall be televised. 

The rule was designed to protect the football pyramid as it was argued that if games were televised then fans of lower division clubs would be less incentivized to go to the stadium to watch their teams play, especially if a big game like Manchester United v Liverpool (pain) is on. 

Fast forward 60 years later and it seems like this rule is doing more harm than good to the Football pyramid and potentially needs reviewing. 

Football aside, the world has changed so much in the past 60 years and this has naturally affected the way people consume the game too. To watch all games via legal means is simply too inconvenient of a process and a costly one too. Coupled with a cost of living crisis, you have the perfect concoction for an environment where illegal streaming becomes the norm, which has been the case. And can you blame the fans? Not only do they have to pay an arm and a leg to watch the team they love, but they also have to do so while running the risk of not being able to watch them at all due to a rule that is not in tune with the times — in my honest opinion. 

While it is a fair argument that fans of lower clubs wouldn’t want to go support their teams if there was a big game on the telly during those hours, there are other tactics that could be applied to avert these issues. For instance, matches could be scheduled to avoid televising the big matches during this window period. 

Watching the game has become too costly of a process and is frustrating for fans in the UK. With illegal streaming staying ever-popular, it’s clear both viewers and broadcasters need to meet each other halfway to generate a thriving ecosystem.  The viewer experience needs to not only be affordable but also a more seamless experience.

The current PL broadcasting deal is set to end in 2025 with the tender process for the next deal starting this year, it will be interesting to see if usual cats (SKY + BT) look to evolve their model, especially with AppleTV sniffing around, who not only have the financial pedigree but the guarantee to provide a contemporary viewing experience at a more affordable price too.

Yuseful Notes

Boy Better Know: How a t-shirt drove not only a group but a whole genre to popularity. 

Prada You: Why the Prada America’s Cup has had a long-lasting presence.

Samba Style: Wales Bonner teams up with adidas once again for a new release of the classic Samba sneaker.

STEELO: Web3 Creative platform has launched a community magazine with contributions from its discord members.

anreal: Fashion brand anrealage unveils colour-changing clothes at their FW23 show.

Peach League: Clothing brand, Peachy Den hosts women’s 5-a-side tournament in partnership with Football Beyond Borders.

Grown, not made: ALIVEFORM, trailblazing the future of sustainable footwear.

Climate Clubs: Artist ‘floods’ club kits to highlight the climate crisis.

Sustainable Cleats: adidas partners with Parley to create boots made from ocean plastic. 

It’s in the game: For the first time ever, the National Women’s Soccer League will be added to EA’s FIFA video game.

Fair game: Lionesses secure £600m funding from the government to create equality in school sport.

From Fajr to Maghrib: adidas Sweden releases a commercial spotlighting Ramadan. 

F1 Fandom: How the fangirlification of Formula 1 is growing its fanbase on TikTok and Youtube.

Va Va Vroom: Porsche taps Daniel Arsham to reimagine the 1978 Porsche 928.

Motorcore: DSquared2 is set to collab with Honda Powersports.

Muse for Views: How beauty is being used to drive virality in fashion. 

Crownsandowls: An insight into creative trio who have attained cult status in the industry.

Content for a cause: MrBeast puts his money where his heart is.

More Ws on TikTok: How a daughter used the platform to get her dad’s book to #7 on Amazon overall.

Web3 Spaces: Discord unveils a host of new AI tools.

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What Would Yus Do?

Sharing upcoming experiences that I find interesting and you may potentially too.

WHO’S ON IT: A free experience for the youth, by the youth, on March 18th at the South London Gallery.

Microphone champion: STEELO is set to host a freestyle competition this weekend to promote the launch of its app

The Earth We Walk Upon, The Ancestors We Bring With Us: A free exhibition by Julia Bennett and mixed-Japanese artist Mizuki Nishiyama. On now until March 25th at Gillian Jason Gallery.

Remember Me: An exhibition by Joy Yamusangie. On until April 1st at Tiwani Contemporary.

With Q: A free exhibition by Denzil Forrester juxtaposing colourful depictions of urban dance halls with vivid recollections from his childhood and themes of social injustice. On until April 8th at Stephen Friedman Gallery.

Regina: Distinctive photographer and filmmaker Gabriel Moses unveils his first exhibition.  Running from 5 - 30 April at 180 Strand.

Jesus Died For Us, We Will Die For Dudus!: An immersive, multipart installation by R.I.P Germain that examines the complex logic of cultural gatekeeping within Black culture, and the (mis)perception of these dynamics in a wider (white) world. On until May 14th at ICA.

The Point 0: Mohammed Sami explores his experience of living under Saddam Hussein’s regime and then as a refugee in Sweden. On at the Camden Art Centre until the May 28th

Thin Air: An exhibition exploring the boundaries between art and technology, working with light, atmospherics, sound and experimental new media. On until June 4th at The Beams.

On Stage: A series of paintings by Andreas Schulz, where entertainment meets everyday life. On until July 1st at The Perimeter.

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Sonic Yus

A playlist consisting of all the songs I’m obsessing over in between each issue. Plus a recorded mix from me to you, enjoy!

That’s all for now

Until next time,
Yus