BigShinyThing

Neil Boorman, former editor of Sleazenation (RIP) and the man behind Hoxton’s 333 nightclub and the glorious Shoreditch Twat (also RIP), is currently working on a book/burning project. The Bonfire Of The Brand is the title of a book Neil is currently writing, due to be published in 2007. A self-confessed brand addict (and former style journalist), Neil is trying to overcome his dependency and in August 2006 plans to burn all of his branded goods in a massive bonfire. It’s not particularly environmentally-aware as a piece of anti-consumerism but hey. Neil has been sharing his experiences in his blog since March:

It’s the adverts that started to crank up my sense of claustrophobia. Now that I have begun to notice them, I cannot ignore them and spot brands everywhere I look.

The blog reads a bit like ‘the confessions of a former brand whore’ as Boorman frankly recounts a meeting with former clients (a big brand):

Having discussed the book, our meeting quickly trailed off to an end. Not being a style journalist any longer, my use to them was now minimal, and this meeting felt like a friendly send off into obscurity. As I stumbled out onto the busy street lined with shops, happy people streaming in and out with bags of fresh consumer kill, I felt very, very low. My professional bridges are being burnt to the point of no return now. I look around me and everyone it seems is getting on quite happily with their branded lives; working hard to make money to spend on the things that make them happy. Clothes, cars, phones, food, everywhere I see brands, and people enjoying them as if there was nothing wrong at all. I don’t want to be marginalised from the whole of society, disengaged from reality like some paranoid schizophrenic on the run from The Man. Perhaps this is all a big mistake.

And whilst we love picture of trainers on fire (Nike is Burning anyone?) we can’t help but think that branded pyrotechnics create an excuse to just go and buy even more stuff. Last year’s trainer becomes this year’s lucrative art project… and the brand gets namechecked all the same.

Via Fuk.