Normcore

Once upon a time people were born into communities and had 

to find their individuality. Today people are born individuals 

and have to find their communities.

-- k-hole 

Humphrey has always had a mild fascination with "trend forecasting": a lucrative industry, perhaps stared by the legendary Faith Popcorn, that has to do with predicting social trends in order that businesses could capitalize on said trends early on. Humphrey always wondered how much of this was a matter of prediction, versus putting ideas out there upon which people latched at a later date.

Humph skeptically demonstrates Faith Popcorn's "cocooning" trend

The methodology of many of these trend forecasters had to do with observing and talking to people (especially youth) and allegedly teasing out the tastes and ideas of "early adapters". Ultimately, Humph believes, it has been an act of ultracrepidarianism [an ultracrepidarian is somebody who gives opinions on subjects they know nothing about] on the part of forecasters, and probably research subjects as well.

Humphrey recently stumbled upon a new trend forecast: normcore. Normcore is the "Seinfeldization" of clothing - where hipsters turn to bland, style-free fashion choices rather than the avant-garde normally associated with the young and the hip. Aesthetically, the look involves acid-washed mom jeans, windbreaker jackets, and baseball caps with the aim of "blending in." Politically, "one does not pretend to be above the indignity of belonging," instead, moves away from a coolness and opts into sameness (according to the originators of this term). Alternately, Humphrey believes it may just be that all-too-familiar extension of hipsters appropriating ugly mass culture in "ironic" ways.

The coiners of this term (and it's received a fair bit of buzz in the press!) are a collective called k-hole, a New York based trend forecasting group founded by Greg Fong, Sean Monahan, Chris Sherron, Emily Segal, and Dena Yago. k-hole has issued several reports (all available free on their website!) that attempt to describe smaller trends that they expect to explode in the mainstream. Apparently, the very mainstream GAP has even tweeted about it already, a nod to its history as a purveyor of un-ironic normcore wares.

While (so far) k-hole has been heralded as a serious and important forecasting house, Humphrey can't help but wonder if k-hole isn't a performance project to test the boundaries of corporate common sense? Or is it serious?

Humphrey will put on some acid washed trousers and a baseball cap while he contemplates an aesthetic about nothing.