Captain's Check-In
A bit of a curveball.
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I’m now unemployed.
After seven or so years, maybe six and two quarters, I was let go from the company that I’d seen grow from a handful of employees (I believe I was employee 14?) into an actual full-fledged company. Since getting canned, I’ve kind of taken some time to reflect on my overall place in the world. As silly as that sounds, with all this free time you naturally start wondering, “Okay, what am I going to do now?”
Aside from watching various Pokémon card opening videos (I don’t even collect the card, which makes me wonder why am I watching this), I’ve been thinking a lot about my place within the fashion space, sphere, realm, whichever term you prefer, really. One of the main things that keeps coming to mind is, “what am I actually doing with the messages I’m trying to share in each post?”
I’ve shared how existentialism, the meaning of time, about being inspired by our communities, by family, by traditions from different countries, and all of these beautiful ideas, have inspired various designers and collections I’ve talked to. So, eventually, with references like this in mind, it’s hard not to think about the same when writing these posts. These conversations rub off on you and, truthfully, that’s when I believe you’re doing something meaningful.
My partner and I recently went to the Vancouver Art Gallery, more commonly known as the VAG, and saw a three-screen video installation about climate change and mass consumption. Seeing our waters continue to heat up, mass hunting of whales, and destruction of habitats across the world. From my interpretation, it examined our past, present, and future.
Expectedly, it was a tough pill to swallow.
Since then, and again this could purely be tied to suddenly having all this free time, I’ve found myself following far more climate-related news. Reading about how the Arctic is warming up about four times faster than the rest of the world, seeing revised projections showing global temperatures rising by .35°C instead of the expected .2°C
The more I read, the more this feeling of hopelessness and dread has started creeping in. It’s the main reason I’ve taken the last week or so away from writing.
Although I genuinely try to encourage more thoughtful shopping habits and highlight brands that appear to be making better decisions around materials and production, it’s hard not to occasionally ask myself why this all matters. I can spend thousands of words talking about a brand that’s using more sustainable practices, fabrics, or taking greater care in how garments are woven, dyed, or manufactured. Those things absolutely matter, but it still doesn’t feel like enough.
It leaves me wondering what more I can do to ensure I’m making a positive impact in this space.
Especially when you’re working in an industry built around consumption. There’s so much waste, so much misinformation, and, ultimately, you never really know the full picture behind what a brand chooses to tell you. This is could for so much more though, but let’s save that conversation for another day.
At the same time, you’re still seeing overconsumption.
Maybe this is simply because I’m completely off TikTok now and spend most of my time on Substack, with the occasional Instagram story spree, but I do feel like there’s been a bit of a shift. It seems like more people are being more intentional, they’re taking more time to dissect what they’re potentially buying rather than purchasing something on impulse. It’s a hard habit to break, so kudos to anyone that’s shifted gears.
I had a discussion with a friend the other day, he works at a local boutique here, about how more people are actually looking at care tags now. He’s had discussions with customers about the dos and don’ts about how to care for a product, the story behind a designer, collection, or how something is made. People are showing more interest in knowing the full scope of something, rather than limiting themselves to the surface-level.
I’ve definitely been on the other side of that coin. I’ve bought things because they were flashy, or because someone whose opinion I trusted said they were worth buying. Hearing that more people are taking a minute to see what something is made from, looking into the brand behind it, and learning about its practices, is genuinely encouraging.
All in all, it’s hard not to feel a little existential about what I’m doing with this Duchump, and the platform that I’ve somehow, slowly but surely, managed to build. Although, to be fair, you could probably say that about almost anything right now. The world feels is burning, whether it’s here in North America, the wildfires across Europe, or everything happening in the Arctic, we’re seeing the effects from every angle.
I remember asking Jonah from Blackbird Spyplane a similar question:
“How do you stay interested in fashion and continue writing about it when everything around you feels so bleak?” Or, something like that.
I don’t remember his answer word for word, but I believe it was something along the lines of being able to separate the two. Fashion is his thing, it’s his lifeblood. Even while the world is struggling, there’s still room to have thoughtful conversations about clothes, and his writing has always reflected that. He doesn’t just tell you what to buy or recap a collection, he writes pieces that leave you thinking, and I do respect that, especially since we’re in such a recommendations-heavy culture right now.
Still, I can’t help but feel the two are connected. It’s a strange time to be writing about fashion. I don’t really know what the point of this post is. I don’t even know why I’m saying all of this. It just felt like I needed somewhere to vent because, despite everything, this little corner of fashion can be incredibly exciting. It’s deeply community-driven — you meet people who genuinely feel like your peers, people you can bounce ideas off of and, in a weird way, feel whole around. We’re kinda like Freaks and Geeks, except not in the 80s.
I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who’s made this possible. The agencies, the brands, the designers who’ve taken the time to speak with me, invite me to presentations, or simply have a conversation. It’s just hard not to occasionally wonder whether any of this matters when there are much bigger problems in the world.
Maybe this connects with someone, maybe it connects with no one. Either way, that’s okay.
I’ve always written because I wanted to share whatever happened to be on my mind, so if you’ve been feeling anything like I have lately, I’m here to chat. Even though this is a fashion newsletter, all of this is pretty small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. I’m happy to help with styling advice, recommend brands, but I’m also here to chat about the everyday parts of life.
At the end of the day, I’m just another person trying to figure things out, especially now.
What I’ve Been Reading, Watching, or Will Read
Climate Change
Fashion
Miscellaneous
And this week’s album is Lost In Sound by Yusuf Lateef.
In a sea of listicles--"4,500 shorts to buy now!"--your writing is a breath of fresh air.
couldn’t related any more to what you’re feeling right now man. you just sparked my next idea