What a brand does today becomes tomorrow’s history. That’s the foundation of reputation, legacy, and if handled right innovation. Digital channels give you instant reach, but they rarely carry weight years later. A viral post won’t matter in 2035. The brands that last are the ones treating today’s work as part of a story still worth retelling in ten years.
History alone doesn’t make you relevant. A dusty archive proves you existed, nothing more. What matters is how you use it to curate, remix, evolve so it continues to speak to the present.
Mass Brands vs. Authorship
This is where a lot of brands trip up. They chase what others are doing, the so-called “mass brand” approach. Data-led strategies, mimicry of what’s trending, calculated moves designed to play it safe. But you can’t copy soul. Crews, Independent brands, collectives they do things only they can do. They speak in their own language, create their sharper graphics, tell their own stories. That’s why they cut through.
Sovereignty Matters
Sovereignty over your brand is everything. Being part of a bigger group can give you distribution and scale, but it often dilutes voice. Decisions get filtered, rough edges get sanded down. The message shifts from “this is us” to “this is what fits the portfolio.” No surprise then, that more Fashion Designers are fighting to buy back their brands from big houses and investors. They want control again - the story, the product, the pace.
Heritage and Fresh Voices
Heritage brands face a different challenge. They already have the archive and the weight of history, but that can lock them into predictability. The smart ones bring in new creators voices that challenge, reinterpret, and add an edge. Think of it like the New York Times: its heritage is unquestioned, but its strength also comes from allowing writers and columnists with sharper, more current takes to sit alongside the institution’s authority. Fashion houses do the same by appointing new creative directors. The house remains, but its relevance depends on the injection of fresh perspective.
Life’s Algorithms
Life itself runs on algorithms, patterns, choices, stories stacking over time. Brands follow the same logic. The partnerships that resonate are the ones that feel like they belong in that algorithm, not bolted on for effect. Vans bringing SZA in as Artistic Director is a perfect example. It’s not just a celebrity tie-in, it’s recognition of her authorship and her ability to fuse individuality with community. I’m curious to see how this plays out, whether it becomes a true creative shift or just another co-sign. The same with On and FKA Twigs, disruptive artists shaping direction, not just fronting campaigns. These moves work because they respect the algorithm of culture: relevance comes through voice, not volume.
Disruption Everywhere
And this tension isn’t just inside fashion or media. The whole world is being disrupted by automation and AI. Starting a brand today is easier than ever, and disrupting an established one can happen overnight. Fashion brands, music companies, film studios, even agencies are all feeling it. Distribution models flip, gatekeepers lose grip, and audiences decide what’s relevant in real time.
The playing field is unstable. Heritage and scale don’t guarantee safety. Creativity, authorship, and the ability to adapt are what matter. And you see it most clearly in the rise of new brand experiences. They’re coming back as more permanent tools in the brand arsenal, not just one-off stunts. Done well, they let you sharpen, pivot, disrupt, learn, and connect, globally and locally, while creating just enough FOMO to pull people in.
Personal Narrative as Brand
In a way, we’re all brands now. Each of us is in charge of our personal narrative, our intellectual property, and our approach. The same rules apply, what you do today shapes the story people will remember tomorrow. So the question isn’t only for companies. It’s for you: are you owning your story, or letting someone else define it for you?
The Choice
So the real question is this: are you building something with soul and authorship that only you can do, or are you chasing what the machine says works today? One of those paths creates tomorrow’s history. The other leaves you forgotten in someone else’s archive.
Written by Mark
