Tech elites adopted streetwear once decorum lost its hold on the wealthy
Evidence
Despite such temporary stumbles, the conglomeratesâ entire financial existence depended on making status symbols accessible to everyone, and there was no going back to being small-scale, artisanal companies for a select clientele. They also couldnât return to exclusively outfitting the wealthy in formal clothing, as the worldâs elite had lost interest in decorum. When Silicon Valley finally decided to dress up, the tech elite also flocked to streetwear. At age forty, Mark Zuckerberg abandoned his dull gray hoodies and T-shirts for âthe imperialist phase of his glow-upâ: trendy âbroccoli permâ hair, a single thin gold chain, and exclusive T-shirts made with LA designer Mike Amiri with the Latin phrase âaut Zuck, aut nihilâ (a reference to the expression âeither a Caesar or nothingâ). â W. David Marx, Blank Space, 775
Categorization
- ADDENDUM: Zuckerbergâs dress transformation echoes the class/identity-signaling theme of the âimmodestyâ article â status shifting from formal decorum to logo wear.
- CANDY: Zuckerbergâs âaut Zuck aut nihilâ T-shirt and the parody âa world without Caesarsâ retort is a fun tidbit.