What Makes a Good Shitty Brand
James Spitzenberger
As traditional luxury fashion loses its grip on cultural relevance, a new wave of irreverent, community-driven brands is rising in defiance, fueled by authenticity, scarcity, and digital-era humor. These emerging labels—born from memes, DIY ethics, and niche references—resonate deeply with younger consumers disillusioned by mass marketing and corporate sterility. While legacy fashion houses scramble to adapt, their attempts to co-opt this movement often fall flat, highlighting a seismic shift in consumer values where raw, unfiltered expression may soon trump polished exclusivity.
What Makes a Good Shitty Brand sets out to answer exactly that. Why do some brands—seemingly slapped together, breaking every conventional design rule—still manage to thrive? Is this a reflection of changing visual preferences, or a deeper cultural shift in what people value?
To explore this landscape, I created SICKBOY, a brand built on irony, instinct, and intentional imperfection. Through designing clothing, books, and graphics—and selling them at local pop-ups and markets—I engaged directly with audiences to understand what resonates. What I found was simple: people are starving for authenticity. In a world oversaturated with algorithmically optimized noise, the raw, messy, and real stands out as a shining light of humanity. SICKBOY isn’t just a brand—it’s proof of what happens when you stop trying to please everyone and start making things that actually feel real.