The Spirit of Fashion: Claiming The Cocktail As A Style Accessory
And what it means for brands.
In fashion, great aesthetics are usually based on a deep understanding of personal taste. Elevating your style can often be attributed to the selection of a signature accessory — a wardrobe staple. Yet one distinct but easily overlooked accessory isn’t a wardrobe piece at all. It’s a cocktail.
Like fashion, cocktail choices are a way consumers can express their cultural palate. The right cocktail choice can become a signature accessory and give cachet to an expressive style. It can also be a way for consumers to dictate relevance for brands and a determinant of consumer habits — just like one’s style, gaming, or music preferences.
Pairing a spirit with a style archetype is one way brands can engage consumers who may be looking to converge their distinct taste across categories. And as a consumer, finding a cocktail that complements your fashion sense and a sense of who you are — whether laid back or the life of the party or somewhere in between — is just one way to elevate your style.
How Men of Fashion Are Claiming The Cocktail
First and foremost, I must state that responsible drinking is the most fashionable form of drinking. That said, men of fashion, including stylists, designers, influencers, and tastemakers, are all seemingly settling into casual cocktail culture. These fashion-forward men are finding inspiration by creating cocktails with personalized flare.
After launching his namesake line in 2013, celebrity designer LaQuan Smith crafted the LaQuan Smith 3D Leggings and became known as the “leggings guy” who would go on to dress celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga. Earlier this summer, Smith collaborated with spirit brand Remy Martin to create “the” summer cocktail, “The Remy Sidecar.”
Smith commented on the collab, saying, “The campaign is special because it asks us to own the best part of each day…and celebrates creativity! For me, this happens when the right people, music, drinks, and styles combine.”
Later, in mid-July, designer Jason Rembert teamed up with spirit brand Grand Marnier to create a specialized cocktail based on his own taste.
Rembert and Grand Marnier’s US-based ambassador Xavier Herit concocted the ‘Grand Margarita.’ Dressed in decadent ingredients and garnishes hand-selected by Rembert, the custom cocktail was launched in full-bouquet at the Gansevoort Hotel rooftop in New York City.
Rembert said, “I think the cocktail is a way a man can express his elevation; that may be the class, the diversity of his palette. The complexity is what makes a simple cocktail great. My partnership with Grand Marnier and making the ‘Grand Margarita’ is based on maximalism.”
For the past several years, I have been personally married to the Gin&Tonic, referring to it as my go-to at any bar where I might fluster about what to order. It is a drink that is easy to remember, simple to make, and presents an air of sophistication with the palate. Gin&Tonic is a cocktail you can dress up — with cocktail attire or formal wear — or dress down, to the tune of a backyard party or dive bar. Plus, most places that serve alcohol serve gin.
How Brands Can Claim The Cocktail As Their Own
As a consumer, our aesthetic, demeanor, style, and taste all contribute to our level of distinction. Ideally, the right cocktail discerns character and provides an elevated sense of prestige that accurately reflects our taste and consumer habits. For example, a choice cocktail that utilizes garnishes may elevate a conversation and match the complexity of the consumer’s style. Consider the quintessential ‘Bond’ character who might order a Martini — in the most dapper tailored suit, of course — and drive an Aston Martin. When paired with the right aesthetic, the cocktail is an accessory that can speak for us. And while the way you dress may be your first impression, the cocktail you choose can be the “second first impression” you make.
However, cocktails, and specifically a consumer’s choice of spirit, may also allow brands to engage consumers in unexpected ways. In an ecosystem where unexpected worlds continue to collide — from design and gaming to fast food and footwear — the emergence of fashion-forward cocktails may be an opportunity for spirit brands to collaborate in categories outside of their own, yet in ways that resonate with consumer taste profiles. It may also be a way for fashion brands to influence and ultimately better serve consumer preferences by drawing inspiration from the world of spirits.
As a brand invested in serving the needs of today’s consumers, it is essential to understand not only the taste profiles of consumers within your own category, but also the emergence of trends across categories whereby collaboration may be the catalyst for growth.
