Prominent logos are almost ubiquitous on clothes today. In recent years they have even grown, and now smother the design of clothes, incredibly and ostentatiously. A logo is, in essence, a positive thing: it distinguishes one brand from another. What follows is a critique not of logos as such, but of their inflation into an element that contributes nothing to the style of a garment.

1. Free advertising: how does a man become a walking billboard?

Clothing manufacturers have grasped the value of free advertising and embroider their logos as visibly as possible. The strategy emerged in the 1930s in the world of sport, when competitors at world tournaments and Olympic Games were sponsored by a particular brand. Today it has spread everywhere and become an easy way for manufacturers to boost sales. For customers, it is how they show loyalty to a brand they (believe they) love. T-shirts and sports footwear are many manufacturers’ favourite canvas for the logo. Such a T-shirt in a casual outfit is a trap every man would do well to avoid.

2. A sense of belonging: identity or uniformity?

When the masses wear the same brand, people feel they belong to a close-knit community. This false sense of belonging rests on no real values and is bought at the price of sartorial uniformity. The exploitation of human weakness, moreover, runs against good practice in any field and should be resisted.

3. A guarantee of quality: from mark of prestige to marketing tool?

Once, a visible brand was a guarantee of quality. Today it is merely a marketing tool. Admittedly, some brands stand out not for ostentatious logos but for original patterns. Burberry’s Nova Check or Louis Vuitton’s so-called “monogrammed Damier”, for instance, are instantly recognisable. Everyone knows what they look like, since they have entered popular culture.

4. Loud display: personality or lack of taste?

A visible logo should not be an excuse to show off, but a way to express personality. The rigours of classic dress allow, and even encourage, the expression of personality through a set of clear rules. These rules govern the choice, cut and combination of clothes so that they express taste, elegance and refinement. The notion of “taste” is subjective, but the principles of geometry and colour that build it are objective. They are not up for negotiation.

In short, free advertising, an induced sense of belonging, simulated quality and loud display are the levers the clothing industry pulls aggressively. The aim is to stimulate irrational consumption. Consumers thus become walking billboards, emotionally exploited and sartorially uniform.