Bonfire of the brands

Neil Boorman on brand addiction and his decision to live brand-free:

It is a miserable business indeed, logging each of my lovely, branded possessions for imminent destruction. I find unworn clothes, still in their bags, price tags attached, stuffed behind boxes and furniture (classic symptom of a shopaholic). No one knows I have these things but me; I could easily stash them away for use in the brighter, branded future, when this insane project comes to an end. But what would be the point?

This is a taste of the branded items to be destroyed:

14 Ralph Lauren shirts: £910

2 YSL T-shirts: £150

2 Judy Blame T-shirts: £200

3 Lacoste polo shirts: £150

2 Vivienne Westwood shirts: £200

3 Siv Stoldal tops: £210

3 Nike T-shirts: £150

1 Kappa T-shirt: £40

1 Diadora track top: £40

2 Kilgour shirts: £240

2 Bernhard Willhelm sweatshirts: £300

That's just the tops - then there's the jeans, the jumpers, suits, coats, shoes, belts, caps and jewellery, luggage, a few bits of "name" furniture, electrical gadgets, cosmetics, household cleaners. The total cost? £21,115.

Hmmm--I wonder whether he has read Pattern Recognition...