Belonging without belongings

My willpower is shot. I vowed that I would refrain from giving any air time to former style mag editor, Neil Boorman's, pathetic bonfire of the brands gig. Which beyond setting up a blog-turned-book deal last March, amounted to him burning his branded possessions at Finsbury Square in public view this past Sunday night. And why such Oxfam spited behaviour you rightfully ask? Because this is supposed to mark his rebirth as a label free No Logo championeer. Boorman (his name being the best label of all) pledges that his blog and burning stunt are acts of redemption-esqe cleansing, from which he will find the strength to cure himself from label addiction. And this last bit, is where I started to take a modicum of interest in this self-obsessed, middle class, brand gigolo.

Boorman's PR smooth, but ultimately empty stunt took on Gordan Brown's latest public crying session in the empathy PR stakes by dubbing Boorman's basic insecurity a chronic addiction. Now, I have been addicted to many things in my day, and my river of Cancerian sympathy runs deep, but this would test any levee (no, not Levi, that's his issue remember). Think I am being a bit harsh? Try it the next time you get home after a shopping spree on Bond Street. "Sorry honey, my addiction just led me to spend our month's rent in Prada. Really, I wasn't just in need of the insecurity blanket that comes with brand snobbery." If you don't get guilt tripped back to the returns desk, then dump your partner now, anyone wet enough to let that slide will bore you in six months time anyway.

But putting any Topshop-addict confessions to the side for a minute, the reality that some are too concerned about being seen with the right product is probably true. The real nonsense comes from Boorman's suggestion that he might find himself beneath it all. There is something human about the need to pick a herd to conform with. Certain brands allow certain people to pretend they are part of a special set. And others are built up quite often because a company actually became quite good at producing something. But we are not the first to criticise Boorman, controversy surrounds him.

And for a rare moment we actually want to believe that euphemistic opium of the karma brigade, that 'what goes around comes around.' For by claiming to be addicted, Boorman will surely end up, if he isn't already, more brand obsessed than before. As any recovering 'addict' (authentic or generic) he surely now lives in fear of accidentally using a branded something because he might 'relapse.' Stripped of his Gucci mac (though not his Apple Mac, it's important branding for any soon to be published author, remember?), he will probably feel just as great a need to belong. Which is why it's a good thing he included a one-year get out clause on his devil doesn't wear Prada contract. If only we weaker addicts had such self control.

And for the latest labels we endorse:

Any brand located at Kingly Court, the buzzing shopping quarter off Carnaby Street, as tomorrow boasts its own one day fashion show with new collections from various independent boutiques. After dabbling in this decidedly cooler side to Fashion Week, head to Red for a cocktail. Because it isn't us that has something to prove when it comes to addictions.