Work the quirk – male grooming reconfigured

Individuality is freedom lived
John Dos Passos American novelist

Ken, Mattel’s male toy partner to Barbie, has been given a makeover – redesigned in not one, but 15 different versions that include 17 skin tones, man buns and 9 face shapes. This reflects, says Mattel’s design director, Robert Best, the realisation that in popular culture, ‘the idea that there’s just one standard is no longer the norm’.  

In real life, the concept of masculinity is also changing. Younger urban men are shaking off mainstream ideals of uniformity, embracing gender fluidity and a new report shows that men are buying more shoes than women. Even GQ has recently commented on the breakdown of the codes of men’s style, suggesting four new ‘tribes’. Meanwhile, smart digital brands are building adaptive products and services based on personal data and preferences, to create hyper-individualised experiences.

At a recent panel discussion hosted by fashion commentary site, The Industry at London pop-up The Grooming Room, Toby Bateman from Mr Porter noted that as menswear ‘superbrands’ men such as Ralph Lauren have waned slightly, niche brands have stepped in. Menswear designer Oliver Spencer has applauded Brits for taking more risks in personal style and grooming.

Breaking the code

So do we need a new set of guidelines for male-oriented brands? If men are becoming more confident and buying into more quirky lines, where does that leave the usual ‘For Men’ brands on the UK high Street?  

This is an issue that we’ve recently discussed in ‘The Final Frontier’ our new male grooming report and are exploring through a new series of workshops and events. (Get in touch to find out more). From these conversations with experts and marketers, it’s clearly an area where brands may need to apply new thinking around categories, brand identity and descriptors.

Maybe it’s time to do more than scratch the surface of the modern male.

New Workshops

As part of the above initiative, we’ve created a new set of workshops to tackle brand and design challenges in premium beauty and grooming. For example, our ‘HGI Sessions’ are bookable workshops to explore the potential needs of HGIs (Highly Groomed Individuals) for brands and start-ups.

image: Mattel