Why We're No Longer Inspired

How neo-influencers are flooding our daily lives and causing us to lack inspiration... This is an ode to inspired and inspiring artists.

When I was in middle school, my mother was horrified the day I decided to cover my pale pink bedroom walls with my prized posters of pop-rock artists like Avril Lavigne and Tokio Hotel. My playlist at the time was dominated by pop/punk rock and indie bands like Green Day, Sum 41, and U2. And as for my style… I mostly wore black and white, often with a loosely tied necktie, Converse sneakers on my feet, and my beloved leather jacket that I never took off.

Recently, while listening to the brilliant new album of Yungblud (a British rock singer-songwriter), I was transported back to that world of inspiration I lived in as a teenager. Back then, I wasn’t just moved by a single outfit I saw on Instagram; I was immersed in entire artistic universes. I listened to their music obsessively, watched their interviews, and connected not only with their look but with the emotion and energy they conveyed through their art. It wasn’t about duplicating their exact outfit (and you would never find any brand tagged on their profiles)—it was about understanding and embodying the spirit behind it.

These artists encouraged us to be ourselves. You didn’t need the exact same leather jacket or the exact same pins. What mattered was capturing the essence, the energy—the vibe. And to do that, you had to dive in completely, starting with the music.

Today, Instagram is flooded with uniformed influencers wearing eerily similar outfits—neutral-toned capsule wardrobes, the same white t-shirt, striped button-down, jeans, and seasonal jacket. It's a sea of sameness, and the algorithm is slowly dressing us all like clones.

So how do you break free?

The most visionary stylists and artistic directors don’t rely only on curated Pinterest boards or fleeting digital trends. Their creative vocabulary is drawn from a far richer lexicon—music, architecture, fine art, cinema, literature, and the organic rhythms of the natural world. They observe, absorb, and reinterpret culture through a wide-angle lens.

Vivienne Westwood’s fashion language was shaped by the punk movement she helped ignite with her partner Malcolm McLaren, who, as it happened, was the manager of the Sex Pistols, one of the most well-known punk rock groups. Westwood didn’t just design clothes—she built a new world. Her creations carried political charge, rebellious spirit, and raw authenticity. She didn’t follow fashion; she redefined it by channeling a whole ethos.

In a different corner of the world, Issey Miyake observed movement rather than pigment. Designing pleated costumes for a ballet by William Forsythe, he was inspired by the quiet strength and fluidity of dancers in rehearsal. His forms echoed origami—another asian tradition reinterpreted, where geometry met innovation, and heritage folded into the future.

Nature is also a master colorist. Yves Saint Laurent found his palette not with a Panton color palette, but with his travels.

“When I discovered Morocco, I understood that my own colour palette was that of zelliges, zouacs, djellabas and kaftans. The audacities that have since been mine, I owe them to this country, to the violence of the agreements, to the insolence of the mixtures, to the ardour of the inventions. This culture became mine, but I did not just import it, I annexed it, transformed it, adapted it.” - Yves Saint Laurent

The Moroccan landscape and its artisanal richness became part of his creative DNA—colors lifted from tilework, silhouettes reimagined through flowing fabrics.

In that vein, wear pieces you've collected during your travels—not as costumes, but as natural extensions of your personal story. The key is cultural sensitivity: blend these elements into your everyday wardrobe as a reflection of who you are, not just what you admire. That’s not cultural appropriation—it’s cultural appreciation, lived and expressed with respect.

Also, cinematographers and costume designers often do a better job with aesthetics than fashion influencers ever could. Think of the quiet ruggedness of Yellowstone, or the iconic silhouettes in Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly or The Power of the Dog.

For lovers of country music, there are artists whose visual style is as compelling as their sound—names like Lainey Wilson, Orville Peck, Midland, and Sierra Ferrell who curate outfits that straddle vintage Western flair and contemporary edge. Incorporating a silk or cotton bandana into your outfit offers a subtly sophisticated update to your daily outfit. (Hermès if you're feeling polished, Kujten for casual cool, even better: something vintage)

However, I wouldn't recommend wearing a full ensemble of Santiag boots, a bandana, and jeans. (Don’t turn your wardrobe into a cowboy costume). Incorporate one or two well-chosen pieces into your existing style. Always let your clothes feel lived-in, not theatrical…

Finally, let your heritage lead your style and your lifestyle.

If you’re of Chinese descent, explore the elegance of Mandarin collars or intricate traditional embroidery. If your roots are Nigerian, embrace Ankara prints in ways that feel authentic and intentional…

We need to bypass the intermediaries—the filtered trends, the curated store racks, the algorithm-fed suggestions—and reconnect with inspiration at its source. When we rely solely on what's presented to us, we risk dressing not as individuals, but as variations of the same template. To avoid the trap of a homogenous "uniform," we must look beyond the commercial cycle and turn to broader, richer references.

Stop that mindless scrolling.

Lift your head from your phone.

Look around and truly appreciate the beauty in nature and awesome architecture.

Open your ears to soak in the music that makes you feel more like you.

And open your heart to embrace what you really love.

After that… you'll probably be the most stylish person in any room.

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Thank you so much for your unwavering support.

I'm going through a difficult phase right now, and honestly, writing really helps me. It's also why I haven't been as regular with my posts lately.

Seeing your support and comments means the world to me!

Bisous,

The French edit