Ishani Khanna ’25 and Miller Michalczewski ’25
Have you ever bought something to fit certain trends? Did you even like the item? Looking around the hallways, products such as Nike shoes, Apple AirPods, Aviator Nation pants, and Canada Goose jackets are all too pervasive. Materialism on the Main Line is rampant and, even with the uniform, EA students seem to conform to common trends from clothing to tech to backpacks.
Clare Collins ’23 says, “I think EA definitely has a tendency to lean toward brand culture habits because, especially on the Main Line, we’re living in a bubble and brand culture is definitely a toxic part of that bubble.”
This “bubble” that exists at EA consequently causes students to be disproportionately exposed to expensive items, persuading students to own these common brand names. While never being directly pressured to buy these brands, Manheim says, “When you see everybody surrounding you wearing the same brand, same exact shoes… It kind of feels like you should try to buy those brands even if they’re really expensive or not, just so you can match.”
Sam Willis, Upper School English teacher, points out that materialism is “ever present that I think it’s impossible for students to not be thinking about it.” He explains that “It’s mainline culture and it’s all amplified at a school like Episcopal. I think the microscope is a little bit more focused, and I think it’s easier to see it. I went to public school and while it was in the 90s people were still materialistic people still try to conform. It was just in the 90s with different jackets and different brands.”
Brand culture, at any high school, is inevitable for reasons such as students trying to fit in, but at EA popular brands are misconstrued and are conceived as common, everyday brands. When really, the price points put these out of reach for many.
The pervasive nature of these brands at EA cause students to buy certain products which they might not actually like. While these brands are present among all grade levels, Sophia Hu ’24 says, “I definitely have felt pressured to buy items at EA, and I think it’s especially frustrating in middle school because in middle school, there are more people who are willing to buy [these] brands. But, I think it’s gotten a little bit better in high school, but there definitely is a big brand culture.” With a school like EA, where the majority of the population wears the same few brands, clothing styles are an integral part of the culture.
While wearing certain logos is a personal choice, students should take more effort to promote inclusivity with brand culture. Especially around the holiday season, students should ask themselves their motive for wearing what they wear: because they like it or because they feel pressure to fit in. Father Gavin says, “I think the thing to remember for Christmas is that it’s not about what we get, but what we give. That giving should be throughout the year…It’s not bad to have material things, but it is bad to be driven by those material things, and to be identified by those things.”
Photo Courtesy of Gianna Trala ’23
EA’s emphasis on Mind, Body, Spirit helps it be less materialistic culture compared to other private schools in the area. Tim Gavin, Head Chaplain, says, “We have an opportunity to be somewhat countercultural where we do question what’s important to us [and] what is our purpose.” As an independent school, we have the power to cultivate our own culture and create an environment where everyone can be themselves.
As you are thinking about which items you are buying and making your holiday wishlist, consider the real reason for the purchase. Is it rooted in true interest in the product, or simply just to fit in?