I think about the complexities of merch whenever I see someone who’s clearly not a Yankees fan wearing a Yankees hat. Are they repping the team? Is it just a look? Why do we buy merch at all?
Sometimes, the answer is simple. If it’s a band I love or a team I actually root for, I buy the shirt, the patch, the commemorative whatchamacallit. It’s a way for me to show devotion and broadcast my allegiance. But then there’s the other kind: the merch that transcends the brand that made it. Like the Yankees cap, or any of the I ❤️ NY junk. People don’t buy those things to support NYC tourism or Milton Glaser or the Yankees. They’re buying into an idea, an identity, a feeling.
That’s exactly what Lauren Biederman tapped into with the latest drop from Biederman’s Specialty Foods, her classic Jewish appetizing shop in South Philly. The black-and-white trucker hat embroidered with the words BUMPIN’ THAT isn’t just shop merch, it’s a cultural crossover. Equal parts caviar reference and Charli xcx wink, the hat instantly became a conversation piece.
I caught up with Lauren over email as soon as I saw it. How could I not? It’s perfect.
