Think...distinctive...

                                                                                                               Bugatti Atalante Coupe

In French it's called Je ne sais quois - attempts to define an indefinable quality which sets something apart from others and captivates the attention.

In hip hop it's often called swagger - a demeanor that exudes a sense of style  and confidence that stands out in it's own distinct way.

In either case there's that something, that unique 'thing' possessed by a person, a place, or even an object which makes it  distinguishable from everything else around it.

Now, the question is, where does that 'something' come from? For some it may be natural, for others it may be something to work extremely hard at (be careful with this one...this can be a slippery slope to inauthenticity). The ideal situation may be to subtlety cultivate your uniqueness, which will in time, spotlight your individual flavor. 

For me, focusing on this came from my days as a design student in architecture. From day one in our studios, we would obsess over each of our design philosophies, which would directly impact everything from aesthetics to the building form of our projects. As young designers we strived to carve out our own niche in terms of our personal techniques of how we designed.

Just a few days ago I was reminded of the importance of this when I was reading this year's Fast Company special issue of the 100 Most Creative People In Business (the issue came out just this past June). 

Their number 22 most creative person was Andy Spade (I actually wrote a post on him last year). I was seriously diggin' what he said:

"A company has to be like that person who turns his cuffs up a different way, who smokes a certain brand of cigarette, who wears an obscure vintage watch."

Now for J Crew CEO, Mickey Drexler, he's loving Andy's disposition, because for him he created a New York store in a former Tribeca bar that's staffed with artists, writers and creative people, and is furnished with vintage pieces for a one-of-kind feel. . .tres cool.

In short a company can find plenty of value in having a certain kind of swagger. That je ne sais quois that you can't quite put your finger on, but it's there.

I'm feelin' you Andy. Definitely feelin' you my man. . .

At the end of the day it's very, very hard to argue against the power of uniqueness. The value of it is incalculable. So when I came across the Bugatti Atalante Coupe, I thought to myself, "Imagine if a brand was distinctive like that?!"

Comments

[Ibrahim]

Your muses have a certain appealing swagger.

Keep up the good work.

IM

[Rasul Sha'ir]

Thank you Ibrahim for your comment and support sir. As always, I'm always deeply appreciative.

[Omar Henderson]

you're a fantastic writer. Your writing almost negates the need for video.

[Rasul Sha'ir]

Thanks for your kind words Omar. I really appreciate it. As always, your comments are always welcomed.