Why we're in favour of fashion's logomania

Who could have predicted that this season's biggest sell-out hit would be a DHL T-shirt priced at £185? And that, then, said T-shirt would go onto prompt what we're dubbing "logomania" - the return of the fashion logo.

Blame Vetements, the cult Parisian fashion label, who introduced the DHL T-shirt on its spring/summer 2016, as worn by a male model in shiny trousees, an open shirt and Dr Marten-style boots. It's now mostly sold out, despite the hefty price tag, and has led to a slew of logo pieces from Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein to Adidas and French Connection. And then there's popularity of skater brand Palace, whose heavily branded hoodies, sweatshirts and T-shirts have been worn by Rihanna and A$AP Rocky. In fact, there are reportedly queues outside its Soho store for each new drop of stock.

The meaning of the logo has changed. While back in the Noughties, it used to be a show of ostentatiousness, now it's a show of irony. Look at Anya Hindmarch's current collection which is decorated with Boots, Mothercare and John Lewis - it's tongue-in-cheek, and also visually very strong, ideal for our Instagram age. Chanel's recent show in Havana saw in a vintage-inspired T-shirt featuring the words "Viva Cuba Libre".

The other argument is that the logo is a rejection of pretentious high-fashion, it shows that you're low-fi and unpretentious. Vetements' DHL T-shirt could be a knowning jibe at capitalism or a fashion parody. If further proof was needed that the brand's hype has reached fever pitch, it's a new parody account launched in its honour. Vetememes sells Vetements-inspired anoraks - the levels of irony are confusing to say the least.

So whether the new logo is ironic, subversive or just a play on 90s nostalgia, 2016 has reclaimed the logo and it's a bolder, yet more complicated statement than ever.

Considering logos are known for their simplicity, it seems ironic that their latest incarnation are so complicated in meaning. So whether they represent irony, subversiveness or just play on 90s nostalgia, one things concrete - they might be bold, but there's more to them than ever.