Lately we've observed that the practice of "place-dropping" is on the rise. Defined in this article penned by Spud Hilton as the art of name dropping "exotic or far-flung corners of the map. . .instead of people for the purpose of raising one's status within a social hierarchy," place-dropping is a reflection of the current "experience economy" that places greater importance on the things you do rather than the things you buy. If you haven't starting planning your summer vacation yet, here are the three exotic locales that trendsetters have been place-dropping most often.
Egypt: As pyramids - and
triangles, in general - have become a predominant design motif, it makes sense that some mystical folk are wanting to travel to see the icons they have adorning their
pillowcases,
T-shirts and
necklaces. Consequently,
Egypt has become one of the most place-dropped travel destinations of this year. It's not uncommon to overhear hip dudes at bars telling girls they just met that they'd "love to hang out once [they] get back from Egypt." That is the way place-dropping is done after all: You don't just say "I'm super excited to go to Egypt" or "I just got back from Egypt." Instead, expert place-droppers (not so) subtly hint at their travels by talking about the way coarse camelhair feels on sockless ankles or how their jeans are still covered in the brown dust of the
Pyramid of Menkaure. And maybe if the girl at the bar is lucky, the cute guy will send her a
card from his travels, snail mail still being the most impressive way to place-drop.
Mexico: As the recession has trendsetters looking for new ways to get the most place-dropping bang for their buck, many are turning to our southern neighbor. We told you how music fans will be crossing the border for promoter Todd P's inaugural
MtyMx festival, but Mexican travels are going beyond
chillwave pilgrimages these days, with thrifty Gen Ys exploring both more rural areas and the gritty, artist-filled streets of Mexico City. This boom in hipster tourism is due, in part, to the current perception of the country as a new form of the Wild West, which is also embedded with a deep surrealist element that the
cosmic minded tourist is seeking. Additionally, the recent popularity of writer
Roberto Bolaño has sent many a young artist-detective searching for inspiration in the land of the Aztecs. And as we edge closer to the supposed doomsday of
2012, many trendsetters are, primarily in jest, maneuvering to be in a place where the Mayans allegedly predicted the end if the world. Apocalypse wow.
Berlin: Vacationing in Berlin is a bit like waking up in Brooklyn on Saturday morning - you may find yourself wrapped in various layers of colorful vintage clothing, with a vague memory of
semi-ironic techno music, and then joined by crowds of dehydrated hipsters on your walk of shame back home. Of course, two things are different: Berlin's
hangover helper brunch is cheap and the locals are super friendly. This, combined with its thriving art community,
punk squats and photo shoot-ready
abandoned amusement park, has made Berlin the most place-dropped locale in trendsetter circles. In fact, we were just at a bar in Brooklyn where everyone was discussing the best thrift stores in Berlin, when one of our anti-place-dropping friends asked, "Who hasn't been to Berlin?" Only one person raised his hand.
