“Great genes” might sound like a compliment. But in the world of advertising, it’s a loaded phrase — one that blurs the line between style and superiority, between identity and exclusion.
That phrase recently resurfaced in a campaign gone viral for all the wrong reasons: a white, blonde, blue-eyed actress fronting a denim ad with messaging that subtly glorified heredity, genetic beauty, and legacy — all while dismissing the deeper implications. And the defense? It was just a pun. Just jeans.
But for those of us who live outside that narrow frame of beauty, who weren’t born into the standard of what’s marketable, this isn’t clever — it’s coded. It’s exhausting. It’s damaging.
So let’s be clear about where we stand.
We don’t wear great genes. We wear great intentions.
Because what makes someone valuable, visible, and vibrant has nothing to do with what they were born with — and everything to do with how they show up in the world.
The Myth of “Better by Birth”
In many cultures, the idea of being “well-born” has long been linked to wealth, whiteness, proximity to Eurocentric ideals, and — by extension — beauty, access, and success. Fashion has not only reflected this myth; it has often amplified it.
Runways. Billboards. Magazine covers. They’ve pushed an aesthetic that suggests greatness is passed down — inherited through facial symmetry, bone structure, hair texture, and skin tone. That certain people are just born to wear the right thing, look the right way, or be the face of a campaign.
But the truth is: there is no inherited virtue in how you look.
There is no moral superiority in having blue eyes, high cheekbones, or “good hair.”
And there is no future in a fashion system that keeps recycling exclusion and calling it style.
What We Wear — and Why It Matters
When we talk about fashion at UberArtisan, we’re not talking about trends. We’re talking about ethics woven into every thread — and intention stitched into every choice.
Great intentions look like this:
- Choosing sustainable, low-impact materials
- Supporting brands that pay and protect their workers
- Uplifting diverse creators and models, not tokenizing them
- Rejecting perfection culture in favor of real, lived-in beauty
- Wearing clothes as an extension of your values — not your status
This is the fashion we wear. This is what we mean by conscious culture.
It’s not about your genes. It’s about your choices.
Intention > Inheritance
We believe that the future of fashion — and culture — doesn’t belong to those with perfect features or pedigrees. It belongs to those who act with courage. With care. With clarity.
It’s about the person who chooses secondhand instead of overconsumption.
The designer who shows every shade of humanity on their runway.
The storyteller who makes space for truth, not tropes.
The activist who wears protest slogans with the same pride as a tailored blazer.
These people weren’t born into greatness. They created it. With intention.
What Does It Mean to Wear Intention?
To wear intention means asking yourself:
- Who made this?
- How was it made?
- Who benefits from my purchase — and who might be harmed?
- What message does this clothing send?
- Is it inclusive, fair, and sustainable?
- Does it match who I want to be in the world?
When you wear intention, you’re not just putting on clothes — you’re putting on accountability. You’re choosing impact over impulse. And you’re standing up for a world where fashion reflects everyone — not just those deemed “genetically gifted.”
Representation, Reimagined
Real representation isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about reimagining who gets to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
We don’t want ads with more diverse faces slapped onto the same outdated narrative. We want a new narrative entirely — one that centers:
- Women with textured hair, wide noses, and deep melanin
- Trans and nonbinary models who don’t conform to binary aesthetics
- Fat, disabled, and aging bodies
- Indigenous communities wearing their own stories
- Refugees and immigrants creating slow fashion lines in their own vision
This is what fashion looks like when it’s driven by intention.
This is what happens when the frame widens — and finally includes us all.
The Ripple Effect of Representation
What we normalize in fashion spills into every part of society.
If we continue to reward brands for campaigns built on appearance and legacy, we reinforce the myth that greatness is a birthright. But when we reward brands for transparency, inclusion, and intention — we change the rules entirely.
And here’s the thing: the planet wins too.
Because intentional fashion almost always means slower, fairer, cleaner systems. It means fewer landfills, fewer exploited workers, fewer toxins dumped into rivers, and more dignity across the supply chain.
Great intentions don’t just reshape fashion. They repair the world.
Want to Join Us?
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t even need to own a pair of literal green jeans.
All you need is to ask yourself:
Am I showing up with awareness? With care? With integrity?
If the answer is yes — welcome. You’re part of the movement.
Because what you wear matters. And how you wear your values matters even more.
A Final Word for the Brands Still Pushing “Great Genes”
The world is changing. Your audience is awake. The old tricks aren’t working anymore — not when they depend on coded language, pretty privilege, and plausible deniability.
You want greatness?
Start with your intentions.
Start with what you’re really trying to say — and who you’re saying it to.
We’ll be over here, wearing our values. Creating our own culture. And wearing great intentions in every shade of denim.
Reader Interactions