‘Andy Warhol’s biggest dream come true’: how cans became aspirational
Not so long ago, a distinctive “psssssch” noise was universally recognised as the sound of a can of fizzy pop being cracked open. Today, that sound can be attributed to a host of newly canned libations. From kombucha to crisps, local delis and supermarkets are now stocked with neatly stacked and beautifully designed cans.
Perelló’s large green Gordal olives, in their distinctive pull-ring tin, have become synonymous with London hipsters. The 91-year-old Spanish brand Bonilla a la Vista now sells crisps in tins for a staggering £26, while the Roman olive oil company Agricola Due Leoni has teamed up with artists including Jeremy Deller and David Shrigley on limited-edition tins of organic oil.
Naturally, the drinks industry is on board and there is now a niche canned drink for every need. Struggling with gut health? Try an Olipop soda with plant fibre. Feeling anxious? Sip on Trip’s sparkling elderflower with CBD. Want to upgrade the traditional train tinny? Whitebox’s pocket-sized negroni delivers a strong kick.
“The fact that the French themselves are now doing canned wine is a huge indicator of where we are with the trend,” says Andrea Hernández, the founder of the cult food and drinks trend newsletter, Snaxshot. The global beverage cans market is booming, research suggests its size is expected to surpass £48bn by 2030.
The product may differ but the brands all have one thing in common: Instagram-worthy packaging. Think bright colours and sans serif fonts. Many boast some sort of wellness claim or cutesy illustration. “It’s Andy Warhol’s biggest dream coming true,” Hernández says. “It’s making something very mundane have external signalling in the same way luxury fashion does.”
“People keep them. Or they reuse them. They make a great plant pot,” says Clare Scott Dryden, the UK distributor for Bonilla a la Vista, who describes their tins as “iconic”.
This “cannification” trend has been accelerated by a combination of factors. The pandemic saw pubs close and consumers wanting to expand their athome drinking options. When socially distanced meet-ups were allowed, popping a can into your pocket rather than lugging a bottle was not only more convenient but often seemed safer, with everyone assigned their own individual drink.
Plus, there’s the claim that cans are better for the environment, with aluminium endlessly recyclable compared to plastic and even glass.
However, rather than brands changing consumer behaviour, much of the trend can be pegged to consumers changing their perceptions of brands. Last year when Ali Hooke, a former professional chef posted about her “tinned fish date night” on TikTok, the most curious thing happened: tinned fish became aspirational with sales of sardine and salmon from heritage brands soaring.
Where fish led, beans followed: US brand HeyDay, which sells harissa lemon chickpeas and tomato alla vodka cannellini beans in illustrative packaging has been credited with “reimagining” canned beans “for a new generation of consumers”.
Even the wine industry, notorious for its conservative proclivities has managed to do a 360. Hernández flags Canetta, a French startup which sells natural wines in 187ml metal cans. “It’s very chic and Parisian but it comes in a can.”
These canned goods might be expensive and, with many people struggling to afford even a basic tin of beans, a sign of gross inequality. But for those lucky enough to be able to afford more than the basics, they are an attainable treat; an everyday indulgence rather than a big splurge item.
Cans now carry a wider cultural cachet. Luxury brands are now using them to signify an aspirational lifestyle. On TikTok users take their followers on fridge tours showcasing cans of kombucha they picked up at their local farmer’s market. On Instagram, shots of at-home pantries have shelves neatly stacked with canned goods, labels facing outwards.
“Old-school legacy brands are willing to forgo their traditional branding because they realise that in order to be in a deli shop or a millennial’s kitchen that’s what they need to do,” says Hernández. “We are literally yassifying canned beans. Warhol took soup and made it art. Now cans are becoming art because of the packaging they are in. It’s a full-circle moment.”
The Measure
What’s hot – and what’s most definitely
not – this week Going up
Cosy clickbait | The days of wrapping a hot-water bottle in an old towel are long gone. Instead, haute water bottles are on the rise. See Chickpea, a British brand that hand-crafts gorgeous lamb’s wool covers.
Lap jumpers | With the Miu Miu effect cited as being responsible for an upward shift in skirt hemlines this season, many have resorted to carrying an extra jumper to discreetly place over laps when sitting down.
Lava lamps | Duran Duran has teamed up with the OG lava lamp maker Mathmos on a limited-edition Astro lamp featuring gelatinous pink wax. Groovy.
Going down
Shaving | Hairy legs are in for winter. See Area’s fuzzy jeans and Paul Mescal kicking back in Gucci’s latest campaign.
Emails | Dolly Parton’s preferred form of communication is an oldschool fax machine.
Swirly candles | Nata’s butter- and cheese cracker-shaped (and thankfully unscented) candles are shaping up to be this month’s mantelpiece musthave.
Reads of the week
Want to feel old? For her Glamour “women of the year” shoot, the actor Milly Bobby Brown wears vintage fashion throughout. The oldest piece is from 2000.
Elle UK asks if Matilda Djerf, the Swedish TikTok star who inspired thousands of shaggy bangs, has been cancelled?
The Business of Fashion explores why queueing is not a luxury experience.
How Miffy, a fictional Dutch rabbit, took over the internet, via the New York Times.
What to click
Mother of modelling: how Bethann Hardison got frank about fashion’s racism – and changed the industry for ever
Dolly Parton on style, stardom and sexists: ‘I know how to push men off and get the hell away’
Brushes with style: fashion at London’s Frieze art fair – in pictures
Fashion designer Thom Browne: ‘Men should be able to wear anything’
#GetReadyWithMe – how social media came for our bathroom cabinets
‘Diana wanted five maternity coats’: David Sassoon on tailoring to royalty
Sales of white ‘boyfriend’ shirts soar as Victoria Beckham endorses trend
Style Clinic
Chloe Mac Donnell, deputy fashion and lifestyle editor, solves your wardrobe dilemmas
Q: Would you please be able to give any suggestions for brands that offer maternity clothes for wedding guests to a winter wedding?– Anna
A: Instead of buying something you’ll only wear once, try renting. For the Creators specialises in maternity wear and has a nice mixture of general bump-friendly and maternity-specific brands. To make it easier, you can shop by trimester and size. It’s also a nice way to discover brands you may have overlooked as not being maternity-friendly such as Sézane and Albaray. You could also size up on other rental sites. Look for a stretchy fabric such as jersey and unrestricted waistlines. Designers such as Simone Rocha and Cecilie Bahnsen, which you can rent via Hurr, are naturally voluminous, so could work well if you don’t want to do a Rihanna and bare all.