Words by Sam Haddad
Long before the New Yorker ran this spectacular take down of “the bohemian social-media movement” that is #vanlife, the hashtag and its accompanying images had lost much of their original allure.
Too many “vanlifers” were trying to go pro and it showed. Seeking to make money out of the ultimate anti-profession and trying to commodify a lifestyle whose very essence was a complete rejection of capitalism just doesn’t sit right. Especially when it results in over-pimping feeds with pictures of female vanlifers with their clothes off to maximise likes or promoting side projects such as local meet ups, which are only relevant to a tiny per cent of followers.
“Too many vanlifers were trying to go pro and it showed.”
But it is still refreshing to come across a vanlife account on instagram that is run by folk getting it right. Which in this case is Pine Pins, who describe themselves as “two Germans and their campervan Rudi”.