That's something I hadn't considered Artificer. I think there probably exists a space between "dead" and "living" commodities which PV and modern kilts would fall into. Of course they are still in stark contrast to today's usual bifurcated garments but as you point out they may not be considered to be in total opposition to mass-production. However, as they still don't fall under the purview of mass-marketing and are still a specialty item without as much general demand. I would say that they fall short of the definition of "living commodity."

And yes Mark, I definitely think that there's a deficit of being in touch with the "true source" of individuality, even (and sometimes especially) within subcultures which supposedly espouse opposition to the status quo. This is usually, in my experience, the result of larger forces co-opting existing underground trends, movements, etc in an attempt to "cool" their own brand. (Corporations adding the word "green" to their products for example.)

I feel that as people become more disenchanted with the disingenuous inauthenticity of the lives which corporations provide them with they will naturally, unconsciously gravitate towards things which have less market value and more intrinsic personal value and in turn these things will become less external ornamentation and more internal identity.