Institutional Influencers and One-Percent Cosplay
"work, clean, sleep, repeat"
The Hunger Games will make its stage debut in London this fall; Prada Beauty debuted a new mascara with Sabrina Carpenter (contrary to headlines, Gen Z has not abandoned mascara); and I’m so excited about this new A24 horror-comedy starring Jenna Ortega.
CAN I BOOM BOOM?, thecut
As runway collections are conceived of months in advance, I wondered if boom boom, like Trump voters, had been right under our noses for a while, quietly gaining ground. Maybe the “mob wife” aesthetic was the writing on the wall. Or perhaps this turn to the ostentatious was the natural next step in style’s constant progress, following the comeback of J.Crew and its “old money” look and The Row’s beige choke hold on actually wealthy American women — turning up the volume on quiet luxury until it was no longer quiet and then really very loud.
WHAT INSIDERS AND PARTYGOERS ARE PREDICTING FOR NYC NIGHTLIFE IN 2025, timeout
Being social media-obsessed is corny now: “Quite possibly my biggest turn-on at the moment is the no-phones policy,” said one clubgoer. “Post pandemic, people value real connection more than anything else. They are tired of dating apps, meeting through online mediums, and being drunk to do it,” said another.
INSTAGRAM MAY LAUNCH REELS AS SEPARATE APP, INCREASING PRESSURE ON TIKTOK, theinformation
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri told staff this week that they’re “considering” launching a stand-alone Reels app in an effort to compete with TikTok, whose fate is still very much in limbo in the U.S. The move is part of an effort they’ve code-named Project Ray, which also includes “improving recommendations” for users (by that, I’m hoping they mean fixing the algorithm?!).
YOUTUBE STAR MRBEAST IS RAISING MONEY AT A $5 BILLION VALUATION, bloomberg
For years, creators have raised VC money to fund their entrepreneurial endeavors, from beauty brands to sports drinks, but MrBeast might be the first creator to raise VC money to fund…being a creator. According to “people familiar with the matter,” the YouTuber who generated more than $400 million in sales last year is raising a “couple hundred” million dollars to expand his business in a funding round that would value his company at about $5 billion.
INFLUENCERS CALL THESE MEDICAL TESTS LIFESAVING. HERE’S WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW., nyt
Disturbing (if not surprising) to learn that influencers are fueling egg-freezing panic among their young female followers by promoting fertility tests that can’t actually predict fertility. A new study found that anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) tests, in particular, are being touted as a predictor of reproductive potential, leading women to seek out expensive and unnecessary fertility treatments.
WE ASKED YOUNG PEOPLE WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE THEM HAPPY, dazed
A 2024 report found that Gen Z is the unhappiest generation, so Dazed asked a bunch of them what would make them happy: Things like cheaper rent and better job prospects were mentioned, but it was community that came up again and again. “The last time a lot of the people I know felt alive was in college, and I think that’s because we were in close proximity to friends and were involved in clubs. Most of our life now is just: work, clean, sleep, repeat,” said 26-year-old Kimmy.
One last thought 💔:
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