Stockx Crocs and Shein Bros

Your daily digest of youth culture

Bella Hadid marched for Palestine, Ella Emhoff graduated from college (in a Thom Browne skirt suit, naturally), and…

DID MAINSTREAM DIRECTOR GIA COPPOLA MAKE THE FIRST MASTERPIECE OF THE TIKTOK ERA?

“Emojis fly across the screen, vital moments appear as if they were filmed on an iPhone, and Link’s ascent and eventual flameout can be tracked in the comments and reactions of his millions of followers.” townandcountry

POST-PANDEMIC PLAYBOOK: WHAT GEN Z WANT FROM PHYSICAL RETAIL

81% of Gen Z prefers to shop in stores because “physical retail spaces are all about escaping the algorithm, to see things outside your filter bubble.” (But social commerce still matters: 97% of Gen Z says social media is their top source for shopping inspiration.) voguebusiness

IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO START A BRAND. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF DESIGN?

A look at Pietra, essentially a one-stop shop that helps young creators become DTC founders (for a hefty cut). eyeondesign

CROCS OF GOLD: CELEBRITY FANS FUEL FRENZY TO BUY USED ‘UGLY CLOGS’

The “Crocs are cool again???” discourse has been a bit much, but it’s interesting to me that the resale market for the foam clog now rivals that of a status sneaker. Crocs have seen a 70% spike in average resale prices this year, and there’s also been a 215% increase for searches on the resale site Depop. guardian

MOVE OVER LINKEDIN: CHIPOTLE, SHOPIFY AND OTHER EMPLOYERS ARE FLOCKING TO TIKTOK FOR YOUNG TALENT

More on the forthcoming TikTok Resume pilot program. (Related via the New York Post: “Company seeks a Gen Z ‘Chief Fashion Officer’ via TikTok.”) forbes

TO BE YOUNG AND PESSIMISTIC IN AMERICA

Bleak: Members of Generation Z are far less likely to date, get a driver’s license, hold down a job, or hang out with friends in person than millennials were at the same age. wsj

One last thought:

Terry Nguyễn @terrygtnguyen

ah, the Men in Tech have discovered Shein Shein: The TikTok of EcommerceThe Quiet Chinese Quindecacorn Taking Over America’s Gen Z Shoppersnotboring.co

May 17th 2021

4 Retweets39 Likes

P.S. This is admittedly ~vintage~ youth culture, but Atoosa Rubenstein, the iconic founding EIC of CosmoGirl (and the person who singlehandedly inspired both my media career and my Instagram account @thankyouatoosa), is starting a Substack.