Fashion flip-flops are the new Birkenstocks; taking a cue from all the Gen Z girlies in Williamsburg, Kendrick Lamar wore cowboy boots to perform at Coachella; Succession’s Nicholas Braun is developing ’00s indie music series for HBO; and the girlboss-ification of casual sex.
SEARCHING FOR THE ‘VIBE SHIFT’ AT COACHELLA, nyt
Hipster cynicism also seemed officially like a thing of the past. At Coachella, partyers in their 20s expressed a desire to move away from what they saw as the dark energy permeating the American psyche over the last six years, in favor of harmony and love.
GEN Z DOES NOT DREAM OF LABOR, vox
Today’s young people are not the first to experience economic hardship, but they are the first to broadcast their struggles in ways that, just a decade ago, might alienate potential employers or be deemed too radical.
SNAPCHAT’S USER GROWTH LAPPED OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, morningbrew
Though TikTok seems to be the predominant platform for Gen Z, Snapchat is quietly maintaining a stronghold on young people. According to its Q1 earnings call, Snapchat hit 332 million daily users — compare that to Twitter’s 217 million — with a 90% adoption for users aged 13–24 in the US, UK, and the Netherlands.
GOLD IS GEN Z’S NEW BEST FRIEND, jing
Though silver may be on the upswing over here, gold is the fastest-growing category in China’s jewelry market — and it’s particularly popular among younger millennials and Gen Z.
TRAVEL SPENDING IS GOING PLACES FOR CARD COMPANIES, wsj
At AmEx, young consumers’ total spending is up 56% in the first quarter from a year ago.
A MAKEUP BRAND IS TRYING TO PROFIT OFF OF THE JOHNNY DEPP/AMBER HEARD CASE, jezebel
File under: what not to do as a brand.
One last thought: I mentioned in the weekend letter that Geneva’s latest brand campaign is one of my recent favorites, but I forgot to bring up the brilliance of Emma Chamberlain’s Cava collab (with an assist from Claire Saffitz). So good. Take notes!