The paradox of vintage fashion hauls
Gen Z may have an affinity for second-hand clothing, but that won’t change their longstanding love of overconsumption. When I was growing up in rural England, second-hand shopping meant reluctantly traipsing around a charity shop with my mum and hoping nobody from school spotted me. The clothes smelt like damp...
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Why has eyelid surgery suddenly become so popular?
Statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reveal that eyelid surgery (officially known as blepharoplasty) is now the most sought after procedure in the US. Why do people want to cut skin from their eyelids? For decades, breast augmentations and liposuction were the two most popular aesthetic procedures...
Iris Van Herpen debuts ‘living dress’ at Paris Couture Week
The Dutch designer’s latest collection Sympoiesis featured a glowing ‘live dress’ grown with 125 million bioluminescent algae, blurring the lines between nature, fashion, and technology. The world of couture has a long-standing reputation for pushing the boundaries of what can be done with fashion. From incorporating unique sewing techniques, creating breathtaking...
Do we know how to let go?
As we grow, we often let go of things – whether it’s a material object, a friendship, or something more. But do we know how to survive the loss? For the first time in a while, I had no doubts that this was going to be an amazing year for...
Are you ageing rapidly or simply living in the modern world?
Recent studies have found associations between inflammation, environmental circumstances, and lifestyle factors. While this research has reconceptualised the link between inflammation and ageing, it has also revealed how a lack of choice for young working-class people will result in negative health consequences not just now, but in the long...
The rise in ayahuasca tourism is colonising wellness
How tourism centred around the popular drug is wreaking havoc for Indigenous communities. Ayahuasca has become a wellness darling in recent decades. The hallucinogenic plant is native to the Amazon basin, and as more of us embark on quests for healing and personal transformation, it’s exploded in popularity. Framed as a...
The niche supermarket is the new mecca of luxury
Gen Z are redefining everyday spaces as indulgent outposts amidst a rising cost of living. From bespoke suprettes and deli’s, to viral institutions like Erewhon and Daylesford, walking into a supermarket these days feels more like entering a wellness spa. Influencers sip $18 smoothies next to yoga instructors perusing adaptogenic mushrooms, while tote bags branded with minimalist serif fonts signal allegiance to the church of curated wellness. This is not just...
Biohacking has emerged as a prominent Gen Z wellness trend
What lengths are young people going to in pursuit of a healthier life? The pursuit of wellness used to come in the form of a yoga class, a green smoothie, and maybe even a juice cleanse if you were feeling particularly radical. But for Gen Z, whose health anxieties are born from a perfect storm of pandemic trauma, climate dread, and relentless digital overstimulation, wellness has escalated into something...
Are ‘divine feminine influencers’ actually anti-feminist?
Social media loves a good portion of cosplay. First, it was 50s family values, and now we are back in ancient times. Do you remember tradwives? The familiar soft voices and long dresses are back. This time, though, the kitchen has been swapped by nature, adhering to mostly Western influencers' reinterpretation of spirituality to empower women. They're easy to spot if you still haven't met divine feminine influencers. Just type words...
Why are we still so hung up on feminine muscles?
Women are building strength for themselves, but a culture still rooted in fear of female power isn’t ready to let go of patriarchal body ideals. The female body has long been asked to shrink. That demand was both physical and philosophical. As a culture we’ve prized quietness and smallness in women, with the latter becoming somewhat of a shorthand for virtue – i.e, the less space you occupied, the more...
