Vinted users complain AI is causing unfair suspensions
The resale app is the latest platform facing backlash for its use of automated tools. Thousands of Vinted sellers have said they were suspended unfairly or permanently banned after automated fraud detection deemed them to be using the app inappropriately. The BBC reported that several users feel the platform’s integrated...
Current in Fashion + Beauty
Can we stop dressing celebrities in looted ancient artefacts?
Zendaya is the latest star facing backlash for her red-carpet fashion choices – this time sporting a pair of ancient Iranian artefacts to promote Christopher Nolan’s latest film The Odyssey. Only a handful of stars have the fashion world under their thumb quite like Zendaya (and her trusty stylist Law...
OpenAI has launched its own… merch?
The parent company of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has launched its own merchandise brand, which includes hats, tees, tote bags, socks, and even a glowing green basketball. Despite online criticism, stock appears to be selling well. OpenAI has unveiled its first public merchandise brand, Supply Co. Its new line of products includes...
Opinion – The outrage over Olivia Rodrigo’s dress is disturbing
Criticism over the singer’s babydoll-style dress is a projection of misogynist and perverted hypersexualisation. But the women targeted by this kind of backlash are still framed as the villains. When Olivia Rodrigo stepped out on stage in a sweet babydoll dress, I’d never have guessed it would start an internet...
Should the Met Gala still be celebrated in 2026?
With war raging around the world this year, should we still be lauding celebrities for their expensive outfits and elitist parties? As costs soar and wealth inequality widens, it feels harder to engage with it all, especially given the Met Gala’s insistence on billionaire endorsements. The Met Gala is back,...
Vinted sales surging as Gen Z continues to thrift
Second-hand shopping has boomed amongst younger generations, and platforms like Vinted are reaping the rewards. It’s no secret that vintage fashion is on the rise. Whether it’s retro-inspired silhouettes on the runways, or an affinity for individual style to rival trend culture, we’re increasingly turning to pre-loved pieces. The growth of...
Why Gen Z is leaving luxury fashion on the shelf
High-end brands are failing to resonate with younger customers. What does this mean for the future of fashion? For luxury fashion brands, Gen Z are a confusing bunch. They have money to spend (with many of their cohort approaching the latter end of their twenties, and a healthy bunch splurging on frivolities like bespoke tinned fish and £25 smoothies), exposure to brand mythologies, and a desire to express themselves through...
What is a ‘swag gap?’
TikTok’s latest colloquial term ‘swag gap’ refers to couples or partners who have an obvious difference in aesthetic and style choices. Could you be part of a ‘swag gap’ couple? TikTok has graced us with another new slang term, this time focusing on couples and their outfit choices. Yes, really. A ‘swag gap’ relationship refers to a partnership in which one person makes significantly more effort to look good than...
What does Vogue’s new editorial lead mean for the brand?
Chloe Malle has been named editorial lead of American Vogue. The self-confessed ‘nepo baby’ marks a new chapter for a former fashion mecca that seems to have lost its way. Anna Wintour stepped back from American Vogue in July of this year, signalling a seismic shift for the editorial powerhouse amidst growing criticism around its political stance and commercial priorities. Wintour had been at the helm for 37 years, and her...
Rare Beauty and the importance of accessible packaging
The makeup brand has launched a new fragrance with disabled consumers in mind. It raises important questions around a lack of inclusivity in one of the world’s most popular industries. Selena Gomez has done a lot of things. She’s been a successful actor, then pop star, and now beauty mogul – launching the brand Rare Beauty to critical and commercial success in 2019. Unlike most celebrity makeup brands, Rare Beauty isn’t...
