Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Toeing the line between hype-fatigue and drop culture, art collective and creative agency MSCHF is tapping Gen Zers with whimsical offerings – and appealing to their fauxstalgia via SMS-based notifications. With limited stock and quirky comms, the brand is winning fans who value authenticity.

The entire archive of iconic Japanese magazine TUNE has been made available online. While tapping into Gen Yer and Xer nostalgia, the relaunch is for Gen Zers, too. Though too young to have appreciated it first-hand, Gen Zers' fauxstalgia for the 00s gives TUNE an audience beyond its original reach.

Combining hypebeasts’ fandom of limited-edition drops and owning pair upon pair of coveted sneakers with accessibility and affordability, the AR-style Aglet app is letting the sneaker-obsessed get in-app versions of the shoes they love and crave without actually having to buy them.

Luxury fashion is undergoing a revolution. As the market welcomes a growing number of Gen Yers and Zers, the values once ascribed to luxury are less relevant. Streetwear company Madhappy is seizing this moment, setting an example for high-end brands looking to attract a younger cohort.