Sophie McKay is a writer and journalist. She writes about issues including tech, social and political issues and the arts. She’s written for publications including iD and Novara Media.

When author Kyle Chayka explored 2010s minimalism in Longing for Less, a very different world existed. Today, a polycrisis-ridden and digitally saturated society finds people yearning for more. Whether you chalk it up to post-pandemic release or a general sense of impending doom, people are now looking for a new maximalism of feelings, dimensions, and possibilities to reinvigorate them and make their lives feel full.

While people are craving memorable, visceral, and immersive experiences, there's no longer a singular definition of what this might look like. Some are embracing maximalist hedonism through clubbing, extreme tourism, and different kinds of sensory overload, while others are tapping into more gentle, inward-looking, and contemplative experiences like listening bars and communal spas. It signals the emergence of the' Introvert Economy' of cosy, home-adjacent spaces and activities or seeking soothing and quasi-spiritual encounters through hobbies like birdwatching and forest bathing.

The desire for deeply captivating and emotionally engaging experiences extends beyond the physical world – social media, VR, AR, and even image-based interactions must now resonate to the same degree, creating truly memorable moments and environments.

In this consumer and cultural universe driven by exploration and immersion, the boundary between experiences and material goods continues to blur. We're less likely to see them as a dichotomy, as people are increasingly interested in experiential qualities of things and consuming commodified 'thing-like experiences'. This discovery-oriented mindset is opening up new avenues for fulfilment, gratification, and transformation.

Experience Hunters

Kitty Lee is one of the co-owners of Double Threats Skate, London’s first roller derby-specific store. She has played roller derby since 2006 with the England Women’s Roller Derby team as well as the Victorian Roller Derby team in Melbourne. She has coached and played in the UK, Europe, and Australia.

United Kingdom

Toys and hobbies

Physical health

93ft

UKActive

The Mirror

Women’s Health

Euronews

Secret London

City AM

Interview with Kitty Lee conducted by the author

TimeOut

The Morning Advertiser

Pure Gym

New Scientist

Stylist

Dazed

A slice of West Hollywood glamour has rolled into West London, with formerly LA-based institution Flipper’s opening a site at the Westfield shopping centre in White City. As well as offering an alternative to clubs and bars for party-goers, it’s helping to make exercise more enjoyable.

Cultivate

Connection and Belonging

Flipper’s: making fitness-adjacent experiences fun