Marianne Eloise is a journalist and commentator on neurodivergent issues. She has written for publications including The Cut, 

In a hyper-connected world, it feels like everything previously ‘insider’ is more available than ever: from behind-the-scenes access to the lives of public figures to travel experiences immersing people into worlds previously deemed unattainable. But while people embrace this community-based inclusivity and unprecedented access to their icons, they still yearn for touches of exclusivity to define their status.

As the age-old understanding of exclusivity is eroded, people are redefining status for themselves using a broad range of factors beyond solely economic ones. This new iteration of status is often based around increasingly niche and local signifiers – from luxury dupes to the rise of members clubs and closed-community spaces based on shared interests. Status is becoming a mode of belonging and connection with like-minded people.

People are erecting walls of their exclusive communities, relying on more subtle markers of identity. This is apparent with middle-class people fetishising working-class aesthetics, athletes turning to niche sports like padel, and social media groups organising around niche interests – spawning companies. As status-defined micro-trends on social media accelerate, brands face a challenge to keep up. If previously certain legacy items were automatically associated with exclusivity, now people are much more trusting of the UGC-defined vision of what status means. More than ever, speed, knowledge, inventiveness, and being plugged into the community determine what – and who – is in.

Insider Status

Karl Thomas Smith is the editorial director of the sustainability-focused outlet 

 and the former EMEA head of editorial for streetwear outlet Hypebeast.

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

United States

Shopping

Fashion and Style

Interview with Karl Thomas Smith conducted by the author

YPulse

CNBC

Circana

Issuu

Lyst

The Guardian

Forbes

Stylist

Biz Journals

Environment Journal

Baggu’s reusable bags have been on the market since 2007, but they’ve recently seen an explosion in popularity thanks to their TikTok presence and instant recognizability. As organic word-of-mouth marketing cements its success, what can other brands learn from their far-reaching cult-like appeal?

Cultivate

Being Informed

Values and Identity

Baggu: making green fashion fun for TikTok’s Gen Z