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.

The re-release of Pokémon bread has led to a social media meme and a subsequent sticker trading frenzy. While particularly nostalgic for Gen Yers, the hype over Pokémon stickers online has also allowed South Koreans across generations to connect with one another in new ways.

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.

For the launch of eBay Live, a real-time, interactive shopping platform, the online retailer is leaning into the world of collectibles. Interest in slow, offline hobbies surged during the pandemic, and this virtual environment aims to recreate the community experience around card trading.

Nostalgia cycles are shortening as people obsess over times barely passed via popular digital archive accounts that let them cultivate their feeds (without input from an algorithm) and bypass cultural gatekeepers. But how are these visual repositories enabling people to shape new memories as well?