People are craving comfort. Amid what can feel like a state of constant crisis – a layering of traumatic societal events – it can sometimes seem like we’ve lost a sense of scale and cohesion. In the face of this, the desire to retreat into nostalgia is more seductive than ever.

McDonald's and Crocs have teamed up to release limited-edition clogs and sandals inspired by the iconic mascots Grimace, Birdie, and Hamburglar. As kidulting mania shows no signs of slowing, brands are tapping into the power of fashion as an engine to express nostalgic fandom.

Cult favorite character Grimace is making a return via McDonald's adult Happy Meal. The limited-edition nature of the meal appeals to the hype culture-fuelled clamor for something exclusive but also provides the comfort and fun people are turning to in times of uncertainty and instability.

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?

From restaurant closures and the growing convenience of food delivery apps, the UK high street has suffered and many businesses have shuttered as a result. Wimpy, a fast-food chain founded in 1954, has navigated pandemic uncertainty and is reigniting people's love for nostalgic dining.