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 u...

On Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, users are showing off their latest kicks – customised orthopaedic shoes. As people look for ways to express their personalities but stay comfy at the same time, function is trumping conventional fashion – meaning that for many, ugly is the new cute.

The Barbie movie showed that comfortable shoes trumped sky-high stilettos, inspiring an ‘ugly comfort’ shoe movement amongst Chinese netizens. The blockbuster ignited several hot-button topics around patriarchal systems and gender inequality, rousing more people to reassess traditional norms.

Cultural memory is getting shorter, with mass digitisation causing people to seek solace in the recent past. But it’s not solely about innocence – ‘nowstalgia’ is fuelled by a desire to reimagine and right perceived wrongs. So, how is a meme mindset impacting Gen Z’s media consumption and style?

Crocs has evolved from an unfashionable yet functional footwear brand to a major industry player that's a fixture in the high fashion and streetwear spaces. It has effectively become a lifestyle conglomerate as a fresh generation of consumers prioritizes comfort, individuality, and personalization.