Jasmine Glasheen

What does it take to create revolution? The answer, in part, is the willingness to buck against societal norms in ways that put one’s own comfort at risk. The generations that came before Gen Z weren’t willing to do this, largely because they were taught that conformity was king. To illustrate this, consider that 40 percent of the 1986 Yale graduating class applied to work at the same company — an investment-banking firm called “First Boston.” But Generation Z is more interested in paving their own life path. Even if it means that, for a …

Will Gen Z’s Mental Health Challenges Bring About Societal Change?Read More

LARP or Live Action Roleplay is no longer relegated to creative high schoolers in parking lots. As we emerge from the pandemic, consumers of all ages are driven to escapist, in-character retail experiences. The reason? Most consumers nowadays have more to escape from and looking “cool” has become more about individualism than conformity. It’s the perfect environment for people to get weird. “Experiential retail” isn’t just a buzzword that retailers whip out to describe pop-up locations or in-store events. Themed experiences such as the …

The LARPing World Comes to Mainstream RetailRead More

Much like the cottagecore trend that came onto the radar a few years ago, LoveShackFancy is selling more than just a frilly pink dress –– they’re selling a paradigm. They’re hawking a paradigm of a traditional idyllic femininity experience that’s reminiscent of the Victorian era ideal of the “angel of the house” role that women played in England in the 1900s. The clothing is straight from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” but with much more liberal use of hot pink and ruffles. LoveShackFancy falls into the entry-level luxury category. The …

LoveShackFancy’s Real World Brand AdvocatesRead More

It doesn’t get any cooler than HBO’s hit show Euphoria. With high school age characters in no-holds-barred scenarios, the series follows the life of a teenage drug addict named Rue, played by Zendaya. The cast features a diverse array of LGBTQ+ characters of various ethnicities, body types, and gender orientation. But beyond that, Euphoria has singlehandedly urged an entire generation to take bigger fashion risks and abandon dated rules about what to wear for their body type. Unlike most teens on TV dramas, Euphoria high schoolers aren’t …

Hit Show Euphoria Alters Next Gen Fashion LandscapeRead More

Cannabis has come of age and on the “high” heels of 4/20, the cannabis insiders’ unofficial/official holiday, fashion retailers should take note. The 2022 Cannabis Festival takes place in Washington DC the weekend of April 24. We’re in a weed wave and retailers are in love with the concept of Maryjane. Nary a day goes by when I’m not sent a pitch for some type of new cannabis product or accessory. What a different world it is from less than a decade ago, when cannabis was still illegal for recreational use across the U.S. Cannabis consumption …

High Times for Cannabis in the Retail IndustryRead More