new.now.next | #4
an essential edit of what's shaping culture, brands, content & conversations this week
here’s what I’ve been bookmarking lately - trends, launches, and moments that feel like they’re shaping what’s next. Maybe one of them leads to your next idea.
new - discoveries
but make it cool: unexpected products are turning into must-haves, thanks to a chic design, contemporary copy, and a little reimagining. Quit with Jones, a nicotine alternative product, is now packaged like a high-end wellness product, appealing to a new crowd - they were featured in Forbes this week. It’s chic, it’s cool.
- read here. Side note I also loved the interview with Michelle Williams here too.
Haven’t we all had the conversation where we’ve looked at an incredibly boring, utilitarian item and said “we should start a (insert product here) brand but make it cool” Or maybe that’s just me and my love for anything with affluent Millennial-coded packaging and the “shoppy shop” aesthetic. This piece from a few months ago made me laugh by
Image: Quit with Jones
film club: I’m obsessed with The Studio on AppleTV - the styling, the soft-top car, the Hollywood glamour, the diva personalities (esp Catherine O'Hara as Patty) and the completely over-the-top marketing teams.
wrote about that here. And I wrote about the rise of book clubs here.
The first few episodes explore the balance between commercialism and creativity through attempting to create a Kool-Aid movie. Something I think everyone in brand can relate to. Plus, there are so many coded film references for the Letterboxd crowd, which ties into one of 2025’s biggest social currencies: cultural curiosity. It’s cool to look smart - whether that’s film knowledge, books, or art and connects to my above point.
now - what everyone is talking about
dinner is the new out out: bragging about getting home from the club at 6 AM has been replaced by dropping into conversation a mention of your dinner reservation at a hard-to-get-into restaurant. Bloomberg just explored the ingredients needed to create a buzzy NYC hotspot like Corner Store, Carbone, Don Angie (the lasagne!!)
Brands have been tapping into these locations for press dinners for a while, and TikTok’s FOMO factor has turned reservations into status symbols, making tables even harder to get. That’s part of what’s driving the rise of members-only restaurant concierge apps Dorsia, Pendulum, Appointment Trader
Image:@vinceyeung_ instagram
Side note: If you're in Sydney, we managed to get a res at Olympus, and it lived up to the hype. Go, go, go - order the lamb meatballs and skip the chicken.
slow stories: maybe it’s the slower pace I’ve been embracing since moving, but I’ve found myself drawn to quieter, more grounded storytelling lately.This week I loved the new substack from chef & farmer - in particular, this line:“I am sitting on a tree stump, soaking up the sun on the first day of spring. There is a woodpecker hammering away at a tree in the woods below me, the coconutty smell of gorse rolling down the hill behind me and the birds are loudly exalting the returning warmth of the sun.”
by , and Justine Lupe’s piece on early motherhood for Dôen. The tone and creative feel so aligned with the brand - it’s whimsical, warm, and taps into the slow living aesthetic.And in my own world of slow: I’ve discovered the perfect banana choc bread recipe by Bill Granger, I’ve been reading The Safe Keep, and I’ve had M.J Lenderman on repeat.
I also really enjoyed thisthe rise of the teaser: We're seeing more brands master the art of the teaser. I wrote about SET’s blooper campaign here, but it’s SKIMS that’s doing it best lately - teasing pancakes and milkshakes in a nostalgic, diner-style aesthetic before announcing the SKIMS x Mel’s Diner collab, timed with their new LA store.
It continues the trend of fashion brands turning food into an extension of their identity - see: Anya Hindmarch Village, Jacquemus’ patisserie, and the Prada Caffè. Dining isn’t the backdrop; it’s part of the brand’s storytelling. Expect long pancake queues.
Image: Skims Instagram
Miu Miu is the hottest brand (again):
puts it perfectly:
“Commercial acclaim recognises the youthful energy that permeates throughout the brand, allowing Miu Miu to quietly influence preppy TikTok micro-trends like ‘librarian chic’ and ‘corpcore’ that organically align with the tastes of its core Gen Z audience.” read more here
For me, the brand consistently lands fun, playful pieces that connect to the zeitgeist and pop on social, which drives that all-important covetability. This one in particular? Impractical for my actual life, but I ADORE it.
See also: Substack for more of a brand breakdown and this piece.
Image: Miu Miu Campaign creative 2025
long term community building: my friend and former colleague Areej AbuAli, founder of Women in Tech SEO, just released a book about building community here. I loved this review of the book and am waiting for my copy to arrive -
“The thing I love is that it isn't just about starting the community (e.g. the easiest bit) but the hard slog of keeping on going through all the challenges and hurdles...” reads one of the reviews. Such a great reminder that perseverance is the real skill in community building.
april fools = deeply uncool: call me a party pooper, but I’m over April Fools faux product collabs. With TikTok surfacing content weeks later, the joke quickly turns confusing. It can be fun, sure - but it’s officially overdone.
next - shifts, predictions on the horizon
The collectibles craze is returning: remember trading Spice Girls photos or pogs in the '90s? Nostalgia is driving a fresh collectables wave.
Glossier’s Beauty Passport blends exclusivity with community, driving foot traffic and loyalty to stores. It feels like the high street version of Louis Vuitton’s foiled stamps. Expect more brands to explore limited-edition merch and gift-with-purchase strategies as a way to deepen consumer engagement. Also back: Coke’s personalised bottles, re-released 14 years after their original 2011 launch.brands leaning into comedy: more brands are leaning into comedy as a strategy. Enter: Delaney Rowe, whose sketches feel more like short films than ads. She's collaborated with Booking.com (23.5M views!), Gucci, United Airlines, and even Tampax - and her ad content is as watchable as her regular programming.
As brands compete for attention, investing in unexpected comedic talent might be a smart way to stop the scroll and support fun storytelling. See also: Amelia Dimoldenberg’s continued rise.I keep seeing Longchamp pop up - and had to check in with my most stylish friend. Apparently it’s cool again - Gen Z is bringing preppy back. Sales were up 20% in 2024 and the styling feels fresh again. Vogue
Lots of people are Jane Birkin-ifying their Longchamps - adding charms, scarves, cute toys - but I’ve got my eye on this fluffy raffia number. Do I need it? No. Do I want it? Obviously. Already sold out. Expect to see it everywhere. Longchamp Rafia bag
Image: Charlotte Collins - Sheerluxe IG.
taste: the secret sauce of brand building & a brand team: I had an interesting conversation last week about taste - how it’s one of the most vital (but hardest to screen for) qualities in someone working at a brand. It’s essential for everything: social, partnerships, creative campaigns, emails, even how your website looks and the creators you work with.
is a lot more eloquent and in depth in this piece.
Can taste be cultivated? I think so, but only if you're truly curious - about other brands, the zeitgeist, and your customer. The best brand builders are widely read, seek out new experiences, and immerse themselves in art, music, restaurants, and culture. As curation-as-a-service becomes more prevalent, the ability to know what good looks like is going to be a key differentiator. I loved this piece thinking about taste here -Finally, it’s not the next macro trend but up next in my life is my return to nursery pick-ups and meeting mums in the playground after a few weeks with our toddler at home - I loved this piece by here and always love her gas station trend roundups too.
Would love to hear which trends/brands you’re loving?
Me too! It feels like a real move away from hustle culture!
Love your design eye and cannot wait to watch the studio!! Just subscribed 🤍