Are you being demure?
The newest online lingo and some hot marketing stuff. But first – fashion
Ashe on the intro here—big news: I’m moving!
Between the stress and chaos, moving has become a moment of reflection for me. It’s about saying goodbye to a familiar space and rediscovering forgotten treasures (like my dueling lightsaber).
Despite the headaches, it’s also about breaking free from stagnation.
I’ve realized that sometimes we settle into “okay” situations without pushing for better - especially the better we deserve. It’s like the Region-Beta Paradox: sometimes we only take action when things reach beyond our threshold of discomfort. Maybe that’s a bit of…. creative liberty taken with this paradox but with my (spelling mistake riddled) journal entry you see below I really reflected on how the place I was at… I could’ve moved out a while back and maybe even found an amazing place and felt really settled but the discomfort just wasn’t enough for a push.
That’s where I’m sometimes worried of being — comfortable, but dissatisfied. Always wanting for something new. Something better. Constantly moving and constantly wanting to take action to get towards a level of ‘things being great’. But not being dissatisfied enough to actually push through and enact change. Ahh - existentialism.
Anyway, here’s the sprinkle of salt:
Cow print
Mooo-ve over, leopard print, cowhide isn’t just for bachelor pads anymore—it's been spotted on the fashion girlies at CPFW and beyond.
Meanwhile, shoutout to dudes who are finally getting silly with the leopard print. Kings!!
All play, no work
Onto cash cows now: companies are swapping their mundane, product-centered, influencer-featured social media content for behind-the-scenes looks at staff shenanigans. This employee-generated content (EGC) delves into the team's daily lives, showcases office vibes, and puts employees in the spotlight to add authenticity, a human touch, and customer trust—which, of course, leads to ✨revenue✨.
Often, this content isn't even related to the actual product, focusing instead on things like office fit checks and tapping into viral trends.
Some honorable mentions are the Spanish streetwear brand’s NUDE Project viral stunts and pranks and British publisher SheerLuxe’s fit checks (below)
Nesca-fad or Nesca-fix?
People are waking up to a surprising new obsession: instant coffee, specifically Nescafé Gold Blonde.
What started as a cheap dupe for the Starbucks brown sugar shaken espresso has become a micro-trend. TikTok users found that Nescafé Gold makes a surprisingly good and affordable version of the drink - and is as delicious.
But Greeks have been onto good quality instant coffee for ages with their irresistible frappés and freddo caffeine drinks.
Is instant coffee the big obsession it seems to be… or is this a covert (and kinda unethical) Nestle advertising campaign?
From brat summer to demure fall?
‘Demure’ is like the ‘word of the internet’ right now. Meaning ‘modest, reserved’, often in reference to women - it’s been popularized by the ‘very demure, very mindful’ trend pioneered by TikToker Joolie Lebron.
The trend isn’t exactly about actually being demure - it’s tongue-in-cheek take on [TikTok] advice about to how to behave in situations; people say they’re being ‘demure’ and ‘mindful’ while doing relatively mundane to ridiculous tasks (sometimes that task is taking your meds). You have to experience it to understand it - so here’s a link for those without TikTok.
Even brands and social media campaigns have jumped on it, incorporating the term into their content to catch the wave.
Sade
The '90s music icon, Nigerian-born British singer Sade (you know her "Smooth Operator" song) —has turned into today's fashion inspo. The "Sade girl aesthetics" trend aims to nail her effortlessly chic style: gold hoops, red lips, slicked-back braids, dark tones, white shirts, and feminine tops.
But not everyone's psyched about this trend. Some are calling out the lack of Black women in these Sade-inspired collages and how they don't really match up with the singer’s iconic style.
Yet, nobody's a bigger fangirl than Drake—he's even got a tattoo of her.
Further reading: Here’s a piece on HUNGER breaking down the singer’s style.
Reddit wins big
More on the topic of digital marketing, brands are increasingly investing in Reddit, which has seen a significant increase in traffic due to improved search visibility on Google.
Traditional media like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Washington Post are already present in the platform, but experts predict luxury brands will start poking around soon too. Stanza Media has already noted Nike’s involvement.
This shift comes months after Reddit began trading on the New York Stock Exchange and reported a 54% increase in sales compared to last year. This week, Reddit’s CEO hinted that paywalls might be introduced soon.
It appears that no online corner is safe from ‘em wallet chasers.
Further reading:
recently explored how power dynamics are shifting online, with smaller independent media—from newsletters to Instagram profiles to podcasts—taking the cake.
🚨New content alert🚨
From here on out, we'll keep you in the loop about what's popping up in Europe.
First off:
New in… LONDON
The Japanese artist, the queen of the dots, Yayoi Kusama has unveiled a new sculpture outside Liverpool Street Station in London. This 100 m-long string of orbs is the artist’s 1st permanent public artwork in the UK and her largest public artwork yet.
A reason to visit London? If you need any.
See you next week
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