Hot Topics | August 27th

Culture

Though Kristen Stewart clearly isn’t a chameleon for Princess Diana, she’s built a lot of hype of playing the title role in the new film Spencer.

Industry

Employees are excited about a hybrid combination of remote and in-person work.  As the COVID-19 delta variant surges and the holidays approach, a flexible workplace will be key for keeping employees around and happy.

Fashion

The age of branded logos and patterns and prints may be ending sooner than we think. Gen Z is popularizing “unbranded” luxury goods, especially jewelry, as the new hot items. The Real Real has seen a massive jump in sales of items without big designer labels, or any labels at all, and it begs the question; is anonymity the most valuable thing nowadays?

Recent menswear runways have been filled with proudly flamboyant, Hot Boy Summer-ready looks. But are men on the streets ready for them?

Social

Instagram is removing the Story Swipe Up feature and replacing it with stickers to bring you to an external website. This will still only be available for those with 10K+ followers, or those granted verification.

Hot Topics | August 20th

Culture

The New York Post has always been known to push the bar a bit (or more than a bit). Cindy Adams sits down to gossip with The Cut about why she does what she does, and has done it for so long and has no plans to quit.

This history piece about Black leisure in the U.S. shares that during Jim Crow, Black vacationers found joy in Black-owned resorts throughout the United States. Morgan Jerkins chases the last glimmers of history in these vital spaces of rest and escape.

Disney has released a line of adaptive Halloween costumes for kids with disabilities. Some of the new costumes include a Marvel Studios’ "Black Panther" Adaptive Costume, a "Star Wars: The Mandalorian" Adaptive Costume and Cinderella’s coach wheelchair cover set.

Trippy trips & expensive journey’s; the “new luxury” vacations look like all-inclusive magic mushroom retreats. According to Data Bridge Market Research, the psychedelic market is projected to reach $10.7 billion by 2027, up from $3.8 billion last year.

Hot Topics | August 13th

Culture

This is fun – a fake Netflix that has all the details of the real streaming platform but showcases the fictional shows and movies that exist within actual tv shows and films.

JetBlue had its first transatlantic flight from New York to London! The airline has been planning this for over two years. You can read more here about this editor's experience - the seats offering more legroom and the ice cream sandwich dessert seem to make for a delightful flight!

A big fear when ordering items online is receiving an item that does not look like the item ordered. The Olivia Rodrigo fanbase recently received “Sour” album merch that looked nothing like what they had ordered.

New Zealand plans on keeping its borders closed until 2022 following the countries "elimination strategy" to continue avoiding outbreaks. 

Fashion

Scandinavian style is so smart and clean. These emerging trends from this past week in Denmark, especially “dopamine dressing,” have been a big fashion week prediction as we hit a post-pandemic new normal.

Hot Topics | August 6th

Olympics

While the Olympics are not a beauty pageant, that doesn’t mean athletes don’t have a reason to express themselves in their looks!

Culture

Art communities are popping up in cities and places that you wouldn’t typically expect. The latest one? Aspen, Colorado. The past couple years it has become so much more of a destination for skiers and art types alike.

Schitt Creek's Daniel Levy is publishing a book called, "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards." This means that fans can stop mourning the loss of the hit TV show after it’s been completed for over a year.

Industry

Influencer marketing spending is on the rise in the U.S., and even predicted to reach $3.69 billion in spending this year. Travel restrictions and budget strains meant less money for influencer marketing in 2020, when the category grew just 14.4%. 2021 was a big year for influencer marketing and this trend will most likely continue to tick upward.

Fashion

H&S client Wilson has launched into the sportswear space in collaborating with Dreamville, J.Cole’s label. Dreamville’s involvement in the Chi-League Powered by Wilson brings more eyes to the game as the label will spice things up with entertainment components, heightening player interest, curating halftime performances, surrounding entertainment & activities, and creating custom uniforms.

For the first post-pandemic NYFW season, it looks like the hottest accessory is lining up to be a practical and very necessary one–a vaccination card.

Vanity Fair reimagined Y2K Hollywood film classics with the rising stars of today and it’s well-worth the viewing! Very clever way to repurpose content of old with stars of new.

Social

American Airlines has started providing free access to TikTok as part of its in-flight entertainment options. AA Managing Director of Premium Customer Experience and Onboard Products Clarissa Sebastian said, "customers play the lead role in helping us better understand what content they want during their inflight experience and TikTok is one of the platforms they love on the ground." Interested to see if this is adopted by other airlines.

Hot Topics | July 30th

Olympics

OMEGA Ambassador Caeleb Dressel wins gold and sets an Olympic record in the 100 meter Butterfly semi-final! Proud fans and agency over here.

This Olympics has been different than anything we’ve experienced in our lifetimes before, and the H&S team is so glad that it is shining a light on mental health and taking care of yourself first. We’re proud to see Simone, Naomi and all other athletes speaking out about this when they need to.

This article discusses the 18-year-old Sunisa Lee’s recent gold medal win, as well as being the first Asian-American to win gymnastics all around with a gold medal. Simone Biles, just like the rest of the U.S. Gymnastics Team, provided her with words of empowerment and encouragement.

Culture

After 25 years of production PBS beloved show Arthur gets cancelled. Kathy Waugh, the show’s creator says that production was finished two years ago and that the show should make a comeback due to its popularity.

Industry

Magazine editors are exiting the media world to head where the cultural trends are happening at a much faster rate: tech.

Gawker is back. The media outlet that frequently scrutinizes other members of the media, as well as New York (and the world’s) elite, has relaunched under Bustle Media Group. They took to their platform here to share some humorous, but honest, reactions to them re-launching five years after their initial fold.

Fashion

Louis Vuitton gets its game face on! The luxury brand’s latest foray into gaming aims to engage 3 billion players and crack a market worth some $176 billion.

A great and true street-style Instagram account can be hard to come by these days in the noise of social accounts. The page @watchingnewyork really does capture actual, real New Yorkers just living life and being stylish, and it's so fun to see people express themselves after the year and a half we had in sweatpants.

While the drama on the Gossip Girl reboot might be a little “mid,” the outfits are truly on point and is reflective (at times) of Gen Z’s perspective on fashion. This New York Times article explores the contrasting fashions from the original series while discussing how the fashions on the reboot “tell a much bigger story about trends overall” and “reflect a more intersectional worldview.”

Tech

Coca Cola is the latest brand to enter the “metaverse.” They’ll be creating a series of NFT “collectibles” inspired by nostalgic Coca Cola merch. Proceeds will go back to the Special Olympics.

Hot Topics | July 23rd

Culture

The Olympics are here and been a recurring topic for quite some time now, given their year delay. However, there are still honest discussions to be had about the treatment and expectations of black female Olympians, and the New York Times creates some good conversations around this as we kicked off the games on Friday.

We’re intrigued to see where HBO Max’s new miniseries White Lotus will go over the next few episodes. The series starts with a tease - one of the characters you see will die - but the how and who and when of it all is only to be uncovered over the course of the episodes.

Industry

Over the weekend, the second season of AppleTV’s Ted Lasso premiered. To support the show, AppleTV partnered with a coffeeshop in Los Angeles, Go Get 'Em Tiger, to recreate the iconic "biscuits" that Lasso bakes each morning for his boss, handing them out with a coffee order this past week. Overall, this partnership just “fits” and is a great example of leaning into key elements of a show and finding a space for them to live in real life with surprise-and-delight moments.

Netflix is opening a 170,000 square foot studio facility in Bushwick this September. It will be a massive space that will produce films and TV.

Fashion

LVMH will acquire 60% stake in Off-White by Virgil Abloh, making him one of the most powerful Black executives at the most powerful luxury goods group in the world. He’ll also be taking on a bigger role to work across the groups Wine & Spirits categories.

Glossier is once again extending their product line. Although they had some bad press at the beginning of the pandemic last year, they’ve been making a great effort towards being a more inclusive, diverse brand. This announcement was huge as bronzers are such a high-demand beauty product, especially in the summertime!

Hot Topics | July 16th

Culture

Team H&S is happy to see that the reboot of “Sex and the City” is introducing three women of color into the cast of “And Just Like That,” as well as a non-binary character. We’re not surprised by the lack of diversity shown in the show, but are glad to see they’re showing actual representation the second time around.

An interesting discussion about how tensions have arisen between friends during the pandemic. It also quotes the hosts, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, of the podcast Call Your Girlfriend, as the pair are also the authors of the book Big Friendship.

There’s a new term circulating to describe, and in part shame, women. Women have complicated relationships with each other. The majority of them are positive and uplifting, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t hard and at different times in life. Calling another woman a “pick me girl” is hurtful and carries more weight than one might think.

Olivia Rodrigo visited the White House this week and met with President Biden and Dr. Fauci to record videos to encourage young people to get vaccinated. This was an amazing collaboration and a brilliant idea. Kudos to Olivia for using her platform to spread such a great message!

Tech

The rise of Moderna is such a fascinating tale that maybe someone will write a book on it one day? The biotech giant has reached a $100 billion market cap. But after Covid, the challenges get even bigger.

Hot Topics | July 9th

Culture

The Olympics are happening this year, but the games will look very different from previous years, as spectators are banned from the events. Japan has recently enacted a state of emergency due to effects of the Coronavirus, so cutting back on spectators will be adherent to new regulations put in place.

Good read in The Atlantic titled “There is no debate over critical race theory.” Sharing insight as to what’s going on with this big argument or “culture war.”

Want to take part in a "cinematic dining experience?” Disney's newest cruise ship will feature a Marvel-themed dinner with Ant-Man where you can expect everything in the restaurant to start changing sizes. Definitely, something to look forward to in the Summer of 2022!

Interesting article about a show that’s getting added to our watch lists. In some ways our society has become more accepting of different body types, but even with a new lens, a woman’s body continues to be heavily scrutinized and judged, and most often, by themselves.

Social

Does what we screenshot on our phones give a better glimpse into who we are as people, more than just our regular photos? The New York Times thinks so.

Industry

For anyone who was following the Man Repeller/Leandra Medine scandal last year, this article highlights some major talking points from Leandra’s interview on Omondi’s podcast, The Cutting Room Floor. This podcast episode was heavy and uncomfortable to listen to but is an important reminder about accountability, privilege and self-awareness.

Tech

Glossy penned an interesting article regarding what makes a branded NFT really work. H&S works with a few brands that are wanting to dive into NFTs and be a part of the conversation after Christie's big launch earlier this year, but it's always important to remember if it's a brand fit or not!

Hot Topics | July 2nd

Culture

The world was collectively shocked and upset upon learning that Olympic newcomer Sha’Carri Richardson may not be able to compete in the Olympics after her record-breaking race. However, there still may be hope for the young athlete could compete this year, even if it was not the event she qualified for.

Zola is a movie created entirely off of content found in a Twitter thread that took the Internet by storm years ago. It was recently made into a movie and is fascinating to see how something started entirely on a social media platform has been brought to life on the big screen!

Fashion

The fashion media landscape is quickly changing. And with that comes the change of organization structure, and what editorial roles actually look like now.

Rent The Runway has been unfortunately known to not have the best work culture. However, they took a step back the past year and a half to really reset and rebuild for success from the ground up to face their future.

Social

TikTok has announced it’ll now allow creators to post up to 3-minutes of video (3x the original 60-second limit). They were in beta testing in December, but it’s now rolling out over the next month to the entire network.

Instagram is testing changes to make Instagram more like TikTok and less of a photo sharing app. Will they be able to differentiate enough and dominate the market again, or do consumers like have separate purposes on separate social media apps?

Hot Topics | June 25th

Culture

Following Britney’s story of trying to end her abusive conservatorship has really emphasized how important it is not to judge people from appearances. Millennials grew up with Britney and saw her through the shaved head and driving with her baby in the driver’s seat; and saw how she was attacked by the media. The entire time she was being controlled by someone who should’ve been looking out for her – her dad. #FreeBritney

With Pride in full force in the city and across the country, this story in The Cut which is part photo series, part optimistic commentary about returning to stage, and is so happy and hopeful! Love how free these beautiful people are to be themselves, unapologetically.

Jennifer Aniston just revealed that she's buddies with Brad Pitt, which is super interesting considering the fact that the whole dynamic between Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and herself has been SUPER rocky for years. Quite an interesting read!

Fashion

We’re always big fans of the high-end designer collaborations with stores like Target and H&M (hello Christopher John Rogers!) since they offer more affordable options with the featured designers’ touch. H&M’s latest designer collaboration with Brock Collection just launched yesterday and is a summer dream!

Industry

Airbnb will be listing Antoni Gaudi’s first home in Barcelona for one night only in the fall! Very innovative play to encourage travelers to have a unique experience at a historical and meaningful location.

Womanish, a new pop-up art experience, lands in Miami for the summer.

Hot Topics | June 11th

Social

During this week’s IG Creators Week, Instagram announced new ways influencers can make money (read: commission) on purchases made through their platform. The company is working on tools that would allow influencers to sell products directly through their personal profiles and set up new shops via the app.

Culture

According to The Cut, FOMO is back. It might have gone into hibernation for a while, but we may now be on the way to a new golden age as we try to make up for the year we lost by doing more than ever. The article breaks down the psychological aspects of FOMO, as well as the impact that the pandemic and pre-pandemic lifestyle had on this idea.

The Calm app has recently announced that they will match the fine given to Naomi Osaka after she refused to speak to the media regarding mental health concerns. The app states they will offer to pay fines for other players who decline to speak to the media in order to protect their privacy regarding their mental health.

Cosmo does a great job at explaining why Juneteenth should be recognized as a national holiday by everybody, not only black communities. This is a very relevant first step at educating one other especially as the holiday is approaching.

Fashion

A surprising partnership between popular automobile brand Toyota and online fashion retailer Cuyana present portable and mobile showrooms this summer for customers in California.

Industry

Creator burnout is on the rise. As agency partners, it is critical to understand what we ask of creators and develop more empathy as we surpass the 1.5 year mark of digital content being how brands relied on reaching their audiences with original content during a time where original production was limited.

Hot Topics | June 4th

Social

Insider shares how Asian YouTube creators were able to find a platform that shared their stories and experiences way before Hollywood embraced Asian Representation in film. 

Twitter has created Twitter Blue, a paid subscription service that offers access to new features like undoing tweets and viewing threads in an easier to digest “Reader Mode.” Starting Thursday, it will roll out first in Canada and Australia.

This week Spotify released its 'Only You' in-app experience for users to celebrate their unique listening. The experience incorporates fun features such as astrology and provides you with an audio birth chart as well as creating your dream dinner party.

Culture

Naomi Osaka’s decision to put her own mental health first, and the backlash that it has received, is now sparking conversations on mental health in athletes and how it is often ignored as long as they continue to perform well in their sport.

Many people started new jobs, remotely, during the past year. Now, they’re faced with the decision to go back to an office, to stay remote, or perhaps, something in-between, like a coworking space. However, before jumping into a WeWork-like environment, Curbed suggests to think twice. Things may be a it more utilitarian and straightforward than the glamour of coworking spaces past.

Pride Month continues to look different this year because of COVID-19 precautions, but there is so much to be excited for! This is a great article with a comprehensive list of various types of events happening throughout New York City this month that cater to all sorts of interests and attendees.

Tech

Both companies and consumers are ready to get back to traveling, and at faster speeds no less. United Airlines announced a deal to buy 15 supersonic jets, planning to carry passengers on the ultra-fast planes by 2029. The plane is slated to fly at Mach 1.7, or roughly twice as fast as today's commercial jets. It will be able to fly from United's hub in Newark, New Jersey, to London in just three-and-a-half hours. It could make the Newark to Frankfurt trip in four hours and San Francisco to Tokyo in just six hours.

Hot Topics | May 28th

Social

Instagram rolls out a new feature to enable online shoppers to link to product Drops. The Instagram Drops feature will now have a specific spot in the “Shop” tab to enable users to discover new and upcoming product launches. This move is intended to combat rivals like TikTok, organizing browsing in a single location. The drops avail so far include Drake x NOCTA, Wren + Glory and Charlotte Tilbury.

Culture

Vaccination passports are becoming such a polarizing issue. Some experts from this article foresee some backlash to events or festivals requiring “proof of vaccination” as we enter a post-pandemic world.

Electro-pop group Flume collaborated with 3D artist Zawada for an audiovisual NFT experience. The art is on display, and creates an extremely sensory experience for the viewer with sight, sound, smell and touch. An interesting and cool way to blend music and art!

This is a wonderful piece by award-winning writer Osayi Endolyn about the new docu-series on Netflix called, High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. The series is an incredible reframing of history that reintroduces our country’s culinary past and will change the way you look at American food.

Fashion

Last week, MAC Cosmetics debuted a shoppable Snapchat AR try-on lens. Using technology developed through Snapchat’s partnership with Perfect Corp., MAC is offering four different lenses with 20 lip and eye products. Users can scroll through and test the different shades of each product and then click the link in the lens to purchase on MAC’s direct to consumer site. Estee Lauder’s brands, Too Faced, Bobbi Brown and Smashbox, will also debut on Snapchat with their own shoppable technology over the next few months.

The partnership between Netflix and historic Halston for a fashion line may have been unexpected, but smart. Halston will create a 10-piece capsule collection of gowns priced between $995 and $1,595. The looks—available for preorder this month—are inspired by archival designs featured in the new Netflix biopic about Roy Halston Frowick, the designer who launched the fashion house in 1968.

Hot Topics | May 14th

Industry

Companies have had a lot of adapting to do this past year, with working from home being one of the biggest challenges and opportunities for growth. WeWork’s CEO recently shared his thoughts on employees working from home, and it didn’t fair too well. Good reminder that the public is always listening.

Culture

Now that the CDC has officially said vaccinated people can go un-masked, what better time is there to disconnect from the virtual world? This New York Times article brings some comic relief to the concept of connecting in person again and allocating your mental capacities to more pressing matters apart from the digital space.

Both "drivers license" and "deja vu" have been on repeat for some of our team members the last couple months. Olivia Rodrigo's debut album releases this week, and we’re excited (along with the rest of the world) to see what her first body of work looks like.

Fashion

Some NYFW favorites that departed years ago for Paris (Altuzarra and Thom Browne) will be back this year. IMG is helping to boost accessibility for designers to show in NYFW by sponsoring some lucky ones financially, but only time will tell if the city's fashion week is as hot as it used to be. Hopefully the momentum of resuming life post-pandemic can help with that.

Vogue presents an interesting look into why many fashion brands are moving away from using the word “sustainable” when it comes to their products.

Social

A look at how fashion brand Lulu’s is using TikTok to drive influencer marketing and bring in consumers.

Hot Topics | May 7th

Industry

Experiential marketing is back, and brands are ready. From small pop-ups to intimate press dinners to full-blown sold-out festivals, people are ready to gather and brands want in on the action. However, it won’t be an easy road as many navigate the new rules and regulations of in-person events, as the MorningBrew details here.

Bombay Sapphire is here to promote it’s RTD Gin & Tonic, and their backing it with the face of science, Bill Nye. After a year filled with science and finding trust in it, more people will be aligned with this reasoning to try a new drink than ever before.

For a second year in a row, Skittles is releasing limited-edition Pride Pack, which feature all gray packaging and all gray candies inside. One dollar per pack purchased will then be donated by Skittles to GLAAD.

Culture

Brands should be extra careful before monetizing a holiday. Old Navy recently pulled its Juneteenth influencer campaign after receiving backlash. Missteps included asking Black influencers to lay out money for product and offering below-market rates in the marketing effort tied to the holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the US.

New York City is investing $25M in the City Artist Corps, a new recovery program aimed at hiring over 1,500 artists to create works throughout the five boroughs this summer. "We're going to hire artists, musicians, performers, and they're going to be out in communities doing public art, public performances, pop-up shows...creating murals, you name it," said de Blasio. "We want to give artists opportunities, and we want this city to feel the power of our cultural community again."

Fashion

The coolest brand of 2021 doesn't do drops or collaborations—it's a 184-year-old artisanal workshop for the most discerning shoppers on the planet. GQ recently detailed how Hermes has stayed relevant throughout it’s many years as a fashion house.

Hot Topics | April 30th

Industry

Instagram announced some actions it’s taking to remove systematic bias within its algorithm. Since BLM, the platform formed an Equity team to ensure that products, practices and policies don’t marginalize any one community.

In a workplace, you don’t always align with everyone else’s personal values. While companies are continuing the strive for ways to better align their workforce, it does start from within. Fast Company shares some key emotionally intelligent ways that you can aim to connect with your coworkers that you don’t see eye to eye with and still operate to your own standards in your place of work.

Culture

Brands love to create narratives, status, and even "personalities" via their messaging to engage consumers. But with COVID-19 vaccines, it's the other way around. As our country is getting vaccinated, Americans are attributing status and creating "cultures" around which vaccine they receive, especially on TikTok. 

In travel news this week, we may soon be able to travel back to Europe! This is a promising sign that all of those postponed vacations can resume once again, and international markets will be more open in regards to work travel and what it means for our industry.

Tech

Netflix is rolling out a new data-driven technology called “Play Something” that will help minimize the decision-making process of streaming. Their platform is heavily based on consumer decision making and the concept of the “first customer” when determining a show’s popularity and ability to go “viral.”

Fashion

Abercrombie & Fitch has made the comeback of a lifetime! The once cool-kids-only brand that was eventually hated by an entire generation is on the rise again, this time for actually finding intentional ways to market to younger Millennials and Gen Z members.

Hot Topics | April 23rd

Industry

Gen Z is gaining spending power and social awareness. Influencer marketing is of utmost importance to reach this audience now that they have growing interests as they enter adulthood.

Culture

Mental Health Awareness Month is fast approaching as we near the end of April and look towards May. This article discusses the sliding scale of mental health throughout the past pandemic year, the “blah” feeling we’ve all described at one point or another, and little ways to help your own mental health “flow.”

Speaking of the pandemic, as we near larger vaccinated numbers, The Atlantic positions that there will be 2 types of post-pandemic socializers. Where do you fall?

Tech

Michelob Ultra’s Pure Gold is now brewed with 100% renewable electricity from solar power and they released a new song with Colombian musician Maluma to mark the occasion.

Fashion

Over the past few years we’ve seen brand collaborations popping everywhere with an emphasis on nostalgia. The recent famed brand collaboration between Coca-Cola x Fila celebrates individuality and encourages shoppers to “be positive, be yourself and spread the love” all while staying cozy.

In light of Earth Day this past Thursday, WWD highlighted some amazing fashion brands for following sustainability principles and values.

Hot Topics | April 16th

Industry

This week, Canada Goose announced new brand sustainability efforts alongside an unexpected, yet logical, spokesperson: Bill Nye! He not only tugs at the heartstrings of millennials who learned science through his videos, but cautions consumers to think about how their purchases are effecting the climate, and the changes we can make to better the world we live in.

Culture

An interesting article about the importance (and many intricacies) of friendship in the creative world and the parallels between friendship and love.

Hot Topics | April 9th

Social Media

The pandemic continues to overhaul the job market and workforce, adapting it for this virtual world. After almost a DECADE, LinkedIn is reimagining what your LinkedIn Profile with look like with new expressive, inclusive features to help you stand out!

Tech

Talk of NFTs are everywhere. This article explores how luxury fashion can integrate NFTs.

Fashion

Interesting article about Toms changing their one-for-one model to a percentage donation of profits instead. They really pioneered that model and will be interesting to see if any other retailers who have adopted it will change in the future.

Cool, fun, diverse, and funky moves is what Lacoste and Polaroid are bringing to this latest campaign.

Industry

it can get pretty confusing to remember the difference between AR, VR, MR, and XR- the article HERE does a good job of explaining the differences. As we know digital components to events are only going to continue to advance even with the popularity hybrid events.