The Relevancy Read

Hot takes, early calls and astute observations, carefully curated.

A Sampling

PMS and EDM.

May 08, 2023

In: PMS…Out: Birth control

Hormone health science and awareness supports a shift in women’s wellness. Newfound correlations between the pill and decreased sex drives, depression, and suicide inspires a growing number of young women to quit the artificial hormone. Aimed at preventing pregnancy without the side effects of hormonal birth control, a contraceptive vaccine is in early-stage clinical trials. Meanwhile, vitamin companies Flo and Lemme recently introduced PMS supplements to alleviate the symptoms introduced by women’s monthly hormonal imbalance. CycleMapping has become an increasingly popular fitness phenomenon, mapping exercise training to menstrual cycles for maximum physical and psychological benefits. Consider this a timely opportunity to sync product and marketing with the female calendar.

Sofia Richie ushers in the return of the classy It-Girl

Social media and fast fashion cheapened the once-exclusive archetype—everyone’s an it-girl, so no one’s an it-girl. Now, stealth wealth and quiet luxury refocus aspirations on the understated it-girl. New York Magazine’s recent Yesteryear Issue remembers Carolyn Bassette Kennedy, conveying nostalgia for elegant idols. The recent obsession with Sofia Richie’s sophisticated, Chanel aesthetic signals a departure from trendy, streetwear-driven it-girls like Hailey Beiber. Supported by an economically-minded desire for timeless aesthetics, this shift towards attainable, aspirational wealth affects all aspects of fashion, home, and beauty—strike while the freshly ironed trousers are hot!

After years of dream-job status, influencing hits a rocky road.

Influencers are facing a crisis of authenticity, as they have to be more thoughtful about the products they push and reckon with the harmful effects of relentless content churn. Financially, unofficial employment status has many struggling to earn livable wages or working conditions. While some influencers are beginning to discuss unionizing, it seems impossible to convince tens of thousands of creators to pause posting. In the face of this uncertainty, the brand-director dynamic emerges. Following in the footsteps of FWRD and Kendall Jenner, Nudestix recently tapped Sofia Richie as beauty director, indicating that moving forward, influencer partnerships will require actual roles in product and brand development to garner legitimacy.

Officially mainstream, EDM seeps into consumer culture.

Our ears on the ground at Coachella reported the festival’s cool factor now centers on smaller DJ sets and EDM at the Do Lab and Sahara Tents—their colorful environments have become so iconic, bathing suit brand Dippin Daisys created a "Do Lab" print. Last week, The Whitney Museum’s members night featured a live-coded set by DJ Dave and Char Stiles, seeing young families and older art aficionados alike dance it out in a typically quiet and stiff environment. Musical duo Sofi Tukker has popularized the genre and its related aesthetics—look to their Baboon To The Moon collaboration for EDM-influenced color direction.

Architects are the latest muse-du-jour for collaborations.

Celebrities, artists, fast-food chains, hospitality, and high-low fashion. The collab blueprint is exhaustive, but recently refreshed by a three-way partnership between KITH, New Balance, and the Frank Lloyd Right Foundation, honoring the architect and his futuristic concept, Broadacre City. Home and sleepwear brand Tekla iterates on the archetype, referencing Le Corbusier’s approach to color in a limited-edition collection of mohair blankets. As everyday consumers veer art and design connoisseurs, consider drawing up a collaboration with an architect.