H&M is facing a rare dilemma for a mass-market brand: it’s lost its edge. Playing it too safe, it now sits awkwardly between Shein’s race-to-the-bottom pricing and Zara’s aspirational cool. In today’s hyper-competitive, culturally fluent landscape, H&M risks becoming forgettable.

With sales stagnating and brand identity in flux, it's now turning to the culture playbook—tapping Charli XCX for its AW ‘Brat’ campaign in a bid to reclaim relevance.

In my view, H&M occupies a valuable strategic middle ground between Shein and Zara—but to own it, the brand needs a rebrand built on playfulness, attitude, and true cultural fluency. Gen Z and Gen Alpha won’t tolerate cultural illiteracy from global players anymore.

Daniel Ervér’s leadership signals a pivot—store refreshes, stronger design direction, and campaigns rooted in music and subculture. It's a move towards relevance, not just revenue—but as we’ve seen time and time again, this playbook is easier said than done.

The real question: Can a Swedish mass retailer still feel culturally exciting?

Let’s see if H&M can make the leap from basic to brat. 👀

While exploring the future of women’s sneaker culture, I found myself circling back to the Samba – a trend that didn’t just emerge, it was architected with intention.

First released in 1949 as a football boot for icy pitches, the Samba was later adopted by UK terrace culture and spent decades in quiet rotation. Then came Grace Wales Bonner, reworking the silhouette with luxe, high-fashion touches – and igniting a full-blown cultural reappraisal.

The strategy was textbook:

🔁 Reimagine – Partner with a culturally resonant designer to reposition the icon
👀 Recontextualise – Put OG colourways on the feet of Bella Hadid and A$AP Rocky to build cultural cachet
💥 Reveal – Drop TikTok-bait pastel editions to unlock mass appeal

The impact? A legacy sneaker rebranded as a fashion essential – driving a 50% YoY uplift in adidas women’s resale volume in 2024 (StockX). The Samba didn’t just ride the wave of women’s sneaker culture; it helped reshape it.

But overexposure diluted the allure. Distribution outpaced demand. The Samba went from cult object to casualty of ubiquity – a recurring misstep in adidas’ trend cycle.

Still, the case study is clear:

• Trends spread fast across subcultures
• Cultural credibility beats product alone
• Brand momentum is built, not stumbled into

The Samba may be cooling, but the framework remains hot.

If this resonated, feel free to share.

Gorpcore gets tossed around in a lot of boardrooms I’ve been in—often reduced to a fleeting aesthetic. But from where I’m sitting, backed by our own data and firsthand work with Columbia, Berghaus, and The North Face, it’s always been more than that.

Well before the Hypebeast headlines, Gorpcore had roots in Liverpool and Manchester’s Scally culture—born out of necessity, not novelty. It started as functional fashion for those living real, active lives on the street. Over time, that utility-first ethos evolved into something more expressive, more directional—a look that blurred the lines between outdoor, street, and luxury.

What we’re seeing now—whether you call it Gorpcore or post-Gorpcore—isn’t a style trend. It’s a broader cultural shift toward performance-led design. We’ve transitioned from casualwear to sportswear to technicalwear. And this evolution is here to stay.

Today’s consumer demands more—style with purpose. As cities evolve and climate volatility becomes the norm, technicalwear will continue to scale. It’s not just part of the future—it’s leading it.

The future of fashion is functional.

Nike is poised to post its steepest revenue drop in five years. App downloads have plummeted 35%, and in-store traffic is down 11%—already impacting key retail partners like JD Sports and Foot Locker, both grappling with markdown pressure and slowing sell-through.

But let’s not write Nike off just yet.

With Eliott Hill stepping in as CEO, the brand appears to be reactivating elements of its golden-era cultural strategy. Still, cultural resonance can’t be rebuilt overnight. Steering a brand of this scale takes time—expect a 12–18 month runway before meaningful momentum returns.

The bigger hurdle? The cultural and competitive landscape has evolved. It's more fragmented, more dynamic, and far less forgiving. Challenger brands like Montirex and Salomon are moving faster, striking harder, and winning credibility at street level.

Nike will recover—but its monopoly era is behind it.

Young people are actively seeking out music from regions marked by conflict, change, oppression, and adversity—drawn to raw, authentic narratives of social mobility and lived experience. It’s not just about their own realities but about finding connection through shared struggles across borders.

With platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok, music has never been more accessible. In fact, 67% of Gen Z listen to music for most of their day, with the artists they follow deeply shaping their worldview.

As digital spaces continue to evolve, music remains a powerful tool for cultural connection—a platform where new narratives emerge, communities form, and perspectives shift. Brands that immerse themselves in this cultural current will be the ones to forge genuine connections with youth culture.

The classic monochrome Nike Air Max 90 gets a bold new chapter with Nike’s latest collaboration with Slawn. One of the most exciting British-Nigerian artists of the moment, Slawn injects his raw, spray-painted aesthetic into an undeniable streetwear icon—bringing fresh creative energy to a silhouette that has defined generations.

But this isn’t just another drop. It feels like Nike is dusting off its cultural playbook, making calculated moves to reclaim its place at the heart of the culture. With recent collaborations tapping into unfiltered artistic expression, it’s clear the brand is reasserting its creative dominance.

Growing up, black-and-white 90s were a staple for me—seeing them reimagined through Slawn’s rebellious, hand-crafted lens feels like an instant classic.

Once upon a time, pop culture revolved around a handful of global megastars. Today, music is more fragmented, decentralized, and hyper-niche than ever.

🚀 Micro-scenes are shaping the mainstream—Afrobeats, UK drill, slowcore, and alt-rap are thriving on their own terms, bypassing industry gatekeepers.

🎧 Gen Z & Gen Alpha aren’t waiting for the next Drake or Rihanna—they’re curating their own cultural icons across TikTok, SoundCloud, and underground collectives.

🌍 Regional sounds are transcending borders—from Amapiano in South Africa and K-Grime in Korea to Middle Eastern trap and Berlin techno, niche genres are breaking through organically, without traditional label co-signs.

We’re in an era where influence is fluid, and the idea of a singular “pop star” feels increasingly outdated. Instead, music movements are being defined by communities, not corporations.

Social media promised to broaden perspectives, yet it’s doing the opposite. Young people are increasingly caught in algorithmic echo chambers, consuming content that aligns with their interests but rarely challenges their perspectives.

📌 Personalised feeds limit real discovery
📌 Engagement is prioritised over exploration
📌 Dopamine-driven scrolling keeps users locked in

For brands, chasing the algorithm only reinforces the cycle. The real challenge? Igniting curiosity, breaking the loop, and shaping culture—not just reflecting it.

The goal should be to push culture forward, not just repackage what’s already trending.

For Millennials, aspiration was largely defined by job autonomy and homeownership, aligning with the more traditional Career Success Model—a modern take on the American Dream. While many young people today are moving away from this, embracing a Holistic Success Model that prioritizes quality of life, flexibility, and well-being, a significant, less privileged segment of society continues to strive for traditional socioeconomic mobility.

This shift redefines success—not just in terms of career, financial security, and property ownership, but also through self-expression, shared experiences, and cultural belonging. For some, financial stability remains the ultimate goal; for others, particularly those with more privilege, fulfillment is rooted in creativity, community, and personal freedom—and for many, it’s a balance of both.

As a brand, understanding the evolving aspirations of your audience is critical—not all young people share the same trajectory. Recognizing these nuances is essential to staying relevant, resonant, and culturally attuned.

Pumped to be teaming up with Chicken Shop to sharpen their audience focus, cultural positioning, and connection strategy. With an unbeatable product and serious cultural momentum, we’re excited to help shape their next chapter as they scale.

Big moves ahead—stay tuned. 👀