Hey everyone, Priyanka here.

I’m back with a whirlwind tour of 2024’s top trends so stay tuned! But first, a quick news recap with the top things you need to know...

🏠 In the US

• Mystery drones are swarming the East Coast. 5,000+ tips have called in car-sized devices in the sky, which even shut down a military airbase. The FBI is stumped, but the White House insists the crisis is “solved.” Hmm…

• Luigi Mangione has been indicted for the first-degree murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO but remains the internet’s heartthrob— 40% of young Americans say the CEO’s killing is “acceptable.” Hollywood is already making 3 documentaries about it.

🌎 Around the world

• Germany’s government collapsed - the same month as the French government. Europe’s stability? On shaky ground. And that’s bad news.

• Ukraine assassinated Russia’s top nuclear chief marking a turning point in the war. Here’s how their vast spy network took him out.

• A ceasefire in Gaza is apparently “days away.” Feels like I’ve heard this one before several times but here’s hoping.

🤯 Tech tidings

• Google’s latest breakthrough proves that the multiverse exists— Marvel must be thrilled!

• A much-needed explainer on why Elon Musk and Sam Altman are beefing over ‘AI dictatorship.’

📉 Markets brief

• The Dow is on its longest losing streak in 50 years. Should you be concerned?

• Nvidia is falling deeper into correction territory —AI darlings aren’t invincible after all.

🔁 Fashion’s great reshuffle

• The industry’s most coveted position has been filled as Chanel brings Matthieu Blazy on board.

• Louise Trotter’s in at Bottega Veneta becoming Kering’s sole female creative director, which will appease those calling out the company.

• John Galliano is stepping down at Maison Margiela after a stellar decade.

 🔝 2024’s Defining Trends
_{Need a snapshot of the year’s vibe? Here’s the ultimate recap:}

Global: World War III is the top trend and it should come as no surprise, what with geopolitical ‘polycrisis’ erupting across the globe. From JPMorgan stoking fears to “leaked” files from Russia and Germany—the signs are everywhere.

Fashion: Quiet luxury peaked early, and what followed was decidedly loud. The ‘mob wife aesthetic’ was a step away from ‘girlhood,’ blowing us away with big fur coats, flashy jewelry, and animal prints.

The ‘loudness’ continued with the unapologetic return of Y2K fashion. From near-extinct brands like Abercrombie rising from the dead to indie sleaze and the return of the toxic ‘thinspo’ mindset—the 90s made itself felt this year.

Tech bro chic was another top trend—nobody saw Mark Zuckerberg’s big fashion moment coming. The internet gave him a chain (it’s giving mob boss) and a fake beard and made him “cool.” Of course, he has his own fashion brand now and is making strategic power moves with his clothes. What a year for Zuck!

Pop culture: Recession pop is back, because everyone is struggling financially. Think of all the dance-pop music Charli XCX and Chappell Roan produced this year. Every musician on the planet announced a ‘concert tour,’ and we’re inundated with horror stories of Gen Z’s concert etiquette—somebody threw a bracelet at Billie Eilish just last week.

Also Drake v. Kendrick shook the hiphop world, but the biggest rap battle of the year made very little in revenue.

Internet culture: ‘Tomato girl’ and ‘glazed donut’ skin were just vibe trends—influencer-driven micro trends—what truly dominated the zeitgeist was Brat. “Kamala Harris is Brat,” Charli XCX famously declared. Harris’ decisive defeat then sealed the fate of the lime green movement, as people finally started paying attention to the other telling trend staring us in the face—Tradwives.

The culture, moving on from ‘brats’ and ‘girlbosses,’ is putting a higher premium on traditional gender roles and marriage (mob-wife, trad-wife, bye bye ‘girlies’… see the pattern there?). This return to more conservative values was perhaps a clue that predicted Trump’s victory in November.

The ‘very demure, very mindful’ trend only confirmed this shift, celebrating a well-behaved, reserved woman, but you know where else people have been more mindful? In the sheets.

Lifestyle: Gone are the days of wild, boozy bachelorettes, hen parties are all wellness retreats now. TikTok’s obsession with ‘mindfulness’ bled over into 2024’s top porn trends, too, as ‘mindful pleasure’ resonated across demographics.

The conservative bent that’s everywhere right now made itself felt in the top sex position (missionary) and fetish (abstinence). Overall, people sought more authentic experiences. The general malaise with swiping fatigue also saw a return of speed dating and old-school matchmaking.

US news: Facts are dead, and vibes rule everything: from politics to pop culture. Following these trends, Harris made ‘vibeocracy’ the keystone of her campaign, but lost.

The blow highlighted another big trend in the US: Podcast bros scoring a win over mainstream media this year, with Joe Rogan largely credited as kingmaker after Donald Trump became president again.

Harris was a ‘brat’ but lost, and the manosphere gained momentum, but so did the radical feminist 4B movement—women are committing to no sex, dating, marriage, or babies to ‘punish’ men in response to rising misogyny and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Will this change America? I guess we’ll find out next year.

Markets: The crypto bros in your life might have told you already, but Bitcoin finally surpassed $100,000 this year. However, the fears of fraud are also growing—just look at Hawh Tuah’s disastrous crypto launch. Word is, memecoins will crush crypto as Moo Deng and Fartcoins steal the limelight… as long as they have our attention.

And there you have it—the biggest trends of the year, all in one place. Hope it gives you the closure you need!

That’s it from me for this year. See you all again in 2025!

Happy holidays ❤️

This newsletter was edited by Ishita Sen. 

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