AVANT-SHOCK.
From the primordial to the posthuman, beauty is trending toward the extreme. What do aesthetics tell us about what consumers want right now – and what does it mean for brands?
The pivot from perfection to “provocation, strangeness, and visual interruption” signals a rejection of Instagram-induced sameiness and the numbing effects of AI and injectables.
Aesthetics are a way to critique the construct of reality, while generating alternatives.
Photo credit: Saint Maretto / Dazed
FANTASTIC CREATURES
Reflecting consumer desire to rewild.
Animal cosplay in streets, feathercraft on runways at Luar.
FKA Twigs’ post-apocalyptic fashion and faux tribal tattoos at Rick Owens.
Feral, freaky, and primordial – from mud-smeared models at Dilara Fındıkoğlu to makeup that mimics organic material in Huda’s mold palette.
(Further reading HERE.)
(F)UNHINGED
Reflecting consumer desire for playfulness .
Punk fluorescents at Chopova Lowena.
Sinister clown faces at Diesel and Thom Brown.
A bedazzled ear on the 2026 Met Gala red carpet.
Millennial party girls in smeary eye makeup stumble back onto Page Six, and the mainstream.
DEFENSIVE ARCHITECTURE
Reflecting consumer desire for potency .
Mouth guards at Margiela; mouthfuls of gems by
Strap-on hockey masks at Comme des Garcons, and sculptural metalwork by Juanita Care.
Stacked metal by Italian cult jeweler Panconesi.
Grillz Jewelz
PERFORMATIVE FEELING
Reflecting consumer desire to express and affirm emotion , *often controversially.
Weeping
A statuesque Anok Yai as The Black Madonna at the 2026 Met Gala.
models on the Junya Watanabe runway. (Plus, a tutorial on how to make yourself cry.)
Weary models with dark circles on TikTok.
SIGNAL V
QUEER FUTURITY
SIGNAL VI
MUTANTFORMS
Reflecting consumer desire for embodiment and self-determination .
Alien opulence by design and performance-art pair Matières Fécales.
Bodies amplified in retail spaces (and Marc Jacobs’ atelier).
Reflecting consumer desire for optimism and other worlds.
Gritty, androgynous glam inspired by raving, by makeup artist Saint Maretto.
Black hair and braids as the medium and the message in Malcolm Marquez’s sculptural styling and Taiba Taiba’s artwork.
1.
Reconnect digital natives to nature
Instead of building separate brand worlds, reconnect people with the already-existing world around them in new ways.
2. Be a source ofstrength
Show up with a clear POV and sense of purpose, building consumers’ confidence in both your brand and themselves.
4.
Facethe future
Partner with people who can help you see what’s next. Be a platform for construction; provide tools and resources.
3. Make space forplay
Is it just us, or did pop-ups used to be more fun? Bright color and wild construction grab and hold attention.
