if the rules no longer apply
then the rules no longer apply (free newsletter)
good morning and welcome back to as seen on.
today's newsletter is free because I have a bunch of new readers who might want to know what happens beyond the paywall.
ENJOY!
All the hot girls came out to celebrate Bella Hadid x Frankies Bikinis. If you thought I’d be tired of Bella’s whole cowgirl bit by now, you’d be wrong. It's never not fun. The collection itself is very Coachella-core, but I'm sure it’ll find its audience.
Prada is reportedly evaluating Versace’s financials as it considers a potential acquisition from Capri Holdings, which also owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo. Ever since our friend Lina Khan blocked the $8.5 billion Tapestry-Capri merger last year, its been clear that both companies would try to offload some brands—the strategy being to “shrink to grow.” Looks like Versace, a much smaller business than Michael Kors— and unprofitable— is first on the chopping block. If Prada does move forward with an acquisition, it could signal a larger strategic shift for the brand, potentially expanding its presence in the luxury conglomerate space.
Tapestry is also offloading its unprofitable businesses. Last week, the fashion holding company announced that it had sold footwear brand Stuart Weitzman to Caleres, the group that owns Sam Edelman and Famous Footwear, for $105 million in cash. Stuart Weitzman, which made up about 3.6% of the company's total annual revenue, reported an increase in full-year loss to $21.2 million from $6.7 million a year earlier. The sale will allow Tapestry to focus its attention on Kate Spade and Coach, which have experienced significant growth from Gen Z consumers—but we’ve already talked about that.
Forever 21 is apparently talking to liquidators and considering a second bankruptcy. They never stood a chance with Shein and Temu in the picture.
But Shein isn’t doing too hot either. Their profits dropped over 40% last year, falling to $1 billion in 2024, in large part due to competition from Temu. Bad news for that impending London IPO and that $66 billion valuation.
I know someone at the Wall Street Journal just loves as seen on. The Message According to Ochuko is catching on. If any brands would like to work with me on the basis of literature being hot, I’m open for business.
The next big thing in book club land is less Reese Witherspoon type rom-coms and more Dua Lipa-esque obscure literary titles. As I could have told you. Speaking of obscure literary titles, the first edition of 2 Girls 1 Book, my book club with
, came out this weekend. We discussed Yasmin Zaher’s The Coin with limited spoilers. It was a great time.Those “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaigns might need to make a comeback. Demand for vintage fur is on the rise among young people. According to Trendalytics, views of TikToks about vintage coats have increased 243% over the past year, and Google searches for “vintage fur coats” have gone up 688% since January 2023. Meanwhile, interest in faux fur has remained nearly flat. Furriers across the U.S. say they are seeing renewed interest in their vintage and used stock, increasing their sales. Someone in the comments wrote, "I suspect the idiot youngsters don’t realize fur is from dead animals." Possible.
Funny how ASAP Rocky wore Ray-Bans every day at court and was then announced as the brand’s first Creative Director the day after he was acquitted. A brand awareness playbook if there ever was one. And he looks great too! Beyond eyewear design, he will also direct campaigns, reimagine Ray-Ban stores, and “infuse the brand with influences from music, fashion, and the arts.” His first project, the Blacked Out Collection, drops April 2025.
LVMH owner Bernard Arnault is trying to leverage his relationship with Trump to avoid facing tariffs. “The ties between the families are extensive, dating to when the two patriarchs were up-and-coming property developers in Manhattan. Arnault’s second-eldest son, Alexandre, has become friends with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Ivanka Trump is a friend of Arnault’s daughter, Delphine, and a devotee of Dior, the brand Delphine oversees as CEO. The Arnaults’ conglomerate even pays rent to the Trump Organization, which is the landlord for LVMH’s Louis Vuitton store in Midtown Manhattan.” This won’t be the first time a Trump connection has helped LVMH avoid tariffs. Back in 2019, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of European goods in retaliation for EU subsidies to Airbus. When asked why he was slapping levies on wine and cheese while ignoring Champagne and leather goods, Trump said he had been discussing the issue with Arnault. “I can’t tax him, because he moved to the United States. He was very smart. He was way ahead,” Trump said.
X is in talks to raise money from investors at a valuation of at least $44 billion. The money will be spent on initiatives such as payments and video products, and will help pay down some of the company’s huge debt load. Elon will probably have an easy enough time raising funds too—his proximity to power, which is his proximity to Trump, has investors suddenly bullish on X. Case in point: the Wall Street Journal reported that a lawyer for X suggested the government would block the $13 billion Interpublic and Omnicom merger if the two advertising agencies didn’t convince their clients to spend more advertising on X.
Conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair, who recently had Elon Musk’s 13th child, is suing him for sole custody and petitioning to confirm paternity legally. Last week, Grimes, who has three kids with Elon, called him out on X for child neglect. Back in October 2023, she filed a similar petition against Musk "to establish parental relationship" over their children.
Pollution from Big Tech’s data centre boom costs U.S. public health $5.4bn, up 20% from the year prior. And to be clear, this is the cost of treating illnesses connected to pollution.
Meta has been consulting with creators like MrBeast and Mark Rober on how to get creators and young people to use Facebook. Which we never will.
Cameo is offering a $10,000 raise for workers to come into its Chicago headquarters four days a week, plus a $5,000 bonus for those outside commuting range who move closer. This is more like it.
Looks like Cheryl Hines is liquidating her brand after all. Can’t imagine it was a difficult decision to make, either. The most appalling web design I’ve seen in a while. Being the wife of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is probably more lucrative.
Gen Z isn’t boring, we’re just poor. A survey by the Night Time Industries Association (NITA) of 2,001 UK adults aged 18–30 found that 68% of those surveyed go out less due to the economy, and 53% spend less on outings than last year. Just 16% said they go out more after 10pm, and almost 70% added that better late-night transport options would encourage them to stay out later. I doubt these figures would be too different in other countries. My friends and I are perennially complaining about how much drinks cost. And we’re well-employed.
I don’t think people understand how screwed my generation feels.
published a great piece last week on how AI, volatility, and changing institutions are shaping young people's economic reality. It’s free, and today’s required reading.
When AI can eliminate entire professional categories overnight, when traditional credentials lose value faster than you can earn them, when digital platforms can create overnight millionaires... the question is about how we define stability in an unstable world.
While Gen Z has adapted by finding alternative paths to success - from trades to creator economies - institutions are struggling to keep pace. Universities experiment with modular education, corporations are rethinking credential requirements, and policymakers push for reforms, but these changes are often too slow and too limited. The challenge isn't just modernization, it's legitimacy, right? When people say the government is "broke," they're not just talking about finances, they're talking about trust.
This is the core tension of our moment: Gen Z's 'algorithmized self' isn't a choice—it's an adaptation to systems where viral moments outweigh career loyalty and where institutional stability has been replaced by algorithmic opportunity. The paths to wealth and meaning have been fundamentally restructured by technology. The reality we face is stark: crumbling institutions, a demographic crisis, and a federal workforce being dismantled (regardless of your views on if it’s good or bad, that’s what is happening).
In a survey of 2,000 white-collar professionals by Robert Walters, 800 of whom were Gen Z employees, half said they didn’t want middle management roles. Nearly 70% saw them as “high stress, low reward,” preferring individual career growth over managing others. I find it amusing how Gen Z always gets criticized for being bad employees when, in many cases, neither the promise nor the illusion of career growth leading to financial security exists anymore. The way I see it, if the rules no longer apply, then the rules no longer apply. I remember back in October when New York published their annual Power Issue on the state of media, and there was a section called “The Kids Are Too Soft” that took aim at Gen Z’s work ethic. This was amidst employee walkouts, job slashes, and every media CEO scratching their heads about what to do with A.I.—admitting, more or less, that journalism as we know it may be no more in a few short years. The consensus among my Gen Z journalist friends seemed to be that there was, in fact, nothing much to work for. No clear ladder to climb. How many of the top roles that existed 10 years ago still exist? How many will there be in five years? A much more interesting conversation would be about how Gen Z is performing in jobs where they actually believe in their leaders, are inspired by the mission, and for which there is real security and a growth trajectory.
In better news, Mindy Kaling is making a comedy series about young professionals in New York, and I’m sure it’ll be fun.
Starface launched an OOH campaign in collaboration with Ulta to advertise their launch at the retailer. Honestly, I’m surprised they’re only just getting into retail. Good for them. One of the best brand identities in the game.
Celsius is acquiring rival energy drink brand Alani Nu for $1.8 billion in a cash-and-stock deal. Smart. While overall energy drink sales have been climbing, Celsius’s growth has slowed over the past year. Meanwhile, Alani Nu—the "Celsius for girls"—has made some of the biggest market share gains in energy drinks since its launch in 2018. Aside from its female skewing demographic, Alani Nu has leaned heavily into wellness branding and influencer marketing, whereas Celsius has been more performance-driven. This acquisition could give Celsius a foothold in the "lifestyle" energy drink space and create a platform for them to further expand their offerings. I won’t be surprised if Red Bull and Monster, both of which have been relatively slow in targeting female consumers specifically, are on the hunt for similar acquisitions.
Sephora plans to stop selling sex toys by the end of the year, after introducing the category in 2023 when “sexual wellness” seemed promising. Apparently, senior merchandising staff had differing opinions on its fit within the business, which makes sense because: 1) No one is going to Sephora for sex toys. 2) People buy that online. 3) Sephora tweens are likely a far more lucrative market, and I can’t see the two sharing floor space well.
Alix Earle posted a TikTok teasing the launch of an alcohol brand she invested in. A few people in the comments were pretty sure she was talking about Sip Margs, which makes canned sparkling margaritas. Unwell Hydration should be announcing an alcohol line any day now. I wonder how this would play into the Alex/Alix feud rumors.
Unwell needs to make their love affair with Good Girl Pickles official. This is the 2025 collaboration we deserve.
A group of foreign journalists, led by decorated former PBS war correspondent Jane Ferguson, is launching a mobile-first news platform that will bundle work from top independent journalists. Noosphere—an awful name, by the way—will feature a full-screen scroll resembling TikTok and charge less than $20 a month for unlimited access to videos, podcasts, and articles from independent journalists. Sounds like a mix between Volv and Substack. I think we’re going to see a boom in independent media companies in response to the collapsing broadcast and digital media ecosystems, as well as the success of Substack.
Ashley Flowers' Crime Junkie podcast raised $40 million from The Chernin Group, valuing the company at $250 million. Crime Junkie is the second most popular podcast in the U.S. and turned a profit of $45 million last year. Part of the investment will go towards recording video episodes to expand their YouTube audience and hosting more live events. TCG has also backed Hello Sunshine and Barstool Sports.
Amazon has gained control of the James Bond franchise from the Broccoli family, and now Bezos will get to control who plays Bond. I imagine this was the moment he realized he’d made it.
The U.S. is in the middle of a Med Spa boom, and I can see it on your faces. According to data from the American Med Spa Association, the industry expanded more than sixfold from 2010 to 2023, from about 1,600 locations to more than 10,000. Average annual revenue per spa more than doubled during that period, reaching almost $1.4 million. Nationwide, med spas were a $15 billion business in 2023, with most analysts predicting that the industry will continue to expand by about 15% per year in the future.
A free newsletter from Ochuko?! Name a better way to start the week.
someone plz help my tired millennial ass remember the difference between alix earle & alex cooper bc I honestly can never get it straight 😅