The latest rumblings on the Innanet. Will these conversations drive culture forward or fall flat?

New Balance Wins Footwear News Company of the Year Award

Brand president and chief marketing officer Chris Davis is a humble brag type. Makes sense. If I were in charge of New Balance, I would be, too. New Balance won the FN Achievement Awards (FNAAs) for Company of the Year, which is another plaque on his shelf. Davis took to LinkedIn earlier today to boast about the brand's "tremendous growth and relevance" sustained through a "laser focus on our core brand truths and living our culture everyday." He asserted that New Balance's success is not solely due to its bottom line but to its brand self-awareness (that's a new one), authenticity, and an "honest vision to carry the future." He's been fairly lucky; a lot of the brand's trajectory has been due to its understated yet inclusive appeal. The only issue is that New Balance's leadership team lacks diversity. It's lilly-white. Being authentic is intrinsic. The most disturbing thought is the realization that New Balance has 12,000 "associates," as Davis concluded, with all of them belonging to just about every race, religion, gender, and creed known to man. Still, there's not one person of colour on the board that they've got to answer to. Will that change in 2025?

Verdict: Warm.

Dolce & Gabbana and Skims to Launch Limited Edition Collaboration

Business of Fashion reported that Skims co-founder Jens Grede revealed at the BoF Voices 2024 conference that the loungewear brand is collaborating with Italian luxe fashion house Dolce & Gabbana. This is no surprise; SKIMS lead face Kim Kardashian has been a longtime muse to Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Thanks to her ex, she's transcended the trashy reality TV world and become a global fashion icon, allowing her to leverage her coveted access to make significant gains. I've bought a few SKIM pieces; most friends rate the brand. But of course, I'm giving a side eye, considering that Kardashian remained alarmingly quiet during the elections. That said, this collaboration is a hot moment. Besides, we're heading towards some hard times, and a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

Verdict: Hot.

Unicode Drafts New Emojis for 2025

In Gen Z and Gen Alpha news, the Unicode Consortium could release more emojis. New additions include a distorted smiley face, an orca, a treasure chest, several ballet dancers, and a Big Foot-inspired "hairy creature." However, if you want to add these forms of self-expression to your repertoire, you'll have to wait until September 2025. Bummer.

Verdict. Very Warm.

Bumble Predicts Dating Trends for 2025

Bumble's The Buzz (okay?) revealed a research report they conducted with over 40,000 Gen Z and millennial Bumble members worldwide* (I'll leave the asterisk to them). Apparently, dating in 2025 will be a transitional for us. Despite the recent elections, which raised major concerns about reproductive rights, and the rise of the 4B, 5A, 6J, 7X, and 8Z movements, which see women cutting off men's access, period, we're still out in the world searching for love. How so?

Micro-romance: We want simple gestures instead of holding up stereos outside our windows.

DMV (Date With Me): If I'm getting ready for a date, I'll livestream it on TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube—ideally all five. Once the date's over, I'll share how it went. If they call, share it. If we argue, share it. Another form of voyeurism.

On the Same (Fan) Page: Bumble attributes this to "getting involved in activities and social communities can make you more appealing to potential partners." I can get with this. Opposites don't necessarily attract. It's exhausting to entertain people you don't truly connect with, hoping you'll grow on each other one day. Lord knows I've made that mistake.

Male-Casting: Setting the stage for men to define what "positive masculinity looks like." No comment.

Future-Proofing: Vetting from the jump. It's a lovely idea in theory, but it's not uncommon for people to get distracted by good looks, charm, money, and all the trappings that can put us in Cupid's chokehold. Easier said than done.

Guys That Get It: Making “keeping it real” the unofficial motto of 2025. That's very cute.

While I commend the effort, Bumble missed a big opportunity to engage this golden audience with meatier topics, such as how global politics affect their dating choices, issues around class, and the intersection of religion, race, sexuality, and gender. They missed the mark big time.

Verdict: Colder than Siberia.

Pharrell Williams is GQ's Designer of the Year

Well done, Skateboard P. Not every day, we see a young black person's steady rise to the top. At 51, Pharrell can reflect on his accomplishments and accolades and admit to being the shit. He knew that from a young age, but now the world finally gives him his flowers. He's men's creative director at Louis Vuitton. He's on the cover of American GQ, and he's still fine as hell. He's styled in bohemian looks, a bit of '90s grunge, a sprinkle of Rick James, and some rugged workwear, and you know Pharrell Williams is still the same person we know and love—just an upgraded version. More will come from me on this story.

Verdict: Hot.

That’s it for today. Until next time.

Ciao Edie!