Gen Z Trends: A New Status Symbol Emerges

Gen Z continues to reshape the cultural landscape with fresh trends that are quickly becoming the new norms. DKC’s latest report outlines this influential group’s fast-evolving preferences—and how they’re shaping everything from online behavior to recent lifestyle choices.

From Substack's timely takeover to The White Lotus shaping our summer mood boards, we're always unpacking how what we're reading and watching translates into our lives IRL. And with Gen Z rewriting the rules of online presence, this month's trends come with an air of mystery...here's what's making waves in March. 

The new Gen Z status symbol

The new Gen Z status symbol? 📵Being offline📵

In a world where oversharing has become the norm, a quiet counterculture is emerging...Digital minimalism ❌📲

• Yes, that’s right: being super online is now becoming super uncool 🆒
  • Oversharing is out, privacy is in. 🤫
  • Instead of hyper-curated, public-facing content, people are leaning into: 
    • Private group chats💬 
    • Finstas and burner accounts 🤳
    • Instagram's Close Friends lists 👥
  • Because, tbh, in 2025 - mystery is emerging as the ultimate flex 

It’s time to unpack everything The White Lotus

HBO Sundays 🗓 are so back with The White Lotus Season 3

• 🗣But let’s chat about the chokehold that our favorite destination drama has on us…🗣
• We all know about the ‘White Lotus Effect’ – how TV shows influence the way we travel✈️ 
  • Thailand’s Koh Samui resort is already getting a boost in interest from IRL tourists 📈
  • This season's self-care-focused themes are boosting wellness tourism trends, too 🧘
• It’s not just travel:🧳🌺 ”White Lotus-core” is emerging as summer’s preferred fashion aesthetic🧳🌺
  
  
  • We’re channeling opulent, maximalist resort wear everywhere 👗👒
  • Fans are even taking to Reddit to track down exact pieces from the show 🔎
• 🌟Season 3’s stars are also capturing everyone’s attention 🌟
  • Skims just launched a collab with our favorite frat boy turned corporate nepo baby, Saxon (aka real-life nepo baby, Patrick Schwarzenegger) 📸
  • Piper, nooooo! 💗The internet is obsessed with Parker Posey’s accent💗
    • Naturally, TikTok is already busy remixing her iconic lines🎵

All the cool girls are on Substack

These days everyone seems to be migrating over to the publication platform 

• Because let’s be real, Gen Z isn’t flipping through the Sunday paper. 📰 They’re reading:
  • After School by Casey Lewis 🎒
  • Feed Me by Emily Sundberg 🍽
  • Sh*t you should care about ‼️
  • ICYMI by Lia Haberman ⏮️
  • The Weekly by Gabby Whiten💋
  • & more….
• It’s where we go to get gossip, get recs, and get cultured 
  • Carrie Bradshaw would have loved it here. 💌
• And brands are getting the memo, too 👀
  • The RealReal just launched ‘The RealGirl’ (which we can’t wait to read) 
  • Beauty brand Saie and wellness brand Loftie are also churning out content 
• Media, writers, creatives, influencers, consumers, etc. ✅
  • If you’re not on Substack, wyd??