What are young consumers being told is the next big thing? We’ve flipped through the pages of this month’s Seventeen, Nylon, and Teen Vogue so you don’t have to, looking beyond the faces on the cover and the traumaramas to report on the trends, fashions, and ones to watch within:
One To Watch: Teen Vogue is calling Shamir Bailey a young “genre-defying” talent who is “shaking up the scene.” The 20-year-old Las Vegas native emailed his tracks, which are a blend of disco and pop, with a countertenor vocal twist, and landed a record deal. His debut album Ratchet is the world’s introduction to his individual style. Millennials and teens are growing up in a time when genre-less music has more appeal than ever, and we can add Shamir to the list of young artists who refuse to fit into traditional music categories.
Issue of the Month: One would think that hearing loss is something that only the grey-haired have to worry about, but Teen Vogue readers are being told it’s a huge concern for their generation. According to a World Health Organization report, more than a billion teens and young adults are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss thanks to their love of blasting tunes on speakers and earphones.
Young Entrepreneur to Know: Many teenagers do not want to talk publically about buying bras, but according to Seventeen, one 19-year-old is “reshaping the bra business.” Megan Grassel launched her own bra line via Kickstarter when she was just 17, when she tried to shop for bras with her younger sister but thought the options available were either too sexy or too blah. Her sister and her friends test-wore the line, and her brand messaging all about empowering young girls. We wrote last month that Aerie, the lingerie line that has received kudos from young consumers for challenging beauty standards in marketing, is partnering with Yellowberry for a limited edition #AerieForYellowberry collection is meant to provide younger girls with a stepping-stone to the older brand.
New It Girl of Comics?: Noelle Stevenson has become a comic book and graphic novel It Girl thanks to her female perspective and storytelling. The 23-year-old wrote a graphic novel about a misfit shapeshifter has senior thesis after falling in love with web comics. HarperTeen officially published that book, Nimona, last month, and Stevenson is now writing for Marvel series.
