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Gen Z

Interior of a brick and mortar Studs location

The End of Commodity Piercing and the Rise of the Experience Economy

Studs co-founder and CEO Anna Harman has spent the past decade building and scaling consumer businesses at the intersection of operations, technology and omnichannel retail. In this Expert Insights Q&A, Harman examines what Claire’s bankruptcy reveals about the state of the commercial jewelry industry, and why piercing is no longer a commoditized service, but an experience-driven category shaped by trust, education and self-expression. Harman explains how Studs is redefining piercing for Gen Z and millennials, and why the brands that win next will be the ones that invest in expertise, consistency and meaningful consumer connection.
By Sonia Rubeck

How Luxury, Experience and Education Are Redefining the Global Bar Scene

Adrian Biggs has spent more than 15 years shaping global cocktail culture, drawing on a career that spans fine dining, craft bars, hotel operations and more than a decade with Bacardi across the U.S., U.K. and New Zealand. In this Expert Insights Q&A, Biggs explores how emotional connection, analog experiences and the rise of destination bars are redefining luxury for a new generation of drinkers—and why mentorship, craftsmanship and storytelling remain essential to the future of hospitality.
By Sonia Rubeck
A business man at the beginning of a winding business journey

From Profit to Purpose: The Next Generation’s Values Are Rewriting the Rules of Success

Ted Swimmer, head of commercial banking at Citizens, examines how the next generation’s evolving definition of success is reshaping expectations for companies, banks and leaders alike. Drawing on his experience advising middle-market and large corporate clients, Swimmer explores why businesses must move beyond traditional growth metrics to embrace purpose, inclusivity and long-term value creation.
By Ted Swimmer
A young person holding papers in an office

Autonomy, A.I. and Why Gen Z Is Already Redefining Work

By Julia Haber
A platinum opal and baguette diamond ring

Heritage Craftsmanship Meets Sustainability: The Rise of Antique and Vintage Jewelry

By Olga González
An illustration of a person standing at the end of a walkway that leads to a colorful keyhole

The Entry-Level Crisis and the Talent We Can’t Afford to Lose

By Dr. Kathy Bloomgarden
A young woman on the exhibition floor of Art Basel

Swipe Right for Art: How the New Collectors Are Rewriting the Rules of the Art World

By Jennifer Findley
A vintage storefront filled with nude mannequins, all facing away, as an older woman walks by. The image is rendered in a bold magenta and violet duotone.

Gen Z and the Post-Mall Mall

By Tori Palone
Illustration of a person walking toward a glowing, swirling path shaped like a keyhole, symbolizing access to a new, transformative way forward.

Why Gen Z Is Turning Away from Leadership—and What It Means for the Future of Work

By Megan Dalla-Camina

The Coming A.I. Catastrophe for Middle America’s Gen Z

By Mark Minevich
Porsches cars outside a luxury apartment complex.

Carmakers Are Foraying Into Unconventional Lifestyle Partnerships to Woo Gen Z Buyers

By Abigail Bassett
TikTok

Viral TV and Movie Clips on TikTok Are Creating a Unique Problem For Streamers

By Emily Horgan
The Robinhood logo appears on a phone screen.

Is Robinhood’s New Media Venture Actually ‘Brilliant’?

By Rachyl Jones
Side profile of Congressman-Elect Maxwell Frost, who is dressed in a grey suit speaking onstage into a microphone.

Maxwell Frost, the First Member of Gen Z Elected to Congress, Explains How Unions Became Cool

By Courtney Vinopal

Power Employers: The Companies US Students Most Want to Work For

By Courtney Vinopal
New York mayor Eric Adams

NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ Attempts To Connect With Gen Z Seem Doomed To Fail

By Isabella Simonetti

Y2K Fashion Is Having a Moment, But Leave These 5 Trends Behind

By Morgan Halberg
Illustration of a stylish woman in a vintage convertible, wearing a white headscarf and black gloves, driving along a coastal road with the ocean in the background.

Is Millennial Disease Here to Stay?

By Richard Kirshenbaum
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