The Next Generation Is Watching
Not just what we make, but why we make it.
We live in an age of infinite scroll. Where a piece of clothing can go viral in seconds and disappear into oblivion in minutes. Where brands are built on aesthetics, not values. And where everyone wants to go “global,” but few want to start with local.
But here is the truth no one is saying loud enough:
The next generation is watching.
And they are not just watching what we make.
They are watching why we make it.
They can smell performance from purpose.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha grew up with greenwashing campaigns, diversity panels with no diversity, and brand taglines that scream "activism" with zero follow-through. They know when a brand is posturing. They know when your "wokeness" is strategy, not soul.
They are not interested in perfection.
They are interested in authenticity.
And that is much harder to fake.
Streetwear was born in protest. Now it is made in factories.
The world didn’t need another hoodie. What it needed was a voice.
Streetwear, in its true form, was never about fashion.
It was about frustration. It was about freedom. It was about identity.
But somewhere along the way, we lost the plot.
Logos got louder. Messages got quieter.
Cool replaced culture. Aesthetic replaced activism.
And we started designing for virality—not for value.
Design is no longer neutral.
If you are building a brand today, you are not just creating products.
You are shaping narratives. Shifting culture. Choosing sides.
So ask yourself:
Are you glorifying excess or standing for ethics?
Are you inspired by “what sells” or what matters?
Are you borrowing from cultures or building with communities?
Because this generation is asking the hard questions.
And they are asking them out loud.
The global south is not silent. It is just ignored.
For too long, the fashion narrative has been shaped by the West.
Design inspiration still flows from European runways.
Validation still comes from Western media.
Meanwhile, the streets of Chennai, Kanpur, Surat and Aizawl remain untapped goldmines of culture, creativity and character.
We don't need permission to tell our stories.
We need platforms. We need purpose.
We need people who are brave enough to break patterns.
A logo won’t save you. But a why might.
There is fatigue. From trends. From tokenism. From templated aesthetics.
The audience is changing.
They are not chasing brands—they are chasing belief systems.
They want to belong.
They want to believe.
So build something that doesn’t just look good.
Build something that means something.
The next generation is not the future. They are already here.
They are watching you.
They are following you.
They are reposting, calling out, cheering on—and quietly deciding what kind of world they want to inherit.
Will your work be a part of it?
Because the next drop, the next idea, the next movement—
will not be driven by clout.
It will be driven by consciousness.
By culture. By courage. By community.
So let us make it count.
Let us stop creating for the algorithm.
And start creating for the moment we are in—and the world we want to see.