The Weekly Digest: February 2-8th

Let's chat consumer culture.

Welcome to the first edition of the Weekly Digest—a bite-sized breakdown of everything that shaped consumer culture over the past seven days. From viral product launches to shifting shopping habits, we’re diving into the trends, controversies, and conversations that defined the week.

Let’s Digest!

1 - The Parke Valentines Day Drop

This week I became educated on the world of Chelsea Parke, an influencer who started the self-named apparel brand in 2022.

Parke graced my For You Page because their whole collection sold out.

Earlier this week, Parke was set to release its highly anticipated Valentine’s Day Drop, featuring themed mockneck sweats and sweatpants priced between $85 and $185. As expected, hopeful buyers flocked to the site, ready to claim their pieces. But for many, the experience ended in frustration—items vanished from carts, technical glitches ran rampant, and within moments, the entire collection was sold out. Leaving cards in hand and empty carts.

Parke has mastered the art of engineered scarcity, turning every drop into a high-stakes event.Disgruntled shoppers took to TikTok to commiserate, igniting conversations about the drop model many influencer-led brands now rely on. Parke’s approach doesn’t just create demand—it creates an identity. The quick sell out and technical issues drove many to oppose the drop system and inconsistencies left customers questioning whether these high-intensity drops are truly worth it. At what point does exclusivity stop feeling aspirational and start feeling exploitative?

2 - Trump’s Tariffs

Trump’s taxes are expected to lead to an $800 increase in taxes per U.S. Household in 2025. These tariffs are primarily against imports from China,Mexico and Canada. Over 50% of US produce comes from Mexico, so we can expect an increase in grocery prices.

Considering 90% of America’s avocados come from Mexico, the extra guac at Chipotle will definitely cost you. From a fashion perspective I wonder if there will be a shift to U.S. produced fashion and diminish the allure of fast fashion brands - which is part of the goal.

3 - The Grammy’s

Are the Grammys a Measure of Greatness—or Just a Popularity Contest?

Last Sunday’s Grammys once again ignited online warfare among music fans, sparking the usual post-award season debates. Every year, social media becomes a battleground where fandoms clash over what defines true success in music.And at the center of it all? Consumption.

Many argue that the artist with the most streams, radio plays, or chart success should automatically win. After all, doesn’t raw data prove an artist’s impact? But while commercial dominance is quantifiable, the Grammys aren’t the Billboard Hot 100—winning isn’t based on numbers alone.It may be February but this isn't the Super Bowl, winning isn't based on a score.

This year, much of the discourse revolved around Beyoncé’s long-awaited Album of the Year win, after losing the category four times before. Some fans of Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish felt she didn’t deserve certain awards, citing streaming records as proof. They pointed out that Birds of a Feather racked up 2 billion streams, while The Tortured Poets Department became the only album in Spotify history to hit 1 billion streams in a single week—outpacing Cowboy Carter’s numbers.

But here’s the thing: the reward for high consumption is already built into the industry. That’s what plaques, certifications, and chart records are for. The Grammys, on the other hand, operate on a different standard—one that’s inherently subjective. A governing body selects nominees and votes for winners; if pure numbers dictated success, there wouldn’t be a need for committees, ballots, or deliberation.

Watching these debates play out is frustrating—especially as a fan of all three artists. My 2024 has been soundtracked by all three albums. Yet, instead of celebrating artistic diversity, these conversations often fall into the trap of fandom-fueled tribalism. The way stan culture enforces loyalty, suppresses dissent, and polices opposition almost resembles cultural fascism—where personal taste is weaponized, and female artists are constantly pitted against one another in the name of proving who’s “more deserving.”