Authenticity has become a key factor in what’s “in” versus what’s “out.” This cultural shift has impacted every type of media. Simply put, people want something they can relate to. Society has started to focus less on perceived or potential lifestyle and started focusing more on the reality of that lifestyle. For many years, authenticity has been wanted or preferred, but now, it is demanded.
Why is this shift happening?
Most regular people have caught on to the notion that no one is perfect. Not only is perfection unrelatable, but it is also nonexistent. To act like it isn’t upholds an unrealistic notion that perfection is a necessary element to success. People have become skeptical of “perfect” influencers and media. Some people even find faux perfectionism to be tone deaf – in a world filled with chaos, how can anyone really have their shit together?
Celebrities, influencers, and even brands used to feel the need to appear perfect in the public eye, but now imperfection matters much more. In the past couple years, there has been a push for artists to write their own music, brands to admit when they mess up, and influencers to promote realistic lifestyles on social media.
The Future Hollywood
With paparazzi watching their every move, especially in the 2000s, celebrities had to guard their personal life and their imperfections for fear of criticism. Any wrong move could destroy a career or lead to a nasty headline. But, celebrity hate campaigns have switched places with criticism of the media, guiding celebrities to show imperfections without feeling like they're under a witch hunt. In 2021, the #FreeBritney movement, relating to Britney Spears’ financial and personal conservatorships, took the media by storm. This movement also shed light on how badly the media treated Spears in the past. Society started discerning that the media was a nasty monster to many celebrities, especially women. But with authenticity now being valued, celebrities can be imperfect without expecting massive critique.
The Media Landscape
Vulnerability is crucial. Without vulnerability, authenticity cannot exist. An artist who has gotten some criticism for not being vulnerable or authentic in their art is Dua Lipa. Many people have mentioned the lack of personalism in her lyrics as inauthentic. This is likely a reason for the decline in sales that Lipa has brought in with her albums.
In 2020, Dua Lipa released her sophomore album, “Future Nostalgia” to both critical and commercial success. “Future Nostalgia” won Dua Lipa the “Best Pop Vocal Album of the Year” at the following year’s Grammy Awards and achieved over 3.3 million sales in its first year. Dua’s third and newest album “Radical Optimism” received mixed critical reception, with one critic noting the album’s “lack of depth and risk.” “Radical Optimism” has also garnered a much smaller number of sales than its predecessor. Although part of this could be because of other factors such as production, genre, and vocality, society’s expectations of authenticity and vulnerability have been an influence as well. Neither album was extremely personal or vulnerable lyrically, but with this new shift, what once was acceptable or even wanted is now disapproved of.
On the other side of authenticity is Charli XCX’s 2024 album “Brat.” Receiving wide-spread critical acclaim, with many pointing out XCX’s vulnerability in her lyrics, “Brat” showed the culture the importance of vulnerability, authenticity, and individuality. This authenticity has helped XCX to gain a large number of fans she did not previously have.
Looking (fashion) forward...
Typically, trends in one form of art transfer over to others. The rise of authenticity has made its way into musicians and lyricists, brands, influencers, movies, TV shows, and even reality TV. Consequently, it’s easy to see how the shift could flow into fashion.
Currently, personal style barely exists. Due to fast fashion and micro trends, it is hard to feel comfortable in or even understand your personal style. If TikTok ever actually gets banned, micro trends will likely die off, and personal style will return. Until then, all we can do is wait.
Although the shift has not exactly taken place yet, the ball is starting to roll. Some TikTok influencers have started pointing out that you can tell when someone’s style holds no significance to who they are. This conversation is especially happening in relation to men’s jewelry and when it does not represent their “true spirit.”
This shift means that “the people” have caught onto inauthenticity and are skeptical of what they see or hear online. Artists cannot get away with inauthenticity like they could have in the past. Brands cannot deceit consumers without fallout or pushback. Influencers cannot uphold unrealistic standards of life without receiving criticism. This standard for art is starting to hit fashion, and it will lead to a notable change in the fashion industry.
By: Sam Tritto
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