What I Learned as Host
Miloni Kothari
It was extremely overwhelming when I was offered the opportunity to host “Independent Thinkers: The Rise of Generation Z” series. My fellow intern Caitlin, and I teamed up to create the questions that would capture the essence of Gen Z shopping expectations and habits. And then we each identified three individuals from the generation that we felt would share their honest opinions and belief systems.
I chose two classmates in the Fashion Management program, Prachi and Megan, whose inputs throughout the program have often baffled me. Additionally, I chose Mrudula, a friend and former classmate based in India who has a passion for living a sustainable lifestyle. And finally, I recorded and edited each episode, which you can now listen to here, or on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms.
My key takeaways and learnings from hosting and producing these episodes are:
1. The value and beliefs which Mrudula has for a brand really goes beyond what we see on social media and reflects the importance of each individual to change lifestyles and shopping habits. This process is constantly evolving and for ta generation who have everything on their fingertips, it emphasizes the values which leaders and management can bring to the table and implement. Whether or not it’s possible to forgive a brand was an important question, for me, in this interview with Mrudula. It was so surprising that this generation is not interested in forgiving or unless a brand made a significant amount of change and it was something you could feel.
2. For a generation that documents their life on social media, Prachi emphasized that this generation requires more than just a content, but a community built on core values. The queue’s outside a store are not only about the products inside, but the overall effort a brand puts into through their social media, influencer marketing and even in-store. Prachi requires honesty coupled with effortlessness, pointing out customers are not just consumers, but friends of the brand.
3. When Megan said, “In America, we vote with our dollars,” I was immediately struck with how true this is for me. In fact, I would say it is true for any country. As a generation, we really invest in brands that not only offer a product and a service, but also have a core value system. It is like making a friend for life—with whom we share common beliefs and traits. Prachi and I also discussed whether we really need fashion shows everywhere for every season, and that perhaps brands shouldn’t come out with new product just to have new product, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.
It as really thrilling and informative to interview this fashion-forward generation. It like an honest conversation and gave me hope that we can create change in the world.
Miloni Kothari is a MPS Fashion Management graduate student at Parsons School of Design in New York City. She is also an intern for the Retail Revolution podcast this summer.
