CULTURE NOW

PHOTOGRAPHER VIKTORIJA PASHUTA @viktorija_pashuta
PRODUCER/CFO JACKSON CHONG @jacksonchong_
STYLIST MICHELLE WU @michellewustylist
KATHERINE MONCADA @beautybykathh
HAIR ANASTASIA TEREBOVA @anastasia.terebova
MAKEUP KSENYIA BERNKHARDT @kseniya_bern
MODELS ANGELINA PIRTSKHALAVA @angelinapirts ALEXIS TAYLOR @theindustryla
PHOTO ASSISTANT REGINA KERZUNOVA @regina_kerzunova

In the age of social media obsession, influencer culture, technology reliance, and the lure of luxury brands, our society is undergoing a significant shift in how we perceive and construct our identities. With filters, Photoshop, and unrealistic beauty standards, our fixation on appearance has reached an all-time high. Influencers have become our new idols, offering us constant exposure to their seemingly perfect lives and aesthetics. Designer labels are being used to parade clout and dress up our insecurities. Likes and comments have become our benchmark for validation and self-worth. And with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), our world is struggling to find balance between leveraging its benefits and preserving human connection. This constant exposure has led to the subtle loss of our individuality and genuine experiences. Our culture now currently fosters an illusion of connection and authenticity, while many of us feel more isolated and lost than ever before.

STATUS UPDATE: MY SELF-ESTEEM IS ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON THE NUMBER OF LIKES I GET ON A SELFIE. PLEASE VALIDATE MY EXISTENCE.

AI IS THE NEW DRUG, SERVING CONVENIENCE WHILE STEALING OUR HUMANITY.

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO’S THE MOST MATERIALISTIC OF THEM ALL? 

DROWNING IN LABELS, YET STILL SEARCHING FOR IDENTITY 

SUPERFICIALLY CONNECTED SINCE FOREVER 

FOLLOW ME FOR A CURATED LIFE THAT DOESN’T EXIST 

CONSUMERISM: THE ART OF BUYING THINGS WE DON’T EVEN    NEED WITH MONEY WE DON’T HAVE TO IMPRESS PEOPLE WE DON’T EVEN LIKE. 

WHO NEEDS AUTHENTICITY WHEN WE CAN FLAUNT A NEW HANDBAG AND THE ILLUSION OF AN ELEVATED SOCIAL STATUS?