Taste vs Trend: Why We Want What Everyone Else Has ?

The other morning, I was waiting in line for coffee when the girl in front of me caught my eye. She couldn’t have been more than fifteen, and hanging from her oversized tote was a little gremlinish plush doll, the Labubu.

“You like your Labubu?” I asked her, mostly out of curiosity.

She glanced at it, shrugged, and said, “I guess. But it’s just what everyone has right now.”

That reply didn’t just surprise me, it stuck.

Because here was this strange, slightly terrifying toy being carried with pride, not because it sparked joy, but because it was the norm. And it made me wonder, when did we start choosing things not because we love them, but because everyone else does? Do we not have unique tastes anymore? Do I like something because of me or because of someone’s influence?

The $150,000 Toy

But, before getting stuck in a philosophical rabbit hole, let’s zoom out for a second. If you’ve never heard of Labubu, you’re probably living under a rock. But, let me give you a refresher. Labubu is part of the Monsters series created by artist Kasing Lung and popularized by the Chinese brand Pop Mart. What started as a niche designer toy has become a global obsession, especially across Asia, with resellers flipping rare Labubus for eye-watering prices.

In June this year, a human-sized mint-green Labubu was auctioned in Beijing for over 1.08 million yuanaround $150,275. [1] It was the first official Labubu auction, and collectors showed up in droves, online and off. In total, that single auction raked in 3.73 million yuan, and Pop Mart’s Labubu-related sales have reportedly crossed $418 million just last year.[2]

The toy has become more than a toy. It’s a trend. A collectible. A signal. A flex.

But the question that hit me standing in line that day wasn’t about the doll. It was about how quickly we start wanting things just because everyone else does.

From Trend to Trend to Trend

The Labubu story is just one among many. In the past few years alone, we’ve seen the sudden rise of polkadots, Stanley cups, coastal cowgirl outfits, jelly handbags, balletcore, tomato girls, and even shoulder-shrugging raccoon memes turned into fashion motifs.

Fashion historian trend-watchers call this the age of microtrends. “Trends” that used to last at least a season, now form and collapse within weeks. And all it takes is a viral TikTok, a celebrity sighting, or a brand drop, and the next “must-have” is already in your saved tab. [3]

Latest reports on fashion analytics suggest that the average trend lifespan has dropped by nearly 50 percent in just five years. That means by the time something reaches you, it might already be “last season”. [4][5]

And the scariest part? Most of these trends aren’t even designed to last. They're engineered to disappear.

The Hidden Cost of the Hype

It’s easy to roll your eyes at all this and think that you’re not one of them. I mean, you don’t have a collection of Stanley cups or are desperate to get your hands on a Labubu. You probably don’t even consider yourself the kind of person who follows trends. But, trends have a sneaky way of finding us. One minute you’re just browsing for something. The next, your explore feed is full of it. And it starts to feel… normal and even desirable.

But behind the scenes, this constant chase is leaving deeper marks.

On the environment: According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the fashion industry produces almost 100 million tonnes of garments every year [6]. Add to that the fast-produced toys, accessories, packaging, and seasonal junk, and we’ve built an engine of overproduction whose job is to push us things we probably don’t even like.

On our minds: Trends train us to consume reactively, not mindfully. They nudge us into thinking that liking something is less important than being “seen” liking something. And, just like that, before you know it, your choices are no longer your own.

So it is time we ask ourselves, when everything we choose is influenced, what’s left that’s truly ours?

There Is Still Hope

I am saying this not as someone who is above it all. I’ve bought the trendy thing. I mean, I have a Stanley cup that I take with me everywhere. I’ve caved to the algorithm. I’ve added things to cart that didn’t feel like me, but felt safe because everyone else seemed to be doing it. And I too have a closet filled with things I don’t need. But I am learning to be better.

I have understood one thing. If trend is reactive, then taste is intentional.

Taste is slower. Taste is yours. Taste isn’t what gets likes, it’s what makes you feel like yourself again.

And it is something that we can reclaim. So, stay tuned for the next article where we talk about what taste really means and how we can get ours back.

But till then, the next time something goes viral, ask yourself: do I love this, or do I just love being part of the moment? And if you need someone to keep you accountable, hit me up!