Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

In the turbulent economic environment, money is losing its value. Consumers are reevaluating their spending across sectors. With a looming crisis of trust in financial institutions, how are people managing their budgets? And how can brands navigate the complex relationship between value and cost?

Despite the rise of embracing natural ageing among Gen Y and X, Gen Zers aren't adopting these attitudes. Driven by exposure to unregulated skincare information, AI filters, and toxic narratives around ageing online, they’re displaying worrying concerns about ageing and investing in elaborate skincare routine...