Klarna Discovers Humans Have Uses After All (And Other Shocking News)
✨Welcome to Wednesday, futurists.
This week, we’re breaking down the analysis of The Met Gala in two parts.
First, on the podcast, we followed eBay's ongoing investments in the event and its timing in the cultural conversation given tariffs, DIY culture, and secondhand markets. Follow along on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify.
Then, on Insiders, we’re going deep on the importance of the event itself, its fundraising goal, and its role in the culture—what role brands and fashion play, and how DEI messaging can often conflict with the causes they aim to support.
— Phillip
🔮P.S. After School’s Casey Lewis joins the VISIONS Summit lineup! Independent media has never been more authoritative, and vital, than it is right now. And the “superformat” of legacy and independent media is driving growth for brands and publishers alike.
Hear from Casey Lewis, Ben Dietz of SIC, Daisy Alioto (DIRT), and Erica Chen in this dynamic panel, as well as 15+ speakers at VISIONS Summit: NYC.
👉Get the full list of sessions and grab your seats (going fast!) today at futurecommerce.com/visions
Cultural Armor or Costume Party?
The Metropolitan Museum's marble halls have long hosted fashion's most elite carnival, but this year's red carpet procession carried unmistakable political weight. As cultural institutions weather financial siege from a hostile administration, the Gala transformed from mere spectacle into something more potent: a referendum on whether fashion's appropriation of marginalized aesthetics constitutes meaningful solidarity or simply another form of extractive commerce.
Between champagne toasts and carefully choreographed photo opportunities, a deeper question emerged: When rebellion is reformatted for elite consumption, does it retain its revolutionary power?
Or does Black dandyism—a centuries-old tradition of resistance through sartorial excellence—become neutralized when filtered through luxury's commercial lens?
Luxury Music to My Ears. Valentino is building an audiophile temple at its Madison Avenue boutique where the truly fashion-forward can listen to music in a way that's vastly superior to your pathetic AirPods. The “immersive architectural experience” will be an intimate listening room, equipped with a bespoke sound system, that reflects the distinct vision of creative director Alessandro Michele.
Soundscapes are curated by Terraforma, the Italian cultural collective, and the space is outfitted with a handcrafted multifunctional listening console and modular seating with velvet cushions, creating a luxe experience for any audiophile.
L’Atelier Sonore will run from May 16 through the end of August for “open listening” and “private sessions” for friends of the couture house.
While restaurants and cafés are currently the hot concepts for luxury houses, Valentino has launched several experiences that incorporate music, theater, and film. Earlier this year, Michele conceptualized and launched a pop-up cinematic experience that brought Italian filmmaking to Abu Dhabi.
🔮 Deeper Dive: We covered the trends of experiential cafes and pop-ups in Architecting Desire and Sipping Status.
Beyond Beds-as-a-Service. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has a new mission: to transform the now-established travel/lodging service into an everything app. Chesky laid out his vision for Airbnb’s future as a services match-maker and booking tool for photographers, personal trainers, and at-home chefs.
Following the flawless example set by Elon Musk's X transformation, Chesky plans to onboard 10,000 service vendors across 260 cities, ensuring users will soon need a graduate degree to navigate the app that used to just help you find a place to sleep. WeChat accomplished this in China, so naturally it will work perfectly in Western markets where people love having one company control every aspect of their lives.
Come for the Instagram, Stay for the Heartburn. Sort-of-good-for-you soda brand OLIPOP opened an exclusive drive-thru experience in LA to celebrate the return of its Orange Cream flavor. Bubbling with nostalgia, the soda calls back to the burger drive-ins of yore, which made the drive-thru’s 50s vibe a win on vibes alone. However, it was actually the brand’s quirky mocktail list, which included “Dirty Protein Soda" and "Spicy Pickle Soda,” “Cereal Milk Soda,” that made the pop-up a social media magnet, especially given the surge in content featuring “dirty soda” recipes.
As visitors chugged down their fizzy concoctions, they could shop OLIPOP-branded Crocs, embroidered T-shirts and tanks, and even pop-up themed air fresheners and tote bags. The pop-up was only one day, but a virtual iteration is open through May 19, so customers can enter to win exclusive prizes.
Our Take: Although wellness is a core component of the OLIPOP brand, the pop-up’s focus on nostalgia, virality, and lifestyle reaffirms that CPG brands need to think much bigger if they want to be core to consumers’ lives. They are not just looking at CPG brands as “point solutions” to meet a direct need. They want brands to extend into all the critical areas of their lives that support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. And yes, that includes having fun and being part of a relevant community moment.
Providing a fun and themed backdrop for visual content capture allows for greater participation and, in turn, creates a sense of belonging with a brand. At a time when many consumers are trading down brands to save a few bucks, those moments of physical connection are key.
If consumers won't pay higher prices for a product, maybe they'll pay premium prices for a photo of themselves with the product.
AI Role Reversal. After an AI-driven hiring freeze that lasted more than 12 months, Klarna is reversing course on its big AI plans. The BNPL player is hiring human customer service agents again after experiencing “lower quality” output in customer-to-bot interactions. This insight significantly contradicts the company’s previous PR narrative that AI could do the work of 700 customer service agents. While Klarna’s CEO is backtracking on his hot-and-heavy stance on AI-driven service, brands are continuing to explore the evolution of customer care and the distinct roles of humans versus machines. During SubSummit later this month, Future Commerce’s Alicia Esposito will be moderating a chat with executives from TUSHY and IPSY to explore this very topic. Click here to learn more.
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