Selvedge - Issue 121

Issue 121: Adorable November/December 2024

As this issue goes to press, memes promoting "mindful and demure" behaviour are flooding the internet. Yet, kawaii, Japan's culture of cuteness, has long influenced social media with its traits of shyness, vulnerability, and charm, rivalling trends like Cottagecore and Coquette. The popularity of cuteness was highlighted by high attendance at Somerset House’s exhibition Cute, and Selfridge’s sold-out Jellycat pop-up, where people paid £200 for plush “meals.”

In this issue, we explore cute through textiles. Characteristics like small scale appear in everything from Queen Mary’s Dollhouse to faux fur. Cute often triggers our protective instincts, not just for babies but for objects like plushies and taxidermy. It plays with the tension between perfection and vulnerability, balancing sweetness with rebellion. This aesthetic, linked to a sexless femininity, thrives in fashion collections globally, blending romanticism with a sense of unease.

In a troubled world, cuteness remains a dominant cultural force, offering a safe retreat as social media continues to embrace the demure trend this summer.