Latest news with #GenZ.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Palak Tiwari just rocked a boho-desi navy lehenga and we are obsessed with every detail
Palak Tiwari showcases a navy blue lehenga, redefining ethnic fashion for Gen Z. Her collaboration with Masaba Gupta features a halter-neck blouse with a palm tree motif. The lehenga skirt has nature-inspired digital prints. She accessorized with bangles and jhumkas. Her makeup included smokey eyes and nude lips. This look is suitable for pre-wedding events. Palak Tiwari is on a mission to redefine Gen Z ethnic glam and she's doing it one unforgettable lehenga at a time. The actress and certified fashion icon recently stepped out in a navy blue lehenga that's a lesson in effortless elegance with a touch of bohemian flair. Spoiler alert: if you're hunting for the perfect pre-wedding look, you might want to start taking notes. In a head-turning collaboration with designer Masaba Gupta, Palak became the ultimate muse in a two-piece ensemble that merged contemporary edge with classic desi charm. The spotlight piece? A halter-neck blouse that skipped the heavy embroidery in favour of minimalism with meaning. Sitting right at the centre was a tiny yet striking palm tree motif in earthy greens and browns - a playful nod to nature that made the piece feel fresh and unique. The neckline, dusted with gold embellishments, added just the right dash of shimmer against the inky navy backdrop. But let's talk about that lehenga skirt because wow . Designed with dramatic flair, the voluminous silhouette was a riot of nature-inspired digital prints. Think structured kalis, rich floral motifs and a high-on-detail waistband that framed her midriff beautifully. The shades of red, yellow, and green cascaded vertically in perfect harmony, making the entire outfit feel like wearable art. The pairing of a sleek blouse with a bold, floor-sweeping skirt hit all the right notes. It's the kind of look that's made for mehendis, sangeets, or even a glam bridesmaid moment. Palak balanced the drama of the lehenga with styling that leaned into boho-cool aesthetics - stacked bangles, a statement ring, and jhumkas with pearl droplet detailing. She skipped the necklace altogether, and smartly so letting the blouse and her collarbone do all the talking. Her makeup look was equally on point. A soft glam base with a healthy flush on her cheeks and a pop of highlighter gave her that radiant-from-within glow. But the real moment was her eyes - a smokey, kohl-laden gaze that added intensity and drama. Nude lips, a teeny-tiny bindi, and beachy waves in her hair pulled it all together into one stunning, scroll-stopping ensemble. Palak Tiwari continues to serve looks that bridge the gap between modern cool and traditional grace and this navy lehenga moment is yet another reason why her fashion file is one we can't stop flipping through. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
'I'm not against food influencers — as long as they aren't just trying to get a free meal'
If there's one thing that's inescapable, it's social media. We're all on one platform or another and it's reported that more than 60% of the world's population are social media users. While some might use it as a way to connect, a large slice count themselves as influencers who engage with their audience and guide their habits. In the food and drink world, there are influencers everywhere you look. Whether it's amateur food critics or recipe developers, whatever you're into, you'll find it online. Here, in Ireland, homegrown food influencers have proven their worth across the sector, particularly since the beginning of the pandemic, promoting venues across the country, collaborating with those in the industry, and helping to create a richer, more inclusive digital food scene. But what do those working within the industry think of them? For Janet Liu, founder of the award-winning dumpling spot Janet's, located at Dublin's Eatyard, social media and food influencers have been crucial in her journey to success. Janet Liu: It changed my life when influencers started to post about my food 'I started posting on Instagram when I opened Janet's in 2020 but I didn't know what I was doing. My simple strategy has always been to offer good food and the best customer service, then if people like it, they might share,' explains Liu. 'I haven't done any paid promotion with influencers, but I have invited some to my dumpling classes, but only those that were my true customers first. 'I have to know that they've tried my food. The invite was a way to show I appreciate them. There wasn't any pressure to post — I thought if they want to, then they might post, but if they don't want to, then they don't need to. 'Some did post, like Dublin Foodie Twins, and I remember when Marcus [O'Laoire] posted, people really started booking. It meant that in the winter time, when the restaurant is not as busy, I was kept going and could give my staff enough hours. It changed my life, when influencers started to post and the bookings started.' A DJ and food content creator currently working as brand director for Lovin' Dublin, Marcus O'Laoire has grown a massive following for his videos. His video highlighting the dumpling-making experience at Janet's has been viewed more than 40,000 times on Instagram and almost 10,000 times on TikTok. Boasting around 120,000 followers across both platforms, O'Laoire says that his followers generally fall within the 23-40 age bracket, with most based in Dublin, to which he's tailored his content. It's a clever strategy as this age group makes up the majority of social media users, with millennials topping the list, followed closely by Gen Z. Targeting the latter has become a crucial task for the hospitality industry as recent reports from global market research firm CGA by NIQ found that one in seven Gen Z adults say they're more likely to buy a drink based on 'Instagrammability' and to select a brand or restaurant based on how trendy it is. In short, if you're not trending, you need to think again. 'I basically use TikTok as a search engine now. When I'm looking for somewhere to go out and eat, I open the app and search, or check videos I've saved, then I pick from there. If their feed isn't great or I don't see that many videos from other people about that restaurant, that might change my mind,' explains marketing professional Emma Blanchfield, who counts herself as a serious consumer of food-related social media. While established restaurant critics will be the first port of call for many, Emma leans towards social media for her recommendations. 'Before, maybe I would have checked Tripadvisor or top-10 listicles, but I don't know the last time I've looked at those — now I actively search TikTok for recommendations. 'That's the beauty of these apps, they've given anyone the ability to post. This new wave of content creators seems more organic, more authentic, and natural, and that's what I like.' Marcus O'Laoire has grown a massive following for his videos. Being authentic while striking a balance between branded and original content seems to be key when enticing, and retaining, followers. For O'Laoire, that's translated to about 5% ads within the last 138 videos he's posted — after challenging himself to post a video a day this year so far, he's seen his followers grow by thousands, and his authenticity is something he believes is a big part of this. 'It's absolutely key to what makes good social media. If you're not authentic, people can smell it a mile away and if all you're doing is branded content people tire of that really quickly. You have to be authentic and understand your own voice. Creating with intent and understanding makes a difference,' he explains. 'There's a bit of mutual back scratching when it comes to the hospitality industry, I suppose. I try to communicate the food I'm cooking and the restaurants I eat at, and I think that I'm lucky to have a platform where I can champion the industry a bit.' If the role of the influencer is to champion and highlight food in Ireland, then it might stand to reason that the relationship between the creator and the industry is symbiotic. While it is to a degree — that's why you see people posting off their own back and restaurateurs extending invites to influencers in the hopes of seeing a TikTok or two appear — it's not wholly viewed that way by all. For Keelan Higgs, owner of Michelin-starred Variety Jones ( @variety_jones) in Dublin, he's seen the benefit of the restaurant's own social media, but isn't fully sure about influencers and their impact on his business. Keelin Higgs in the Michelin-starred Variety Jones 'Of course, social media is a very important tool — we have 20,000 followers for the restaurant now on our own platforms, and that helps to get our message out there, but whether that actually helps to get people into the restaurant regularly, I don't know,' Higgs says. 'We haven't done any sort of paid content with any influencers. I'm not saying I'm against it, but it would have to really align with what we're trying to do. I know we've popped up on influencer videos, and I have no issue with it, as long as there aren't influencers trying to come in and get a free meal in exchange for a video, that gets a bit sticky for me. 'At this level, more people find us through the Michelin app than anything else but you'd be a fool to think that influencer videos don't help get what you're doing out there to more people. For me, I like to think what's good for the goose is good for the gander, and long may that continue.' And yes, our feeds are saturated, but according to Claudia Surya, the face behind @eatdrinkdub, there is still a long way to go for food influencers and their relationships with the hospitality industry in Ireland. In fact, Surya says Ireland is behind our global counterparts when it comes to partnerships. Claudia Surya: 'I'm not sure people fully value content creation and what it can do' 'I started my page when I moved to Ireland seven years ago, purely to find places to eat. I didn't buy magazines or newspapers so I created this page to help educate people on places in Dublin. 'At events now, there's usually a combination of influencers and journalists, so I think we're now equally important to brands, but I think Ireland is behind other countries when it comes to the relationship between hospitality and influencers,' Surya says. 'In Asia and in London, the relationship is much stronger. I think, for it to serve everyone, the hospitality industry needs to get better at marketing or have people who will engage the right influencers to represent their brand. Learning to approach content creators and influencers will help the industry. 'I'm not sure people fully value content creation and influencing, and what it can do.' Food lovers to follow Marcus O'Laoire, Cassie Stokes, Claudia Surya, and Éadaoin Fitzmaurice Marcus O'Laoire While he's been a familiar presence online over the past decade, DJ, brand director at Lovin' Dublin, and former chef Marcus O'Laoire has seen his online popularity grow massively in 2025 — he now has almost 100k followers on Instagram ( @ and 23.1k on TikTok with almost half a million likes on the latter platform. Posting a combination of easy-to-follow recipes, restaurant recommendations, travel content, and personal stories, O'Laoire has become a trusted source for his followers thanks to his easy-going everyman personality and level of interaction. Cassie Stokes Focused on food, travel, and Irish pubs, Cassie Stokes has 88.1k followers on TikTok ( @cassiestokes1111), with almost two million likes on her videos, and 248k followers on Instagram, where you can find her at @cassiestokes. A former television presenter and content creator for Lovin' Dublin, Stokes went viral for her 'Best of' videos where she interviews people about their favourite cafes, pubs, and restaurants around the country and beyond. With engaging and easy-to-consume content, Stokes' videos highlight spots worth travelling to and trying. You can expect to see recommendations and experiences mixed in with taste tests, travel vlogs, and cooking videos on her channel. Hugely popular, Stokes has seen her content go viral plenty of times, with upwards of one million views on some of her videos. Éadaoin Fitzmaurice Savvy gaeilgeoir Éadaoin Fitzmaurice has a CV rich in content creation that has led her to create her social media services company FIA, but she's well known for her work with The Try Channel on YouTube, the Going Viral podcast, and formerly with Lovin' Dublin. Prevalent on Instagram with 314k followers and TikTok, where she has 157.5k followers and 3.7 million likes (you'll find her at @eadaoinfitzmaurice on both), Fitzmaurice's content highlights travel and lists of things to try or places to visit, all centred around food. She has made a name for herself thanks to videos like her personal travel itineraries, sea swim excursions, and must-try Irish places for first-time visitors, which gained her 7.4m views on Instagram alone. Claudia Surya The face behind @eatdrinkdub on Instagram (83.9k followers) and TikTok (65.8k followers and 1.7m likes), Surya's premium quality personable content focuses on food in Dublin and travel, with easily digestible videos her signature. You'll find that she covers food from all corners of the world across her platforms, highlighting personal favourites, and interactive experiences. With her dependable recommendations showcasing something for everyone, she focuses on the capital and the breadth of options available there, from Michelin level to favourite coffee shops, and everything in between.
Evening Standard
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
London travel news LIVE: Rush hour chaos as several lines facing severe delays
Nobody would ever spend more than £7.50 for a fry-up, spaghetti bolognese, or a plate of jerk chicken, despite the kitchen's inability to handle the outpouring demand from Gen Z. The recent, albeit erratic, interest from a group of talented TikTokers led to the addition of £1 to each.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Livvy Dunne surprises fans with adorable nickname for Paul Skenes as she drops swoon-worthy birthday post for boyfriend
Paul Skenes gets the cutest birthday gift ever from girlfriend Livvy Dunne (Instagram/Olivia Dunne) On May 29, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes celebrated his 23rd birthday, and girlfriend Olivia Dunne made sure the day didn't pass without a heartfelt shoutout. With her signature charm, the LSU gymnast turned social media sensation shared a carousel of affectionate moments with her 5.3 million Instagram followers, melting hearts with every swipe. From love notes to nicknames: Livvy Dunne 's birthday post for Paul Skenes is all fans can talk about 'Happy birthday little baby @paulskenes 🤍🎂,' Livvy Dunne wrote, keeping the caption short but packed with love. The first image? A candid snap of the couple enjoying a serene dinner date, with Skenes munching on a fry as Dunne laughed lovingly beside him. It's a photo that encapsulates their chemistry—intimate, lighthearted, and completely in sync. The post, filled with a total of seven photos, offered fans a rare glimpse into their private world. From goofball selfies to prep moments before the 2025 BBWAA Awards Dinner and cuddles with their golden retriever Roux, Dunne's 'photo dump' was more than just a birthday tribute—it was a digital scrapbook of two young stars living in the moment. The couple's journey began at LSU, where both were collegiate athletic standouts. Romance rumors swirled for months before Skenes finally confirmed their relationship in August 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Since then, they've become a beloved fixture in the world of sports and social media—appearing together at games, events, red carpets, and magazine features. In fact, their joint appearance in GQ earlier this year cemented their 'It Couple' status among Gen Z. Dressed to the nines for a chic photoshoot, the duo discussed their early dating days. Dunne hilariously recalled, 'I was like, 'Who is this kid and why won't he follow me back?'' Skenes, who is notably low-key online, hadn't even realized he left her hanging. Their bond goes far beyond social media appearances and public admiration. In March, Dunne's gymnastics season ended abruptly due to an avulsion fracture in her kneecap. Though Skenes was away in spring training with the Pirates, his gesture spoke volumes. 'He had Starbucks and flowers and Raising Cane's delivered to me,' Dunne told PEOPLE, highlighting how he showed up for her even from miles away. Now a three-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, Dunne has continued to juggle fame, fitness, and a thriving relationship with grace. From Puerto Rico to Portugal and now the cover of the 2025 edition with a stunning Bermuda shoot, her modeling career has soared, even as she bids farewell to collegiate gymnastics. Through it all, Skenes has been a grounding presence. Whether it's adjusting bowties before events or stealing kisses at LSU, their shared moments show us what young love, built on mutual respect and support, can look like in the spotlight. As fans flood the comment section with birthday wishes and admiration, one thing is clear—Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes are more than just a pretty pair. They're building something real, one sweet memory at a time. Also Read: A.J. Smith-Shawver injury update: When will the Braves rookie pitcher return after manager Brian Snitker says "doesn't look good"
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Gen Z, don't be fooled by GenAI financial advisers
THE wealth management industry is prepared to court its newest potential clients: Gen Z. Instead of trotting out older professionals with decades of experience, companies are utilising generative AI to develop digital assistants. These new 'experts' even come with the ability to use slang to appear relatable and relevant to their target demographic. Embracing the newest technology is yet another cultural shift in the financial services landscape that disrupts some of the norms in the industry. We've seen it with the development of robo-advisers and the rise of 'finfluencers'. Cue the traditionalists turning their noses up at how far the financial advice field has strayed from its origins. After all, future iterations of GenAI really could accelerate the long-prophesied doomsday for flesh-and-blood financial planners. But now isn't the time for humans to declare defeat. Until advanced versions of the technology arrive, people should be doubling down on the one significant advantage they have against their digital counterparts: soft skills. Providing investing advice is only one facet of the job. The role is part therapist, accountability coach and teacher. Real people can push back against panicked requests to sell in a turbulent market instead of simply executing an order. A person understands how and when to ask more questions to determine the reason behind a request for conservative investments such as bonds or CDs (certs of deposits) even at a young age when it's detrimental to be overly cautious. The problem for many young adults is that accessing this more holistic approach, which goes beyond stats and data, is costly. Financial advisers usually get paid in one of two ways: assets under management (AUM) – a percentage of a customer's investments each year – or a flat-rate fee. The latter varies based on the level of service. A comprehensive financial plan can cost thousands of dollars. AUM ranges from 0.25 to 1.5 per cent, with some advisers reducing the cost as the size of a portfolio grows. The greater barrier to entry is the possible minimum investable assets requirement, which often hovers between US$500,000 and US$1 million. Fifteen years ago, these factors prohibited access for millennials. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 3 pm Thrive Money, career and life hacks to help young adults stay ahead of the curve. Sign Up Sign Up Cost-effective alternatives This reality paved the way for cost-effective alternatives in the form of robo-advisers, such as Betterment and Wealthfront, with significantly lower AUM and no asset minimum. The companies sent shockwaves through the industry as many wondered if machines would finally usurp man. As years passed, it became obvious the two could have a symbiotic relationship. In fact, it turned out millennials ultimately did crave some soft skills, which led to platforms launching versions that gave customers access to humans. Instead of cratering the industry, the robo-advisers forced their living counterparts to compete in different ways. Some diversified their services, including offering virtual counsel, and others targeted less-affluent clientele. While it's easy for the regular consumer to conflate a robo-adviser with GenAI, the two are not the same. The latter is built on language-learning models instead of the mathematical-centric AI models and machine-learning algorithms that provide the underpinnings for companies such as Betterment and Wealthfront. Gen Z investors may be more attracted to GenAI because it can simulate how people speak and even look. Plus, the cohort is more primed to be early adopters of the tool. They've grown used to receiving free, one-size-fits-all money guidance online. A stunning 77 per cent of teens and 20-somethings use online platforms and social media to answer their money questions, according to a 2025 Credit Karma survey. But they should remember that the technology's modern iteration is new and, like humans, fallible, which results in inaccurate or misleading information known as 'hallucinations'. Bullish on AI Even with all these issues to resolve, companies are bullish on GenAI's ability to spit out 24/7 guidance and woo new clients. Arta Finance, a wealth management startup, is at the forefront of providing an AI financial adviser with Arta AI. The 'AI agents', as the company refers to its investment planner, product specialist, and research analyst offerings, can respond to queries by voice or text (and do so in the aforementioned generationally appropriate slang). Arta is only available to accredited investors and offers access to human professionals, but the company plans to make Arta AI available to other financial services companies – a move that could give all kinds of retail investors access to its product. It's likely that plenty of platforms won't wait to license the service and instead will develop their own. Robinhood Markets plans to launch Robinhood Cortex, an AI-powered digital research assistant, this fall. The app offers a variety of investing options, including Robinhood Strategies, the company's robo-adviser. Unlike Arta Finance's offering of real-life advisers alongside its AI agents, Robinhood customers can currently only access a support team, which is mostly available to handle administrative questions. And that's a huge pitfall. Companies that don't prioritise establishing relationships with real professionals can cause retail investors to panic in turbulent times, especially novice ones who are able to access advanced opportunities, such as trading options. Granting inexperienced customers access to higher-level investing products without proper support can be financially, mentally and emotionally ruinous. Robinhood should know. In 2020, it paid the largest Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fine in history – US$70 million – for its technical outages, lack of due diligence before approving customers to trade options and sending of misleading information. There is a place for AI in the financial advisory sector, and in due time, it will become a dominant feature. That part is clear. But it's also obvious that rushing the timing would be a mistake. BLOOMBERG
