Matcha over masala chai. Japanese jazz-funk on loop. A vintage tote stacked with Joan Didion and zines from a Berlin press. Clothes that toe the line between Pinterest aesthetic and personal style. In 2025, taste isn’t just what you like but it’s how you move through the world. Across fashion, food, music, art, books, and even the cafes we linger in, a new kind of consumer has emerged. One that’s careful, discerning, maybe even a little ironic in their choices. They scroll, sure. But they also resist. They collect aesthetics like they collect records: not to impress, but to make sense of themselves. For them, the algorithm is a tool, not a god. Is this the new “hipster”? 

Books
Plot over aesthetic

Neelam Sharma, a 39-year-old book influencer on Instagram, doesn’t trust the algorithm any more. With 26,800 followers, she once rode the Bookstagram wave with its hyped titles, trending shelves and dark academia filters. But the romance faded. “The hype kills the real artistes,” she says, pointing to indie authors and overlooked literary gems buried under #shelfie culture. “Reading’s become a trend like fashion. But real literature doesn’t wear well on Instagram.”

Neelam Sharma. PIC COURTESY/ NEELAM SHARMA