Being called a “Nepo Baby” once carried real cultural weight, a public naming of the hidden systems of privilege shaping Hollywood and the media industry. But somewhere between memes, magazine taxonomies, and ironic self-awareness, the accusation lost its edge.

There is a particular irony in the way Frida Kahlo exists in the world today. Her face, crowned with flowers, and her iconic brows, stares out from tote bags, T-shirts, mugs, and phone cases. But to reduce her to an icon is to misunderstand the very core of who she was. Frida Kahlo did not paint to be admired. She painted to survive.

The cool girl used to feel like something you stumbled across rather than something you could study. She existed in that slightly untouchable space where nothing looked forced, and nothing needed to be explained, because she was not looking for approval.

We all watched Gossip Girl, do not even try to act above it. We learned what desire looks like in a limousine. We learned what betrayal feels like on the steps of the Met. We learned that power couples kiss like they are about to destroy each other. And we learned a specific, dangerous question through Blair Waldorf: Security or passion.

A new season is not about buying a new personality. To lead you through the overload in the stores, here is Affect’s Spring Guide. 

We all know it. We all love it. And at some point, we’ve all had it: the Nike Air Max. The shoe everyone knows. A silhouette that’s been part of growing up. From school hallways to city streets, from first outfits you were proud of to the ones you’d rather forget. More than just a sneaker, it became part of the culture.

“Was he written by a man or a woman?” What began as a joke quickly became a lens. A way of categorizing fictional characters, then celebrities, then men encountered in real life. The question spread because it named something people already felt but had not articulated yet: the way characters are written reveals deeper assumptions about gender and power.

When Timothée Chalamet recently claimed that ballet and theater might be losing relevance, the reaction was immediate. The internet did what it does best. It got loud, defensive, emotional. But strip away the noise for a second and something more interesting appears.

Tomorrow, on March 24, 2026, Disney+ is bringing back a piece of pop culture many of us grew up with: a Hannah Montana anniversary special.

For years, Gen Z has been accused of lacking work ethic. What once circulated mainly in opinion columns and social media debates has now reached the political mainstream.

From childhood expectations to adult pay gaps, the data shows how inequality follows women through every stage of life.

AFFECT caught up with actress Hannah Schiller at the Berlinale for the premiere of Liebhaberinnen. We spoke about growing up between opera and film sets, learning to navigate an adult industry from a young age, and her intuitive approach to acting.

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are setting the internet on fire, but the real shock is the film itself. Wuthering Heights is unhinged in the best way: obsessive, visually excessive, emotionally feral. This isn’t polite period drama. It’s gothic madness dressed in couture.

Everyone is suddenly counting the days because February 17th marks a real energetic shift. Chinese New Year arrives and with it the official goodbye to the Year of the Snake. A cycle defined by control, survival, patience and power dynamics finally closes.

Valentine’s Day is loud. But love didn’t suddenly appear on the 14th. When was the last time you celebrated your friends as intentionally as you celebrate romance?

AFFECT caught up with Ruben, the creative force behind Nowrubi, in his Berlin atelier. Ahead of his first Fashion Week show, he spoke about bold silhouettes, discipline, childhood influences, and the one-second wow moment that defines when a look is truly finished.

Bad Bunny’s GRAMMY moment wasn’t about triumph, but about direction. One sentence reframed a decade shaped by fear and division, asking what happens if love becomes a collective choice again.

Berlin Fashion Week FW26 starts here. With NEXT GEN, PLATTE returns as the city’s kick-off platform, presenting an immersive pop-up and exhibition curated by Sven Marquardt. Six emerging designers explore fashion beyond trend rooted in identity, craft, and Berlin’s raw creative energy.

January 24th: International Education Day. Education is a right, not a privilege. While some of us stress over exams, millions worldwide can’t even step into a classroom. From Malala Yousafzai to Kailash Satyarthi, people have fought to break these barriers. It’s time to challenge inequality, speak up, and make learning accessible for everyone.

As the new year begins, it’s easy to feel pressure to transform overnight. But growth doesn’t always announce itself with big changes. Sometimes it’s quiet, steady, and invisible, the subtle shifts in how we cope, how we stay grounded, or how we simply keep going. This piece is a reminder that being the “same me” can be progress, too.