Pop Culture In Review: Q2 2025
Q2 was a huge quarter for fashion, girl bosses and pop music
Fashion World Shakeups
On June 2, Vogue announced that Jonathan Anderson will be the sole Creative Director at Dior — unifying the men’s and women’s lines for the first time since Christian Dior himself led the brand. Anderson was already introduced as the men’s director in March 2025 after his 11-year run at the helm of Loewe. Under Anderson’s direction, the Spanish fashion house became an intellectual, eccentric cultural force.
“He is the most talented designer of his generation,” Delphine Arnault, chair and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, told Vogue on Monday.
This news came during a time of numerous shakeups across the industry in 2025. The year began with Kim Jones’ exit as artistic director of Dior Men followed by the brand’s women’s director Maria Grazia Chiuri. In March, Donatella Versace stepped down as acting Creative Director after 30 years. She remains at the brand as Chief Brand Ambassador, while Dario Vitale, formerly of Miu Miu, now oversees the brand’s direction.
The cascading effect eventually led to further departures affecting Gucci, Balenciaga, Chanel, Valentino, Celine, Bottega Veneta, Maison Margiela and Mugler. Adding to the year’s high-profile exits, Anna Wintour announced she would step down as Vogue’s Global Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer after nearly four decades at the helm, marking the end of an era for one of fashion’s most influential voices.
The MET Gala Celebrates Black Style
This year’s Met Gala delivered a showstopping tribute to Black dandyism under the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” This year’s exhibit celebrated centuries of Black excellence.
Standouts included Teyana Taylor’s ruby red zoot suit, Pharrell Williams’ pearl-adorned Louis Vuitton ensemble, Zendaya’s crisp white three-piece suit, and Rihanna’s dramatic pregnancy reveal in a Marc Jacobs corset suit. The queen, Diana Ross, stunned in an 18-foot embroidered train, while Colman Domingo honored André Leon Talley with a regal Valentino cape.
The night blended cultural storytelling with exquisite tailoring, sparking conversations about fashion as both an art form and an expression of identity.
Taylor Swift reclaims her masters
Taylor Swift has officially reclaimed ownership of the master recordings for her first six albums, spanning from her 2006 debut through Reputation (2017), in a landmark deal, reportedly worth around $360 million, with Shamrock Capital. This milestone caps a six‑year battle that began in 2019 when Scooter Braun acquired her Big Machine masters, prompting Swift’s unprecedented “Taylor’s Version” project and launching the record‑shattering Eras Tour.
This triumph restores full creative control, with Taylor now owning everything from audio and videos to unreleased material. Swifties celebrated hard, propelling her back‑catalog sales and streaming to New Heights (IYKYK). Her original masters saw a 55% spike in catalog streams, jumping to 30.6 million plays in one day following the announcement. Specifically, Reputation re-entered the Top 5 on Billboard charts, with on-demand streams up 125% to 34.75 million after Swift mentioned she was no longer prioritizing her Reputation (Taylor’s Version) re-recording.
Hailey Bieber sells Rhode; Justin Bieber acts a Fool
Hailey Bieber finalized a landmark $1 billion deal on May 28, selling her skincare and beauty brand, Rhode, to e.l.f. Beauty for $1billion, including $600 million in cash, $200 million in stock upfront, and another $200 million tied to performance-based earnouts. She’ll remain on board as Rhode’s Creative Officer and lead its innovation efforts.
Launched in June 2022 during the height of the pandemic, Rhode quickly rocketed to $212 million in annual sales thanks to its minimalist, affordable formulas and viral TikTok and Instagram campaigns that resonated deeply with Gen Z. Hailey’s beauty empire reached new heights with the deal — and she capped off the moment by landing the coveted June 2025 cover of Vogue, cementing her status as a business and cultural force.
However, her husband, pop icon Justin Bieber, managed to steal the spotlight in early June with cryptic and incredibly tone-deaf social media posts about Hailey’s Vogue shoot, combined with a string of unpredictable public appearances that stirred speculation about their marriage and overshadowed her success.
Lorde, Miley Cyrus, Sabrina Carpenter and Addison Rae release new music
Pop music showed real signs of life this quarter, ushering in an exciting blend of reinvention and fresh arrivals. Lorde made a critically praised comeback with Virgin, blending bold electronic textures and deeply personal themes that resonated both on the charts and in cultural conversation. Miley Cyrus followed with Something Beautiful, a vintage-inspired mix of pop, disco, and psychedelic rock that earned respect for its fearless experimentation, even if its sales fell short.
Meanwhile, Addison Rae’s debut album Addison cemented her evolution from viral celebrity to legitimate pop force, backed by polished singles and a sharp rebrand that excited the public. Plus, her album was created entirely by women, from production to creative direction. We love!
Sabrina Carpenter continued her hot streak, building on the success of Short n’ Sweet with its deluxe edition while teasing her next project, Man’s Best Friend, arriving in August. Its lead single, the country-pop-tinged “Manchild,” quickly gained traction, but the album cover sparked controversy. The artwork, showing Sabrina on hands and knees with a suited man grabbing her hair, drew criticism as misogynistic and overly sexualized. However, some argue it’s a provocative commentary on the male gaze. Personally, I thought we were taught not to judge a book by its cover — maybe we should wait to see what the music has to say.
