e4m & Lodestar UM podcast: Women Gen Z reshaping categories from fashion to finance

Aditi Mishra, CEO, Lodestar UM, and Kulanath Kaushik from Lodestar UM’s strategy team explore how women Gen Z are redefining consumer choices

by e4m Staff
Published: Sep 11, 2025 9:10 AM | 2 min read

Podcast: Categories, Brands & Women Gen Z

In the second episode of the podcast, Aditi Mishra, CEO, Lodestar UM, and Kulanath Kaushik from Lodestar UM’s strategy team explore how women Gen Z are redefining consumer choices across fashion, luxury, travel, food, alcohol, technology, and finance, revealing why brands must stay agile and authentic to keep pace.

About the second episode

Titled “Categories, Brands & Women Gen Z”, the episode dives into how young women balance style and comfort in fashion, experiment with beauty norms, and lean towards authenticity in personal care. “There is no hardwired look anymore,” said Aditi Mishra, pointing to the acceptance of diverse styles and body types.

Luxury, once centered on ownership, is increasingly weighed against experiences like travel. Anuja, a Gen Z participant, highlighted the trend of FOMO in travel: “You just see the story, but it affects you… social media makes the illusionary world look normal”.

Food and alcohol reflect evolving social openness. “If I am wanting to have a drink, it’s fine - it’s a choice. Take me as I am,” said Swati, underlining Gen Z women’s pushback against judgment and their desire for independence.

The episode also captures candid p4erspectives on technology and work culture. Ovia, another participant, remarked: “Work-life balance is definitely a myth… you are always with your technology”.

Running close to an hour in length, the episode highlights how women in Gen Z are challenging conventions and setting new expectations for brands and society alike.