Mainstream institutions briefly courted TikTok stars then retreated

Evidence

A two-tier celebrity system emerged. Traditional stars like actress Zendaya and tennis player Naomi Osaka navigated the offline world and won roles as Louis Vuitton spokespeople. In 2021, the establishment dipped their toes in Gen Z waters as TikTokers Addison Rae, Jackie Aina, Nikkie de Jager, and Emma Chamberlain attended the Met Gala. By 2024, the organizers recanted: Only Chamberlain and Wisdom Kaye attended that year. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 673

Categorization

• XREF: The two-tier celebrity system and the failed Met Gala crossover are evidence for Marx’s claim that Gen Z’s culture developed separate from, and failed to integrate into, the traditional institutions — key to period-four structure.