Dubai Chocolate bars, Matcha powder, and Labubus were all just products until they were in demand. It is in that demand that lies some controversy; a question of whether these items are bought out of appreciation or shameless ‘trendhopping’ for social benefit.
When dissected, these products have absolutely nothing in common. One is a chocolate bar, one is a Japanese beverage, and another is a collectible bag accessory. Social media gave these products a reputable name and a reason to be swiped from shelves.
In late 2023 and early 2024, influencer Maria Vehera posted a viral TikTok video of a chocolate bar created by FIX Dessert Chocolatier. With its unique pistachio cream and kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) filling, Vehera’s viewers were inspired to try it.
This new sweet was coined as ‘Dubai Chocolate.’ To profit from this green treat, stores began to sell it all over the world, and some even made their own variation of it. Over 1.2 million bars were sold in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
To follow, Labubus became another international sensation after Korean pop artist Lalisa Manobal (otherwise known as Lisa), posted the plush on her Instagram page. As a response to this drive of consumers, CEO Wang Ning of PopMart was able to prioritize other product drops and essentially thrive off the success of Labubus.
Uniquely, Matcha’s rapid popularity can be pinpointed to its health benefits. Following trends, cafes such as Dunkin’ and Starbucks have added the drink to their menu.
To keep up with demand, companies have resorted to quantity over quality. In hand here, companies are not the only factor to blame: overconsumption is the main issue that drives society towards certain products. People may feel compelled to rush to buy things out of fear of missing out. In this case, overconsumption has led to a matcha shortage, causing Japan to have a limited supply.
Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS) freshman Tushara Varanasi has never owned a Labubu nor taken a sip of matcha. She states, “I feel like people worry about them [performative items] too much, and there are more important things you could be spending money on.”
This degree of conforming has been deemed as ‘performative’: idea that branching out to items that were previously liked by niche communities is all for show. Likewise, there is much to be discussed about the niche communities themselves. Specifically, the assumption that females were the sole buyers of the products.
For senior Enzo Rabines, the idea of ‘performativity’ has impacted the way others treat him. According to his friends, Rabines is considered the performative male of the group. When it came down to him acquiring his taste in fashion, it seemed to be far from just conforming. He says, “I put on some Uggs because my mom got them for my birthday, I used my tote bag [I got] from the library, and then [my outfits] just started piecing together,” all of which were Rabine’s authentic ways of obtaining a style.
However, other men conform to popular trends for social leverage. Where the mainstream style for males is generally a masculine look, the ‘performative style’ conflicts with that idea. Rabines himself states, “Guys need to make themselves look soft or cute to appeal to [some] girls.”
There are people besides men who thoroughly enjoy ‘performative items.’ Sophomore Brianna Guerra got her Labubu back in June in Dubai, and she’s been obsessed with it ever since. She expresses, “I love my Labubu so much! It’s the perfect color, and I even bought clothes for it. It’s hung on my purse and goes everywhere with me.”
Whether it’s performative or not, these products are something people find joy in. That being said, they can decide for themselves if buying the newest trends is just for show or a genuine interest. There is no telling what the next big trend may be.
