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New York Post
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- New York Post
This is what Gen Z is obsessed with right now: Parke, Labubu and more
The scene is like something out of a turn-of-the-millennium teen movie — swarms of co-eds roaming college campuses, all wearing the same sweatshirt. This time, however, it's not a vintage Gap ad come to life — and modern girls are paying even more for the privilege of looking exactly like their peers. The object of their fashion affection is a $125 pullover from Parke, an out-of-nowhere online clothing company started by a Jersey girl influencer — and Gen Z's gotta have it. Advertisement 'It's almost like a status kind of thing,' Long Islander Gabriella Fischer, 20, told The Post of the spendy sweaters. 13 Parke is a fast-growing online clothing company known for its sweatshirts, which range in price from $125 to $140. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 13 Long Islander Gabriella Fischer, 20, said it's a 'status thing' to own one. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement Chelsea Kramer founded her clothing label Parke, which is her middle name, in 2022 and started selling the now-inescapable Parke Varsity Mockneck less than two years ago. The sweatshirts are pretty exclusive — if you're not on the website when there's a drop, you're out of luck. Fischer owns four Parke sweatshirts and said most girls in her sorority at Penn State own at least one. 13 A big part of the hype around the sweatshirt is that sense of feeling included, said Fischer, pictured here with friends Samantha Rothseid, Kali Versailles and Ella Szerencsy. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement 'You see people with the new sweatshirt, and everyone would be like, 'Oh my god, you got the new Parke,'' Fischer said. 'But I think once everyone has it and it becomes easy to get, it's not going to be as trendy.' Parke's limited collaborations are the draw — one with activewear brand Set Active was what put the company on Shirel Bendavid's map. 'It was all over my feed, and the aesthetic immediately caught my eye,' she told The Post, adding that she now owns three Parke sweatshirts, one from that collaboration. 13 'It's worth it,' Shirel Bendavid said. Courtesy Shirel Bendavid Advertisement 'Parke sweaters have that 'cool girl' look — effortlessly trendy, comfortable and visually appealing,' she said. 'Plus, being a relatively new brand adds to the excitement and sense of exclusivity.' The price of the sweatshirt definitely makes the girls pause, but for someone who loves fashion and staying on trend, Fischer believes 'this is the item to buy right now.' 'Once I saw more and more people wearing it and seeing it still be on trend after a few months, I was like, OK, it's worth it,' she admitted. 'If you're willing to have spent $130 on a sweatshirt, I would tell you it's worth it.' 13 Parke sweatshirts drop online — and only the fastest can scoop them up. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Bendavid agreed. 'I only buy items I absolutely love and know I'll get a lot of wear out of.' Last year alone, Parke netted $16 million in revenue, Kramer told The Cut — and even she finds the cult status 'actually insane.' 'I think there's that element of virality, where…one person's wearing it and then the next,' Kramer told Glossy Pop in October. 'We could probably sell a garbage bag.' 13 'This is the item to buy right now,' Fischer said. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement However, some have accused the brand of selling cheap duds at high prices. Abby French, known as @sustainablefashionfriend, went into 'private investigator mode' and screenshotted all of Kramer's videos to dig deeper. She believes Kramer buys $15 sweatshirts on Alibaba, puts 'PARKE' on them and sells them for over eight times the price. 'If a brand is telling you that they're transparent, they should at least be a little bit transparent, even if it's in pricing or where it's made,' French, a 29-year-old sustainability consultant, told The Post. 'You should be asking more from a brand that is charging you a lot for something.' 13 Parke netted $16 million in revenue, its founder said. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement 'I genuinely feel upset seeing all of these college girls buying this sweatshirt,' Mallory Brooks, @plzdontbuythat on TikTok, who works in textile and apparel design, told The Post. 'You're not buying something that has inherent value… What you're being sold is inclusivity, a sense of belonging.' But Parke isn't the only status symbol Gen Z is vying to spend money on. Here are some other things the young ones are blowing their cash on right now. Soho shopping sanctuary 13 Brandy Melville, often referred to as just 'Brandy,' is the cool spot in Soho for Zoomers to shop and hang. Tamara Beckwith The name on every Gen Z's lips is 'Brandy.' Advertisement Brandy Melville, the one-size-only stores that had their heyday in the early 2010s, is now being rediscovered. Lines formed at NYC stores within the last year, partly due to its TikTok-famous employee, Allegra Pinkowitz, who shares her outfits of the day while waiting for the subway. 13 Edikted is another shopping destination for tweens. Tamara Beckwith That's what's driven most early 20s shoppers to Soho — particularly on the block of Broadway in between Broome and Spring streets, which New York Magazine dubbed 'Tween Row' — as they wait in lines for Edikted, Princess Polly, Garage and PacSun. Advertisement Along with 'basics,' these stores sell resurrected trendy duds like extremely low-rise shorts, studded denim and chiffon tanks. Labubu lunacy 13 The status markers are everywhere — dangling from purses, backpacks and water bottles — but they're hard to come by. REUTERS No, Labubu is not the new internet slang for lobotomy. The creepy dolls with a monster-like smile might be the singular It item of 2025. The round and furry collectibles with pointy ears have been dubbed the 'Birkin bags of bag charms' because they're so exclusive. The $27.99 keychains are exclusively manufactured by Pop Mart and are sold in blind boxes, so the buyer doesn't know which Labubu they're going to get. The exclusivity around the trinket went into overdrive thanks to known Labubu lovers Lisa of Blackpink, Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Hilary Duff. 13 The internet calls them the 'Birkin bags of bag charms' because they're so hard to come by. JESSICA LEE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Pop Mart brick-and-mortar stores, like the one in the World Trade Center, have seen hourlong lines of people trying to get their hands on the beloved figure, as have the store's Robo Shop vending machines. New releases sell out online in seconds, and almost immediately, they go up on reselling sites such as eBay or StockX for triple the price. They're so hard to find that people are now actively seeking out the knockoff version, dubbed Lafufus, which has garnered its own fan base on TikTok. There's also an entire secondary market of clothes and bags for the Labubus, so you can accessorize your accessory. Scented sanitizer 13 The Touchland candy-colored sanitizers are $10 each and come in rectangular glass bottles that fit in the palm of your hand. Touchland Sanitation is now the ultimate symbol of 'cool' with the $10 Touchland candy-colored pocket sanitizers that come in rectangular glass bottles that fit in the palm of the hand. Part of the appeal of the sanitizer mist is the minimalist and colorful aesthetic that looks more like a gadget than a typical hand sanitizer. They've become so popular among teens and tweens that they're akin to Pokémon cards of previous generations, being traded as though they are prized possessions. The craze has gotten to the point where teachers have had to limit them during class. Lip gloss is poppin' 13 Summer Fridays lip balms cost $24 per tube. Not unlike the Lip Smackers craze or the millennial obsession with the EOS egg-shaped lip balms, Gen Z can't get enough of lip balms, oils, butters and glosses. But their go-tos have a bigger price tag than the $3 drug store options. Summer Fridays, Rhode, Ole Henriksen, Rare Beauty and Laneige, just to name a few, have become a staple for girls in their teens and 20s. Dig into any Zoomer's purse and you're sure to find at least one of these 'lippies' lying around.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
With airports in Israel closed, Jewish New Yorkers are desperate to find ways in
Despite a current US State Department advisory against travel to Israel 'due to armed conflict, terrorism and civil unrest' and closed airspace, some determined New Yorkers want to be in the Holy Land to show their solidarity with and support for the Jewish state. 'I feel guilty that I'm not there with my brothers and sisters being subjected to these missiles,' said Todd Richman, a Long Islander whose flight to Israel was canceled last Thursday as news broke of Israel's preemptive strike on Iranian nuclear sites. 'I feel guilty. It's hard to explain.' Since airports are shuttered, the 55-year-old, who works in finance, said he's looked into alternate means to get into the Jewish state, including a ship, to no avail. The minute flights open up, Richman declared, 'I'm there.' 4 Amidst Israel's conflict with Iran, some New Yorkers say they would like to be in the Holy Land showing solidarity with Israelis. ATEF SAFADI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The married dad-of-three added, 'It's hard to explain how you can want to be in a war zone right now, but there's something you feel in your heart.' With friends and family running into bomb shelters every night amidst a barrage of ballistic missiles launched from Iran, there's a sense of powerlessness. 'I'm watching it through their eyes and I wish I was there with them,' he said. 'There's something unique about the Jewish ruach (spirit) about being together during such a situation.' With 24 Israelis killed and hundreds injured in the days-long Iranian missile barrage, people are determined to stay resilient and strong in the face of evil. 'They're having bar mitzvahs in the shelters, singing in the shelters, celebrating life in the shelters,' Richman said, adding, 'I still feel safe there. In some ways you feel safer being in Israel with ballistic missiles landing than you do in most other parts of the world.' Chava Blivaiss, a 36-year-old trauma surgeon, feels similarly. 'People think I'm crazy, [but] I just feel the need to be there,' she told The Post. 4 'I feel guilty that I'm not there with my brothers and sisters being subjected to these missiles,' said Todd Richman.' Courtesy of Todd Richman The Long Islander is on standby with a fully packed bag, passport and medical IDs sitting by the door. 'I'm always ready to run into the fire — and if I could be there right now, I would,' she said. 'Even if I wasn't a trauma surgeon, I'd want to be there just as much. I'd go shopping there and help the economy, buying falafels.' While she's had no shortage of rockets and close calls before in Israel over the past year — sometimes having a mere 30 seconds to run to the bomb shelter in places like Ashkelon — Blivaiss asserted, 'it still feels safer there than it does here … you get used to the rockets and the running and the sirens.' Yocheved 'Kim' Ruttenberg, the American founder of Sword of Iron – Israel Volunteer Corp, a grassroots initiative that began as a modest Facebook group after October 7, said she's been inundated with messages from would-be volunteers from all over the world trying to reach Israel now. 4 'People think I'm crazy, [but] I just feel the need to be there,' said trauma surgeon Chava Blivaiss. Courtesy of Dr. Chava Blivaiss 'It doesn't make logical sense. It's something you can't explain, you just feel it,' Ruttenberg, 24, told The Post. It's a sentiment that David Harris, former longtime CEO of the American Jewish Committee, understands. The 75-year-old longtime Jewish activist, who lives in Manhattan, told The Post that he is planning to go to Israel as soon as he can. He's gone against the grain before. During the first Gulf War, when missiles started flying from Iraq to Israel, he said he was on the 'first plane to Israel.' He got a flight with legendary comedian Jackie Mason, with virtually no one else on board. 'We wanted to show solidarity and sit in the sealed rooms simply because there was nowhere else we wanted to be,' he said. 4 Yocheved 'Kim' Ruttenberg said her organization has been inundated with requests from people wanting to volunteer in Israel. Courtesy of Yocheved "Kim" Ruttenberg During the 2006 Lebanon War, he never thought twice about running to the Holy Land to 'sit in bomb shelters and tell Israelis they're not alone,' he said. 'And to tell myself that I wouldn't simply be a bystander rooting from far … There's no way to simply say that's their war and my place is here. My place is there.' Richman noted that people feeling this way is unique to Israel and the Jewish people. He said, 'Tell me what other country that's at war that has people scrambling to get back into the country.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Masked daredevil who climbed atop Roosevelt Island tram is charged in reckless stunt
The hooded daredevil caught on video recklessly scaling the Roosevelt Island tramway Monday and sending cops scrambling to bring him to safety has been charged in the stupid stunt. Miguel Martinez, 20, of Oceanside, LI, was charged with reckless endangerment, obstruction of governmental administration and criminal trespass in the brazen incident that unfolded around 7 p.m., authorities said. Footage obtained by The Post shows the masked Martinez nonchalantly walking back and forth along the gangway of the tramway's 250-feet-tall support tower on the Manhattan side. Advertisement 3 Miguel Martinez, 20, pulled off his dangerous stunt Monday evening, police said. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock 3 Shocked onlookers called 911, dispatching cops in climbing gear to the scene. Obtained by the NY Post At one point, he descends and climbs a series of short ladders on the tower and makes his way out onto an I-beam barely wide enough to accommodate his feet, the nail-biting video shows. Advertisement Shocked New Yorkers called 911, prompting cops to respond to the scene in climbing gear. The brave first responders made their way to the tower's peak, secured Martinez in safety gear and brought him down to the ground unharmed, police said. 3 The daredevil Long Islander has no prior arrests, police said. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock Advertisement The thrill-seeker was taken by paramedics to Weill-Cornell Medical Center, according to the FDNY. There was no indication that Martinez — who has no prior arrests in the Big Apple — scaled the tower as part of a protest or for a cause, cops said.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Family of FDNY firefighter who died of a heart attack after he lost his job gets boost from new ‘relief fund'
The grief-stricken family of a FDNY firefighter who died of a heart attack after he was let go from the department after losing his job because of migrant crisis budget cuts got a $50,000 boost from a new 'relief fund.' Long Islander Derek Floyd's widow, Christine Floyd, is the first recipient of the FDNY Firefighters Foundation relief fund — an effort created by Nassau County and the Uniformed Firefighters Association labor union. 'I'm just so grateful because I didn't have the means when he passed,' Christine Floyd, a mother of two, told The Post. 'I was way over my head in debt.' The fund was established to assist when firefighters face difficulties like the death of a spouse, long-term medical care, or a child born with a birth defect, union leaders said. 'I would say every year we see ourselves with about a half dozen to a dozen firefighters that are suffering something catastrophic,' UFA president Andrew Ansbro said. 'We're hoping we'll be able to provide long-term care,' he added of the finances currently coming solely from private donations and events like golf outings. WABC radio owners John and Margo Catsimatidis donated $10,000 to the fund, while Sullivan Papain, a firefighter advocacy law firm, has contributed $5,000. Derek served valiantly as a distinguished US Marine sergeant for nearly a decade before joining the FDNY as a probationary member. His probationary status left Christine out of a lifetime of income after the fatal heart attack. Christine, who met her husband of almost seven years as total strangers on a subway platform, missed about $600,000 in death benefits, according to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which paid the mortgage on their home. 'When you think widow, you're thinking of someone who has lived their life and has had plenty of years…now you're navigating this life without your partner in a two-income household,' said Christine Floyd, a 35-year-old guidance counselor in NYC's Department of Education. During his time in the FDNY, which began in 2019, Derek Floyd was on light duty in the ceremonial unit after a heart issue was found while he was in the FDNY academy. Floyd previously went into cardiac arrest, and his wife had to do chest compressions on him. He died in April 2024. She remembered her late husband as a family man who loved dressing in costumes to surprise their children, Ethan and Abigail, and would spend hours playing video games with them. Derek Floyd made sure their house was the best on the block when it came to holiday decorating, she added. 'He was very ambitious, and loyal, and disciplined. He was just a guy that everyone liked to be with,' Christine Floyd said. Derek Floyd was 'always a guy with a plan' who would want to know his loved ones were being taken care of now, she said. 'Derek always said, 'blood doesn't make you family,'' she said. 'I feel like everyone who has contributed and everyone who has rallied around us, they are our family.' The next recipient that the union president has in mind is an FDNY member who has been in intensive care since suffering a heart attack on a call in late winter. The firefighter may be forced to pay out of pocket if the ailment is ruled as not being directly related to the line of duty, he added. The issue also hits home to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, whose nephew died as a first responder during 9/11. This 'near and dear' issue made it a no-brainer for Blakeman to help intervene on behalf of 'trying to help people who would otherwise fall through the cracks' — especially the many who are vital community members on Long Island. 'The firefighters do an amazing job protecting the city of New York, but they also do a great job out here in Nassau.'
New York Post
09-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Family of FDNY firefighter who died of a heart attack after he lost his job gets boost from new ‘relief fund'
The grief-stricken family of a FDNY firefighter who died of a heart attack after he was let go from the department after losing his job because of migrant crisis budget cuts got a $50,000 boost from a new 'relief fund.' Long Islander Derek Floyd's widow Christine Floyd is the first recipient of the FDNY Firefighters Relief Fund — a joint effort created by Nassau County and the the Uniformed Firefighters Association labor union. 'I'm just so grateful because I didn't have the means when he passed,' Christine Floyd, a mother of two, told The Post. 'I was way over my head in debt.' 8 Christine Floyd — the widow of FDNY firefighter Derek Floyd — with Uniformed Firefighters Association president Andrew Ansbro at an event announcing Floyd as the first recipient of the FDNY Firefighters Relief Fund in Garden City on June 9, 2025. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post The fund was established to assist when firefighters face difficulties like the death of a spouse, long-term medical care, or a child born with a birth defect, union leaders said. 'I would say every year we see ourselves with about a half dozen to a dozen firefighters that are suffering something catastrophic,' UFA president Andrew Ansbro said. 'We're hoping we'll be able to provide long-term care,' he added of the finances currently coming solely from private donations and events like golf outings. WABC radio owners John and Margo Catsimatidis donated $10,000 to the fund while Sullivan Papain, a firefighter advocacy law firm, has contributed $5,000. 8 Derek Floyd died of a heart attack last year after being laid off due to budget cuts. Obtained by the NY Post 8 Floyd with Christine and their children. FDNY Famlies Assistance Unit A hero honored Derek served valiantly as a distinguished US Marine sergeant for nearly a decade before joining the FDNY as a probationary member. His probationary status left Christine out of a lifetime of income after the fatal heart attack. Christine, who met her husband of almost seven years ago as total strangers on a subway platform, missed about $600,000 in death benefits, according to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which paid the mortgage on their home. 'When you think widow, you're thinking of someone who has lived their life and has had plenty of years…now you're navigating this life without your partner in a two-income household,' said Christine Floyd, a 35-year-old guidance counselor in NYC's Department of Education. 8 Christine Floyd will receive $50,000 from the fund. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 8 Christine Floyd said she was 'over my head' in debt after her husband passed away. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post During his time in the FDNY, which began in 2019, Derek Floyd was on light duty in the ceremonial unit after a heart issue was found while he was in the FDNY academy. Floyd previously went into cardiac arrest, and his wife had to do chest compressions on him. He died in April 2024. She remembered her late husband as a family man who loved dressing in costumes to surprise their children Ethan and Abigail and would spend hours playing video games with them. Derek Floyd made sure their house was the best on the block when it came to holiday decorating, she added. 8 Ansbro wiping away tears at the press conference announcing the FDNY Firefighters Relief Fund. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 8 Floyd giving Ansbro a hug after her donation was announced. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'He was very ambitious, and loyal, and disciplined. He was just a guy that everyone liked to be with,' Christine Floyd said. Derek Floyd was 'always a guy with a plan' who would want to know his loved ones were being taken care of now, she said. 'Derek always said, 'blood doesn't make you family,'' she said. 'I feel like everyone who has contributed and everyone who has rallied around us, they are our family.' 8 Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman speaking about the fund in Garden City — an issue he says is 'near and dear' to him. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post The next recipient that the union president has in mind is an FDNY member who has been in intensive care since suffering a heart attack on a call in late winter. The firefighter may be forced to pay out of pocket if the ailment is ruled as not being directly related to the line of duty, he added. The issue also hits home to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, whose nephew died as a first responder during 9/11. This 'near and dear' issue made it a no-brainer for Blakeman to help intervene on behalf of 'trying to help people who would otherwise fall through the cracks' — especially the many who are vital community members on Long Island. 'The firefighters do an amazing job protecting the city of New York, but they also do a great job out here in Nassau.'
