Culture | Going soft

Millennials and Gen Z are falling hard for stuffed animals

Plushies are cute, cuddly and costly

Jellycat Fish & Chips Experience at Selfridges, London
Some like them softPhotograph: Jellycat London

IT LOOKED LIKE a typical fish-and-chip shop. Aproned chefs tended to frying baskets and wrapped orders in newspaper. But the catch of the day came with a catch of its own: at Selfridges, a department store in London, patrons were buying toys rather than trawl. Cuddly cod were garnished with fuzzy lemons and served with plushy peas. The cheapest item cost $25, twice the cost of an actual meal. Jellycat, the British brand behind the pop-up shop, invited everyone to play with their food.

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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Suitable for all ages”

From the January 11th 2025 edition

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