Shoppers spiral into chaos as Forever 21 officially shuts every last store across the US
The era of $3 earrings and impulse hauls is over
What was once a casual trip to the mall has turned into full-blown mourning online. One user on X went viral after admitting they had casually planned to grab earrings from Forever 21, only to remember the store is gone. Chaos ensued in the comments as Gen Z and millennials alike shared the same tragic epiphany.
Needed a pair of earrings bc i forgot mine so I thought 'oh i'll just run in Forever 21 right quick' then I remembered and i just- pic.twitter.com/1iWpapG1C9
How the fuck do you let forever 21 close dude. Dude no. no no no no no. I will save Forever 21. who is with me. pic.twitter.com/Cq8NViUGRc
Social media realises the end is real and reacts accordingly
People are having their "wait, it is REALLY gone??" moment now, flooding timelines with disbelief, nostalgia, and confusion. "Forever 21 closed??? This is how I find out… devastating," wrote one heartbroken fan. Another said they used to leave with "15 pieces under $150" and now feel betrayed by capitalism.
Back in May, the brand attempted to soothe the masses with a cryptic Instagram post that promised they are 'evolving' and 'refreshing.' But with stores shuttered nationwide, fans are not buying it, literally. Even with rebrand rumours floating around, many just want their chaotic mall staple back.
This actually so sick, bc forever 21 was the place you would go when you need a quick shirt or something last minute 💔💔 https://t.co/BFtIzvVfDs pic.twitter.com/9HMgpp9fWp
Ugh forever 21 was the perfect last minute shop for an event or outing or anything!!! 😭 h&m used to be a good backup too but they not even as good as they used to be ugh wtf even is this decline we're forced to endure!! 😭 pic.twitter.com/C5nJw8JUGT
Forever 21 tries to reassure but it feels too late
The farewell feels personal. It is more than fashion, it is about memories, teenhood, and that iconic yellow bag with bold black letters. And now, it is all dust.
Whether Forever 21 returns in some reincarnated digital form or not, one thing is clear: the emotional damage is done. The TikTok generation is in shambles, and no amount of rebranding can replace that first college crop top or impulsive jewellery binge.
Rest in pastels, Forever 21. You had us all in your fast fashion chokehold.
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With Gukesh already winning the world championship, there is hope that his opponent next year could be an Indian as well. On the women's side, this India vs India battle for the top prize — a true indicator of dominance in a sport — has already come true when Humpy played Deshmukh at the World Cup. The sight of two Indian women fighting for the title, while two Chinese players fought for the third place spot could be a turn-of-the-page moment for women's chess, which has so far been dominated by players from Russia and China. At the forefront of this is the 19-year-old once proclaimed the 'future of Indian chess'. That future is here. As Deshmukh wrote in her two-word mission statement on Instagram, it's now her turn. (With inputs from Ankita Deshkar) Amit Kamath is Assistant Editor at The Indian Express and is based in Mumbai. ... Read More
