As an older Gen Zer, I’ve come across a shift in my friend group. At first, we wouldn’t need any excuse to hit a bar, or a club, or have a brunch that for some reason lasted all night. But now, every weekend we have replaced partying with pilates, cocktails with iced matcha, and ripped jeans with Alo Yoga leggings. At first, I assumed it was a collective change made out of normalcy—a desire for something new. But when I looked around, it wasn’t just my friend group. More and more wellness clubs began popping up, and before I knew it, ‘Alo, Pilates, Matcha’ became the new cool.
The numbers don’t lie. According to research conducted by Grand View Research, the UAE has the fastest-growing wellness market in the MENA region and is projected to reach $12.5 billion by 2030. Whereas reports state that in 2024, Alo Yoga’s revenue was valued at $250 million, the global matcha market is projected to reach $7.43 billion by 2030, and the global pilates and yoga studios market is projected to reach $633.63 billion by 2037.
The most obvious reason for the shift has to be a generational change. After all, one of the reasons my friend group changed was because we felt we were too old to be staying up till 2 AM (hello Chandler Bing.) Priorities have changed. Millennials, who were in the club all throughout the 2010s, are now in their 30s, and Gen Zers, who are in their prime partying age, have traded partying for chill, clean living.
While it sounds like we’re collectively attuned with a holistic approach to life, our preferences are most likely fueled by social media. Trends such as ‘Cottagecore’, ‘Old Money Aesthetic’, and ‘Clean Girl’ emphasise polished looks that you can only achieve by having a healthy lifestyle. So it’s no surprise that the term ‘Alo, Pilates, Matcha’, which started as a meme, quickly became a trend and is now a mantra to follow.
Beyond trends, we’re also a very age-conscious generation. The rise in 10-step skincare routines, ‘eating your skincare’, or attending laser skin therapies all point to the idea that we’re obsessed with looking young. And going out every weekend will give the opposite effect. Continuously eating processed food, not to mention alcohol consumption and staying up all night can age you fast.
But there’s more to it—a capitalistic edge. Although the UAE is built for every budget, there’s no denying that going out every weekend costs a lot. At first, going to the club or having brunch every weekend was a marker of how much disposable income you had. Now with deals by the dozen, the marker has shifted to how many wellness activities you can afford. Ice baths, sound healing, renting a court for padel, pilates studio subscriptions, yoga classes, gym memberships, the list goes on. Not to mention an overpriced latte for each visit, and a cute co-ord set that will never be worn twice. It’s a social status signal. When more and more people are online and addicted to their phones, how disciplined are you to stay offline? Ironically, not much, otherwise this wouldn’t be a trend in the first place.
However, the parties aren’t completely over; things have simply adjusted. Brat summer made a blip and made us realise we love a good beat no matter the time of day. So club nights are now coffee raves; we dance but also bust a sweat on the reformer machine, my OOTD fit has evolved from jeans and a cute top to leggings and a cute top, and the fun’s over by 10 PM.
