Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, and Gigi Hadid’s ‘Anti-AI’ Hobbies Are Gaining Popularity Now
Some of today’s biggest stars have dabbled in hobbies of the past that are gaining popularity again, as searches for activities you may have done in the days of old are soaring.
Kim Kardashian previously shared that she’s into scrapbooking as a way to preserve family memories. In Vogue’s 2022 “Objects of Affection” home tour, she explained that her love of scrapbooking is so her children could have records of those memories.
Seth Rogen has talked about his pottery-making hobby. He has made ceramic vases and other objects, built a home studio with his wife, Lauren, and developed designs for his houseplant business.
Amanda Seyfried has described making a colorful jacket and a bag while filming The Crowded Room. In an interview with Vogue Hong Kong, she explained that a crochet class intended to help repair her favorite cashmere pants sparked the hobby.
Taylor Swift’s handmade gifts have attracted attention. In 2014, a framed, Drake-themed needlework piece she made for Ed Sheeran was documented publicly. It is a specific example of a craft serving a familiar purpose: making something personal for a friend.
Gigi Hadid discussed in a 2023 PORTER interview that she started crocheting at her daughter’s request and had plans for a home ceramics studio. In a subsequent Architectural Digest interview, she described an art room where she and her daughter work with clay, draw, and paint.
Each celebrity example shows how those stars took an interest in the process of making something themselves. The crafting brand Resparked describes these activities as “anti-AI hobbies” and Google searches for each have seen an increase over the last year.
Needlepoint leads growth with a whopping 116%. Embroidery grew 36%, and macrame grew 22% while sewing tops the search ranking with 2,300,000. Interest also increased in pottery, crochet, knitting, woodworking, and watercolor painting.
According to Santiago Roa, founder of Resparked, “An AI tool can give you an idea for a handmade gift. You still have the experience of choosing the materials, learning how to use them, and making something for a particular person. There is satisfaction in looking at something and remembering how you made it. You can see where your stitches became more even or where you finally got a technique right. Those small improvements give you a reason to pick it up again.
“Your first attempt at a hobby is allowed to look like a first attempt. An uneven bowl can still be the bowl you use every morning. A scarf with a few mistakes can still be something you are proud to wear. When you make everything about the finished photograph, it is easy to overlook the enjoyable part: spending an evening learning something and having an object at the end that you made yourself.”
