At this point, limited edition collaborations
are the norm. People set alarms at ungodly
hours, camp outside stores, and crash
websites with the force of a thousand
netizens just to get their hands on a product
that, let’s face it, they probably don’t need but
absolutely must have. And for what? A hoodie
with a tiny logo, a fast-food meal with fancy
packaging, or sneakers that will never
actually touch pavement.

But why does this happen? What is it about
the words “limited edition” that turns
otherwise rational people into hype-fueled
collectors? Well the culprit seems to be
manufactured scarcity, where brands play
puppet master, and we happily dance along.