The end of pregnancy has officially reintroduced me to my Type B side. Which honestly feels shocking for everyone involved, especially me. I fully convinced myself I was going to spend this time batching content, Marie Kondo-ing my closets and preparing flawlessly for maternity leave. Instead, I am writing this blog post the night before my deadline, humbled and deeply aware that Mother Nature had other plans.
Lately, my brain has been occupied by one thing and one thing only: the massive life shift waiting right around the corner… any day now. For someone whose default setting has been ambition, momentum, and chasing inspiration through work, this change has felt both unfamiliar and strangely grounding. My energy has always gone toward creating, building, and pushing myself toward the next opportunity, so realizing my inspiration has temporarily shifted away from work has been a little scary.
This season has required me to slow down in ways I never naturally would have. I have been offline more, barely touching my phone, and honestly doing the bare minimum professionally. Not because I am lazy. Not because I plan on disappearing. But because preparing the mind and body for something entirely new requires a different kind of discipline. One rooted in presence instead of productivity.
Right now, I need space more than stimulation. I need clarity more than constant connection. And if I have learned anything lately, it is that personal evolution does not happen accidentally. If you are not intentional about who you are becoming, one day you may wake up and no longer recognize yourself.
Is Merch Going to Save Movie Theaters?
Movie theater attendance has been looking a little tragic lately. Between endless streaming options and the undeniable appeal of watching a movie in sweats from your own couch, without someone’s phone screen on full brightness sitting next to you, theaters have been fighting for relevance. The comfort economy has absolutely rattled the box office. But there is one unexpected hero stepping into the spotlight and honestly, it deserves its flowers: merch.
We saw it with Wicked. We saw it with the Marty McFly nostalgia wave. And now The Devil Wears Prada 2 is proving the formula works yet again. Merch collaborations have become less of an afterthought and more of a marketing machine for movie promotion. The way these movies utilize merch drops as part of their brand strategy to generate buzz, spark conversation, and convince people to buy tickets before opening weekend, needs to be studied.
After spending far too much time deep diving into The Devil Wears Prada 2 collaborations, I realized the most interesting part was not even the products themselves. It was not the quotes chosen, the references pulled from the original film, or even the styling of the collections. It was the conversations these pieces created online. Fans were passionately debating every detail as if they were sitting in a “Runway” editorial meeting. People were fiercely protective of The Devil Wears Prada brand identity, critiquing creative direction choices, defending iconic references, and building even more anticipation for the movie in the process. The merch became bigger than JUST merch. It became fandom participation. *Enter THE most iconic of all the merch* The popcorn bucket handbag, lovingly nicknamed the “Butter Birkin,” that completely broke the internet.
Naturally, as both a Devil Wears Prada enthusiast and THE MERCH GIRLY, I needed one immediately. I strategically picked what I considered to be an “early showing” on opening day; feeling extremely confident in my plan, only to arrive and discover they were already sold out. I ended up leaving with a bag charm and a regular popcorn bucket which, respectfully, was not the same experience. When I asked the concession stand attendant what happened, she told me their theater had only been allotted 12 Butter Birkins. Apparently there had been a line wrapped around the building before the theater even opened at noon, despite the first Devil Wears Prada showing not starting until 2 p.m.
Instead of being devastated, hearing that gave me hope– not only in the future of the theaters, but the power of fabulous, strategic merchandise.
Not just as a fan, but as someone who genuinely loves pop culture and understands the power of a good drop. Theaters have been looking a little bleak lately, but seeing audiences show up like it is a sneaker release for a movie popcorn bucket proves there is still excitement to tap into. Limited edition merch, strategic collaborations, and collectible experiences are giving people a reason to leave the couch again.
And maybe that is the future of moviegoing. It is not just the film itself, and it isn’t the trailer that gets people into the theaters…now it's creating an experience and event around it. Cinema may be struggling, but if studios play their cards right, magic merch just might save the day.
Mantra of the Month: We can pick up where we left off.
As mentioned in my intro, I’m currently in a season where my focus needs to temporarily shift away from my career and personal brand, and toward an entirely new identity I’m preparing to step into: motherhood. Making this transition while still feeling deeply inspired creatively has definitely created some internal friction. Part of me wants to keep building, posting, and operating at full speed, while the other part of me knows this moment deserves my full presence.
What has brought me the most peace lately is this simple reminder: we can pick up where we left off.
It is a scarce mindset to think opportunities, ideas, and creativity that exist now are disappearing when we allow ourselves to pause and experience evolution in a different area of life. If anything, I trust this season will only add more depth to the person I am becoming in every aspect of life. Sometimes ambitious people treat slowing down like failure, when really it can be one of the most necessary parts of growth because we can always pick up where we left off.
Savannah Dmytriw — better known as MERCH GIRLY — didn’t exactly plan on joining the promotional products industry. (Thank you, pandemic layoffs.) Thrown into unprecedented times with even more unprecedented circumstances, Savannah built a thriving book of business while marketing budgets everywhere were frozen solid. Armed with creativity and sheer determination, she landed a $3.5M client in her first calendar year and continues to hunt whales as the VP of Marketing at TEAM SCG. Her approach isn’t to just “sell swag”, rather she sees herself as a brand connoisseur — someone who dives deep into a brand’s essence before suggesting a single product. When she’s not crafting fabulous campaigns, you’ll find her chronicling merch moments on her Instagram @MERCHGIRLY, pulling inspiration from the wellness, live event, hospitality, and luxury retail worlds. Her fresh perspective has earned her a spot as a Top 10 Influencer on PPAI’s Online 18 and a feature in The Marketing Millennials newsletter and podcast, cementing her status as the girly twirly authority in the merch game.