Lifestyle label Urban Sophistication is the prevailing provocateur of the internet, captivating the zeitgeist through a multitude of boldly explicit accessories and apparel offerings. Established just over 5 years ago by Tel Aviv-based siblings Neta and Elad Yam, the brand sets out to document the universality of digital trends through various mediums, most recently with a face mask reading “Contents: fresh air” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our brand is a portrait of us,” says Elad. “From the very beginning, our vision of what we want to do has always been to create a reflection of ourselves and our culture through each of our capsules and the products that we create.” With each double-tap worthy drop, Urban Sophistication not only appeals to the everyday social media user with feed-enhancing designs, but also spreads awareness for mental health with bold critiques on the various platforms they utilize to promote their brand.

The label first experienced widespread notoriety with a transparent phone case boasting a simple-yet-provocative statement reading “Social Media seriously harms your mental health,” landing its sought-after accessory not only Instagram’s Explore page, but also in the foreground of a slew of celebrities’s viral mirror selfies, including those of Kaia Gerber, Madison Beer, and Bella and Gigi Hadid. “I think that the “Social Media seriously harms your mental health” case was a turning point for the brand, not just because it was popular, but because it changed the way we think about our creative process,” says Elad.

Before the case’s unveiling, Urban Sophistication focused primarily on clothing items; however, the creative duo realized that the medium by which they share their creations is a vital aspect to their success. “We realized that a phone, the product we use [social media] on, would be the perfect vessel for us to share our message.” The bold accessory provides an honest take on the potential toxicity of social media engagement, one that the world clearly finds solace in ironically promoting on the various platforms. Since its launch, the duo has capitalized on the case’s success with a multitude of variations that point to the internet’s danger zones. 

Now, the label runs a second, private Instagram account (@ubransophistication_core) where dedicated followers can give their opinions and advice on future designs and capsules. “We’re really proud of Urban Sophistication Core because it’s like a little community inside the bigger community,” says Neta. “We decided to build a community and let it be a collective, collaborative process. We let them help us with everything, from colors to the fit, even the location of graphics, and it lets us really be mindful about what our followers care about and what they want. It’s really fun.” In the true spirit of capturing generations of digital fads, Urban Sophistication provides an open forum for customers and fans to feel entirely involved in every step of the production process.

Urban Sophistication exists as a storyboard of pop culture, archiving moments in time with collaborative, physical manifestations. “I think we look at every capsule as a chapter in the story we tell,” explains Elad. “I think something that we’re excited about is being able to look back at our different creations and see how we’ve evolved over time. It’s kind of like a documentary in a sense. It’s weird to say, but I feel like that’s really how it is.” From its bluntly honest designs that expose the performativity of human nature to its vintage-inspired t-shirts paying homage to entertainment icons, each of Urban Sophistication’s thought-provoking releases plays a powerful role in the brand’s ultimate goal of chronicling society’s development. 

Head to Urban Sophistication’s Instagram to explore further, and take a look at the brand’s latest campaign, featuring Eva Varlamova, that showcases an all-encompassing history of the label’s most impactful iPhone cases, below.