This article appears in the pages of V124: Generation V, available for purchase now at shop.vmagazine.com.

Welcome to the world of Generation V, a landscape of bright young things and boundless creativity. Challenged by turbulent times, it’s a groundbreaking group of thinkers bursting with starry-eyed optimism, longing for a future all their own. Consider our cover star (and poster-child of Generation V) Hunter Schafer: the model-turned-actress made a name for herself in HBO’s explosive series Euphoria. By mirroring qualities of her character Jules, Schafer continues to dismantle barriers in the pop culture sphere. Captured by Inez and Vinoodh and styled by Alex White, Schafer calls up friend, musician, and fellow boundary-pusher Arca to talk defying norms, sci-fi, and trans-creativity.

Elsewhere in the issue, Nick Knight and Anna Trevelyan document the head-turning look of the season—eye-catching scale–in Maximum Volume. It’s a silhouette nearly impossible to miss, begging on-goers to look up from their iPhone screens.

Creativity also defines the spirit of Gen V. Exhibit A is mixed-media artist Lyle XOX, creating remarkable custom headpieces further animated by Sølve Sundsbø and Gro Curtis.

And while much of Gen V’s focus is on the future, we have a soft spot for the nostalgia of the Spring collections, where the ’70s proved to be a key motif. In Sølve Sundsbø and Anna Trevelyan’s Super ’70s story, the season’s mid-century-inspired looks appear in razor-sharp clarity. Considering the past, we also take a minute to highlight those who came before Gen V. In Heroes, the likes of Post Malone, Charli XCX, and Clairo pay homage to their role models. While their influences might be varied, one thing is certain of this youth quake: They love to dance! Artist and photographer Ewen Spencer photographs young movers and shakers in their natural habitat, where the likes of Maliibu Miitch, Evan Mock, and Junglepussy dance away the anxieties of the surrounding world. The new generation is right on beat.