Gentle Monster's 2026 Vegi Collection, Jo Malone's vegetable-inspired fragrances
Wellness trend and 'seasonal core' fuel the craze
Vegetables have taken the retail world by storm, crossing over from the kitchen into fashion and beauty.
The freshness of vegetables — their vivid reds and greens — has driven the rise of "veggie core" as a fashion concept, making produce-inspired pieces a natural fit for summer styling. Seasonal crops like tomatoes are gaining extra traction by tapping into the broader "seasonal core" trend. Designs that capture a sense of the season feel refreshing and translate well to social media.
Gentle Monster launched its 2026 Vegi Collection in May. The lineup features foldable compact sunglasses topped with a tomato stem, frames that evoke bell peppers, and temples shaped like tree branches — all leaning into the veggie core aesthetic. The collection spans 10 styles.
Several pieces have already sold out, including the Vert 02 — worn by model Karina in the campaign video — and the Eden 02. The Topi 02, which retailed for 380,000 won (about $249), is now trading on the limited-edition resale platform Kream for 510,800 won. The "Vegimon Keyring" is another standout: character keyrings shaped like bell peppers, carrots and other vegetables with expressive faces are selling on Kream at 94,000 won per random box.
Jo Malone has captured the freshness of vegetables in fragrance form, releasing three colognes: Scarlet Beetroot Cologne, Velvety Butternut Cologne and Carrot Blossom Cologne.
Vegetables have also become a fixture in smaller lifestyle goods, with the motif appearing on everything from cookware to bookmarks. Tomatoes are particularly in demand this year — Staub is selling a tomato-shaped pot, and Tabledote has unveiled a tomato-form plate. Vegetable-shaped chopstick rests, keyrings and other novelty items have followed in quick succession, adding momentum to the veggie core wave.
"As the wellness trend grows, so does interest in healthy ingredients and nature-friendly lifestyles," an industry official said. "The expansion of food-inspired trends like tomato core and veggie core into fashion and beauty is a natural extension of that shift."
siuu@heraldcorp.com
