For those of a certain age and inclination, that iconic phrase – sing-songed by the equally quintessential Kristen Bell – represents a weekly escapist retreat into the fictional lives of the young, rich and scandalous of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Based on the Cecily von Ziegesar novel series,
Gossip Girl debuted in September 2007, just before the economy collapsed and Barack Obama won the presidential election – respectively, the ruinous and uplifting milestones that kicked off a rollercoaster of a decade for millennials. In its six seasons, the infamous teen drama thrilled and frustrated a generation. It was aspirational in style and taste: characters like Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf became style icons who helped move serious units of alice bands for New York-based designers and beyond.