all tech founders want to live forever
plus I talk about not one, but two Coppolas today
Quick Hits
Bluesky’s most prominent backer, Jack Dorsey, has left its board
Ethereum’s cofounder says SEC is ‘gaslighting’ everyone about crypto
The Fall Guy’s $28.5 million debut marks the worst start to Hollywood’s summer season since 1995
Rewatching Sex and The City as I slave away on this newsletter is quite the trip. I never realised how much those shots of Carrie Bradshaw typing away on her ancient MacBook, on her bed, on the phone, by the window, drinking soda, smoking a cigarette... influenced my erstwhile romanticised idea of young woman who writes about culture. I cringe. I look nothing like Carrie Bradshaw while I write—in fact, I’m convinced that the days I write this newsletter are the days I look the worst. I’m always so unhappy right up until the point l I hit send. And it shows. The fact that I won't share a picture is all the proof you need.
NEWS! NEWS!! NEWS!!!
Lip glosses have become affordable status symbols. Young women feel broke, and those who cannot buy homes buy fancy lip gloss - and lip oil, liquid balms, plumpers, tints, stains, jelly, treatments, and masks. It’s the literal Lipstick Effect, where sales in affordable luxuries skyrocket in times of economic distress- otherwise known as Little Treats culture. Every beauty brand is coming out with a lip gloss line these days, and while I have personally not indulged, I am consistently entertained by Toni Bravo rating different lip glosses for dark skin. We’re also seeing the Lipstick Effect play out in the “groceries for hot people” trend I just LOVE to talk about. This is what happens when groceries become super expensive and branded CPG becomes a status symbol! It’s not strawberries, it’s Oishhi. IYKYK
We now know how Sofia Coppola and Augustinus Bader's $40 tinted lip balm collaboration came about. Sofia said she wrote to Bader, who was in Leipzig at the time, asking if he’d consider making a tinted version of The Lip Balm that was “sheer enough that you could put it on without a mirror. Not too shiny and not sticky at all. Just like a little stain of color that’s moisturizing.” And because she’s Sofia Coppola, I guess it happened. We also learn that her first fragrance as a teenager was Cristalle by Chanel, and that at 13, Angelica Huston told her, “don’t worry, you’ll grow into your nose.”
Sydney Sweeney is the newest Jimmy Choo brand ambassador. She is also a brand ambassador for luxury hair care brand Kérastase, skin care brand Laneige, makeup brand Armani Beauty, and soda brand Bai. She’s designing Dickies with Ford and bikinis with Frankie’s Bikinis. All while being a Miu Miu girl, and maybe a Disney adult? I could never fault a small-town girl for getting the bag, but is there nothing she won’t shill?!
Now this is the Monday read you need. Business Insider did a profile on Jan Sramek, the man who wants to build a new Californian town from scratch. The interview traces Sramek’s life from humble Eastern European origins, to his time at Cambridge, a short stint at Goldman, two failed startups in Europe, and an eventual reinvention in California. Now at 37, he’s the largest landowner in Solano County, and alternatively a snake oil salesman or a visionary depending on who you asked. With help from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Sramek has big plans to make his new town, California Forever, the solution the state didnt know it needed. Or as Vanity Fair calls it, “the billionaire-backed city no one asked for”. All very Dan Jenkins from Yellowstone, if you ask me.
What are Alix Earle and Alex Cooper doing at the Kentucky Derby? Whatever its is, it’s working, because now I care about the Kentucky Derby. And I want a fancy hat! People take note: this is what happens when the horse girl aesthetic meets quiet luxury. This is the other side of Bella Hadid getting down with the horses. This is the Pretty Woman polo match scene where Julia Roberts wears the iconic polka dot dress.
Are we witnessing the fall of the sex scene? A report commissioned by The Economist found that there is almost 40% less sexual content in major Hollywood films than there was in 2000. This decline was steepest in action movies (70%), with romance having the least change (20%). There are also just more films with no sex in them at all—from 18% in 2000 to 46% in 2023. Some theories: 1.) studios want the most $$$, so are wary of limiting a movie’s potential reach, 2.) everyone is using intimacy coordinators now, and 3.) people apparently just don’t want to see famous people get naked on screen anymore! In particular, a study done last year found that 51.5% of Gen Z wants to see more content centered around platonic relationships. 47.5% said sex was not needed in TV and movie plots, and 44.3% felt romance was overused in media. This is the same generation that’s obsessed with Euphoria, went mad over Anyone But You, and was literally stalking the Saltburn mansion- so I don’t know what to tell you guys. Y’all know I think people lie!
Cheating app Ashley Madison is overflowing with sextortionists. Ashley Madison is a dating site that helps people cheat on their partners (‘Life is short. Have an affair’)- but the over 282 consumer complaints filed with the FTC over the past five years show that the site has an extortion problem. In 2015, hackers breached the site and demanded it be taken down or they’d release detailed information about users. After a month, they did just that, releasing 10 gigabytes of information on the site’s 37 million users - one of them being a state attorney in Florida (ofcourse). I’m sure Hollywood could find a way to make a G-rated movie out of this
Rich millennial bros love the Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, but this I could have told you. They retail for $7000, and if, like me, you are on the apartment decor side of Instagram, you’ll know the ones I’m talking about. I myself have an amazing dupe of the LCW Eames wooden chair I couldn't be more proud of.
Studs is launching lab-grown diamonds and “Fancy Studs” stores. To celebrate hitting 1 million customers, the ear-piercing brand will open “Fancy Studs” stores for three weeks, each offering piercings of 14-karat gold earrings with lab-grown diamonds priced at $150-$320. Studs wants to cater to existing shoppers seeking elevated offerings, as well as attract new and slightly older consumers. This is my excuse to talk about lab-grown diamonds. How do we feel about them? Pandora reported that sales of lab-grown diamonds surged 87% in the last quarter. We know they are gaining popularity with Gen Z and millennials, but according to Pandora’s CEO, young people aren’t buying lab-grown diamonds because they’re sustainable; “they only care about price and design.” This I believe. There’s still a bit of stigma around “fake” diamonds, and tbh they’re not even great for the planet. All the same, I do I see them becoming more mainstream with younger people. Like I keep saying, the youth love a dupe.
TikTok’s raw milk influencers are going to give us all bird flu, but only if you listen to them. So maybe just like, don’t.
Up-and-coming LA artists are schmoozing with Hollywood A-listers at secret poker games. They’re part poker group, part art collective, an equal mix of both genders, invitation-only, and with a $500 buy-in. Poker is one of those games where you’re automatically really hot if you’re any good. So I want to say I’d love to learn, but I’m really cheap so idk. The article name-drops Benny Blanco, Sofia Amoruso (who’s unsurprisingly really good), and Leonardo DiCaprio. Looks like they’re all having a great time; I hope some new artist gets discovered.
Mr. Beast is leaving his longtime management company, Night Media. Jimmy Donaldson (aka Mr. Beast), began working with Night founder Reed Duchscher in 2018 when he was looking for help making money from his growing channel. But someone who knows them both said their relationship has cooled since then, and that Mr. Beast is increasingly wanting to take personal control of his business, which brings in more than $600 million a year. This is obviously going to have a way bigger impact on Night, which formed a new $100 million investment company, Night Capital, with The Chernin Group in 2020 and has so far positioned itself as the go-to agency for creators wanting to recreate Mr. Beast's success. So far, none have.
Two years in the making, the Cult Gaia candles are finally here. I know someone will get me one for my Christmas. They don’t even match my current interior aesthetic, but they could.
All tech founders want to live forever, and Daniel Ek is no exception. The Spotify founder’s health tech startup, Neko Health, says its full-body scans can detect the onset of a host of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, as well as skin conditions. Neko Health opened its doors in Stockholm last year, and it is set to open in London this summer. This is all thanks to $65 million Neko raised from investors including Atomico, General Catalyst, and Lakestar last summer. Neko’s full body scans only cost $230, and I say only because Prenuvo, the company Kim Kardashian promoted on Instagram, provides its whole-body MRI scans for $2499. Torsos are just $999 though.
Is letting your kid have mocktails like giving them candy cigarettes or like serving fake chicken to a vegan? The parents of Reddit would like to know. Restaurants are seeing an uptick in children ordering non-alcoholic beverages - less like Fanta, more like Ghia. Some parents think it’s a great way to teach their offspring about good taste (gotta get 'em young), and for some, it’s a great opportunity to have the ‘alcohol is bad’ conversation. Restaurants love it! I can picture a young Sally Draper sipping on a non-alc aperitif, a gorgeous Betty all too happy to oblige.
Is TikTok giving you money dysmorphia? Asking my Gen Z readers only. It’s that thing where despite doing somewhere between ‘pretty well’ and ‘not too bad’, endless videos about consumerism and the economy make you feel BROKE! But of course, you can't help but hate-buy a thing or two here and also a thing or two there until you’re actually broke. I’m not talking about myself, only books are my undoing. Thing is, what I’m describing isn't Gen Z behavior, it’s people behavior. Honestly, this entire WSJ article is kinda gaslighty because stuff is more expensive, and we’re in a white-collar recession!!! They need to touch grass.
The Conde Nast Union just reached a tentative agreement with management. They secured a $61,500 starting salary floor; an end to the two-tier permalance system, expanded bereavement leave, two more weeks of family leave, and $3.3 million in total wage increases. In the last week, the Union staged a protest at Anna Wintour's home and threatened to stop work tonight up until tomorrow, when all staff should be covering the Met Gala, which would have been a disaster for Conde. We love a union win!
You guys know I’ve been eagerly awaiting Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis trailer. Enjoy!
