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Elite nightclubs are forcing the Hamptons into an identity crisis
The Shade Room built a massive Black audience. Candidates want in
Kind of insane that Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila is the leading Tequila brand in China. Mike Novy, 818’s President and COO, confirmed that while the US is still the biggest market for 818, the brand is performing well in the UK and is “rapidly growing” in Australia. I hadn’t realized Kylie’s RTD brand Sprinter and 818 Tequila were run by the same teams, but Novy also mentioned he wanted Sprinter to be a top five spirit based RTD brand in the US over the next five years and expects sales to hit one million cases in “at least a year and a half” and three million over the next few years. Godspeed.
Graza put up a post announcing that they were now in Erewhon, and I was going to say a thing or two about the rise of the “now in Erewhon” post, but then they took the post down! Sus.
But I’m still going to talk about Erewhon, because we need to discuss their collaboration with Uggs. Actually, what we really need to discuss is fashion’s love affair with food. The one news thing that made me wish I wasn’t off last week was the Mytheresa and Flamingo Estate Railroad Racetrack 'Inconvenience Store’ pop-up, which curated Flamingo produce and apothecary products alongside luxury clothes, bags, and shoes from Mytheresa. An attendee called the concept “luxury fashion meets luxury food”, and I thought, I’ve been saying this!
The founders of Flamingo Estate and Mytheresa told Vogue that they decided to start collaborating when they realized their brands’ had almost identical mailing lists. I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea that lifestyle is lifestyle, and everything is lifestyle. And by that I mean that at a certain level, everything we consume—from food to entertainment to clothing to experiences to ideas—becomes about satisfying (or projecting) lifestyle. I’m sure there are many reasons why food and produce are so aestheticized right now (I’d wager that a lot of it has to do with scarcity. Either self-imposed scarcity because of ozempic culture or forced scarcity because of inflation etc.), but I think one big reason is that brands across every industry are converging around the idea of lifestyle. And that singular word and idea allows them to expand their utility and reach across different mediums and messaging and groups.
We see this a lot in luxury—Happier Grocery products are stocked at The Row’s new Amagansett outpost—but it isn’t limited to a a specific category or price point. Two weeks ago I poked fun at the finance bro Chipotle tweets, and of course, every celebrity and brand has been doing an ice cream or beverage collaboration for a while now. When I think of Kin Euphorics or Ghia, I think about more than the rise of NA beverages, but also about the kind of person who consumes those products, who’s enthusiastic about those brands and the lifestyle they represent. Because they do represent a lifestyle that's more than just not drinking alcohol, which is probably why they celebrated their Target launch with a joint party and a limited time partnership. Game recognises game.
ugg x erewhon, fishwife x lisa says gah, kin x ghia So this week we got Uggs x Erewhon, but Fishwife also partnered with Lisa Says Gah on a limited edition baby tee that looks like something you’d find on Réalisation Par. And Deux and Deuxmoi teased a collaboration for a new cookie dough flavor. Deux isn’t a fashion brand, but at this point they’re a lifestyle brand.
I could go on and tie the whole taste and recommendation culture conversation, along with social media’s role in turning normal people into walking lifestyle ads and I’d maybe add a note on our collective obsession with Hamptons private chefs, because we know they are all connected. But I’ve already said these things and I’m sure I’ll say them again so for now I’ll leave you with this Gabbriette video. Enjoy!
By now, you know how I feel about new social media apps, but I’m willing to give Noplace a try for the next week and report back, if only because I respect their TikTok grind. Let me know if you already have a profile, and I’ll follow you.
I’ve linked to Esquire only twice in this newsletter, and both times it’s been to really thoughtful pieces on reading culture and the publishing industry. I learned a lot from their recent breakdown of how celebrity book clubs actually work (and
was quoted!), but the thing I keep coming back to is this dissonance that exists between how we’re seeing literary culture show up in the zeitgeist and how the publishing industry is actually doing. Maybe it’s my algorithm, maybe it's summer, but everyone is talking about books, yet I never see a good headline about the “state of the publishing industry.” It’s like, people are naming their kids after ACOTAR characters and looking hot with their beach reads, yet somehow the math isn’t mathing and book sales remain flat!Someone at The Times finally put those Spotify Wrapped think pieces to good use, and now the thought daughters of Instagram can prove they’ve read books you didn't even know existed. They got 503 writers and critics to vote on the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. Starting with the 100th book, every day 20 more are released. For each pick, readers can select if they’ve read the book or not. If they have, similar books are suggested, and if they haven’t, a book review is offered up with affiliate links to purchase. Someone deserves a raise. Everyone from my boyfriend’s mom to my Bookstagram friends wants to know what books on the list I’ve read. I’m ashamed I’ve only read a few. Do I get in on the trend now and post my reads so far? Or wait till the last day so I have more to show? A daily update thing maybe? Or is that too obnoxious? Current musings of thought daughters everywhere…
screenshots from people's stories Congrats to all involved in this Paramount sale, and at this point, I consider us all to be involved. Because wow, that was dramatic. At long last, Paramount is changing hands from one nepo baby to another, but new owner David Ellison is younger, wealthier, and the man has VISION. And PASSION. And did I mention Daddy’s deep pockets? But let’s focus on the vision. Predictably, big cuts are coming to Paramount’s linear business, but surprisingly, Ellison wants to keep Paramount+ in the streaming wars. I wouldn’t have counted on this, but I do love to see a man try. According to Puck’s Matthew Belloni, Ellison’s rally cry is some version of “the future is the combination of art and technology.” I guess we can all look forward to spending the next few months finding out what exactly that means.
Lena Dunham might not be directing the Polly Pocket movie anymore, but she is producing another semi-autobiographical comedy series for Netflix slated for 2025. Too Much is about a thirty-something American woman who moves to London and (surprise!) falls in love with a British musician, played by Will Sharpe. Yeah, so basically Lena’s life. Unlike with Girls, Lena won’t be starring in this one (“physically, I was just not up for having my body dissected again”), and the lead will be played by Hack’s Meg Stalter. I loved Girls, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn't a bit disappointed by Lena’s decision to stay behind the camera. Still, I hope Too Much is just as self-aware, messy, and hilarious as Girls was.
People are paying this 19-year-old real money to rate their Instagram profiles and roast them on TikTok. Personally, I’m too in touch with the concept of shame to ever do such a thing, but I’m thankful for those who don't share my affliction because I find the videos pretty hilarious.
Alex Cooper is hoping to pocket $100 million for her next podcast deal. Her now expired 2021 contract with Spotify was for $60 million. I don’t listen to Call Her Daddy—the vibe is a bit too sorority sisters for me—but I do love to read about the business of Alexandra Cooper, and there’s no denying the influence she has over a certain demographic. Two weeks ago, when Unwell announced Hallie Batchelder, I traded some hot takes with readers who DMed me about the diversity of Unwell’s roster. This week, Owen Thiele came on as their newest Unwell personality. His Instagram bio says “diversity hire.” There was a lot of talk in this WSJ article about Unwell developing reality TV shows, and I have an inkling we might be getting something soon. There’s this quote about Alex being this generation’s Oprah Winfrey that made me feel some type of way. I’ll excavate those feelings later, but literally two days ago, my friends and I were discussing what a fragmented internet culture meant for celebrity star power. We think there are very few personalities who are truly relevant across subcultures like Oprah or Ellen were back in the day. And with influencers not getting famous like they used to, I think it’ll be interesting to see how Unwell’s strategy pivots and adapts to accommodate this.
Exclusive Ivy League social clubs are desperate for members, which is a bit embarrassing considering places like Zero Bond and Casa Cipriani can’t keep people off their waiting lists. The Princeton Club shut its doors in 2021, after trying just about everything to get people in the doors. For those that remain open, alumni and former members say the venues are victims of dated decor, mediocre food, and, according to one woman in the comments section, poor air conditioning.
I want to talk to someone about this whole Sonny Angels thing because right now I don’t get it, and I’m a girl who seeks to UNDERSTAND!
Jack Schlossberg steady racking up those bylines at Vogue. Go read about the Supreme Court overturning the Chevron Deference. It’s a huge deal and has significant impact for environmental regulation and, honestly, pretty much everything.
What's happening over at Night? The Dallas-based talent management team, best known for working with MrBeast (although things are weird with that right now), has parted ways with Night Studios head Alex Piper and its VP of Development, Jared Jacobs. Night founder and CEO Reed Duchscher wrote on Linkedin: “In 2022, we started a production studio with the goal of helping creators develop premium content for streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon. However, after a couple of years, it has not materialized as we had hoped, despite our best efforts.” When asked why he thought Night Studios hadn't taken off, Duchscher said, “most top creators no longer view premium distribution as the ultimate goal.” I went down a bit of a Tubi rabbit hole last month, and one of their big bets is something called Stubios, which allows fans to vote on creator projects that Tubi will fund—basically setting up a YouTube or TikTok-to-Tubi pipeline. Sounds pretty similar to what Night Studios was trying to do, and what Alex Cooper Unwell is attempting for that matter. The D’Amelio Show just got canceled by Hulu. I hope they all took notes.
I’m worried about Olivia Rodrigo, because while Sabrina, Chappelle, and Charli are dominating my feed, the first I’ve heard about Olivia for a while is this collab she’s doing with Stanley. I even forgot she was on tour. She is on tour, right?
Reading about how all-cash purchases for homes in Manhattan shot up 64% in 2024 makes me feel really poor. While buying a home in cash is becoming increasingly common throughout America, the gap between Manhattan and the rest of the country has been steadily growing since 2022, when interest rates first spiked, making cash a more attractive option for those who have plenty of it. And this NYT article makes it clear it's not some faceless oligarchs making these purchases. These buyers “worked in health care, tech, fashion, and the arts. Their ages spanned from the late 20s to the 80s. They got the cash by selling stock or a previous home, or from their parents, or from years of saving. The places they bought touched every corner of Manhattan, from the city’s most exclusive condos to its most affordable co-ops.” Somehow the oligarch option would have made me feel better.
Meanwhile, a hot job market is fueling a housing boom in Utah’s Silicon Slopes. Tech workers are buying homes in Draper, where they can enjoy the outdoor lifestyle, top-tier schools, and conservative politics.
Rachel Tashjian said all that needed to be said in this WaPo piece about the Marvelization of fashion. The fashion industry is apparently over selling the thing. It’s now selling the selling. “More and more, what fashion brands create are not products or ideas that tell consumers what to wear or buy. Instead, fashion has transformed into a system that prizes narrative and content over clothing, at best, and, at worst, a spectacle meant to provoke, distract or even shield us from reality.” She references how brands like Kering and LVMH are going from just partnering with Hollywood to creating their own entertainment studios, and even mass-market brands like Gap are leaning further into the “fashion is entertainment” ethos while the task of finding great quality affordable jeans and t-shirts becomes more elusive. This feels like it should have been be a Substack essay. And that’s a compliment.
Christian Louboutin made a personal investment in Experimental Group, a French operator of upscale boutique hotels, cocktail bars, restaurants, and beach clubs in Europe. LVMH leads the way; others follow.
Gen Z is using the Notes app to plan outfits from their existing wardrobes with the new iPhone digital stickers feature. It’s honestly so fun. I don’t do this particular outfit thing, but my friends and I use the stickers feature to do a bunch of dumb stuff. I think this could be a cool Instagram post format for brands. Otherwise, stay out of my Notes app, because every fashion trade article be like: Gen Z is doing X trend. How can brands get involved? Lol, maybe don't?
Scentbird customers are upset about CEO Mariya Nurislamova’s spiritual guru side gig, but it’s the Scentbird employees I really feel bad for. Imagine having a boss who believes you can heal from cancer and AIDS in seven days, that miscarriage is a choice, and that coffee is bad for your aura. It’s giving bad office snacks and zero sick days. Someone check in on them please.
According to Business of Fashion, the biggest summer beauty trends are sugary sweet scents (thanks to Sol de Janeiro), hair fragrance (searches are up 16% year-over-year), chemical sunscreens (K-beauty and French pharmacy social media trends), bronzers and self-tanners (LTK said self-tanner is a top-searched topic on its platform with 41% growth in the past week, and searches for bronzers up 120%), and mists and spritzes are everywhere (The Tower28 effect, I guess).
Rich people are freezing themselves to stay wealthy forever, and the hot new estate attorney gig is creating trusts to help them extend their wealth until they can be revived, even if it’s hundreds of years later. Because what’s the point if you come back poor? One such estate lawyer told Bloomberg that “the idea of cryopreservation has gone from crackpot to merely eccentric,” and that now it's eccentric, it's actually “kind of in vogue to be interested in it.” He’s worked with about 100 clients trying to get themselves cryonically preserved for a second coming.
Today’s required reading is this story about the health crisis in a Texas Bitcoin town. It made me sad. “Over the course of several months in 2024, TIME spoke to more than 40 people in the Granbury area who reported a medical ailment that they believe is connected to the arrival of the Bitcoin mine: hypertension, heart palpitations, chest pain, vertigo, tinnitus, migraines, panic attacks. At least 10 people went to urgent care or the emergency room with these symptoms.” Really sucks because while the bitcoin mining industry is trying to push bills exempting them from local zoning and noise ordinances, many of the locals in these poor and sparsely populated towns feel powerless to make any changes and protect themselves. Anyway, send this to a crypto bro today and start an argument.
OPRAH? they are saying alex cooper is this generation’s OPRAH?! please 😔
We missed you! And fascinating about the notes app outfit stickers. I do the same, but in the Indyx app which has a selfie outfit calendar view that you can attach photos too which pleases my Virgo soul.