From London…
The supposedly soon-to-be-launched East India Company flagship on New Bond Street still hasn’t opened since I last walked past several months ago. Relaunched in 2010 by entrepreneur Sanjiv Mehta, EIC claims to offer the “world’s finest food, drink, coins, collectibles, and more”. Look, if you’re going to revive a brand associated with the oppression and humiliation of over one-fifth of the world’s population, you better have a meaningful philanthropic, social, and educational practice at the core of your mission. The British East India Company, backed by the Victorian Crown, was ruthless in its mission to trade and turn a profit for its shareholders. But it did so at an immense human cost untold to many. You can learn more about this here and here. Given this dark history, the very least the EIC brand should do under its Indian ownership is not short-change consumers by shying away from its difficult past, or worse, encouraging colonial romanticism without an honest acknowledgment of its failures. The business can, and should, actively educate and promote awareness of past and current injustices while living a principled corporate life fit for the 21st century. It would be a brave choice– more challenging than paying lip service to “400 years of cultural impact, updated and reimagined for today”– but the right thing to do.
Is BYOMA the new Glossier?
Punk rock’s ethos is very much alive in perfumery and I’m here for it. I’m fascinated by the current movement toward fragrances that capture uncomfortable, spiky, even downright revolting notes. Zoologist’s Squid is “a melancholy tale told through tangy brine” while Bull’s Blood by Imaginary Authors evokes “dusty Spanish villages and dank, dark brothels.” One woman on a perfume sub-Reddit recently asked for recommendations, saying “I want to smell complex, subversive, and borderline offensive.” Sticking two fingers up at the basic vanilla virality of TikTok-famous scents like Bianco Latte? Whatever it is, I salute the feather-rufflers among us who seek to smell like dust on a hot light bulb and outer space. (I’ll be sticking with Diptyque though).
Who’s going to fuel Chapel Down’s sparkling growth? Due to English wine’s continued success and the impact of rising global temperatures on traditional wine growing regions, the UK wine industry is increasingly the target of foreign investment. I’m placing my bets on Taittinger. One of France’s best-known champagne houses, it’s launching the first of its English wines from Kent (the county that’s home to Chapel Down) this September. Another strong contender is Jackson Family Wines, which became the first US producer to buy acreage in Essex last year.
From Chicago
Can someone please explain why hot pink is so hot among teen boys right now? The Messi craze has cooled, right? I was at this super testosterone-laden place with my 10-year-old son a few weeks ago for his baseball lesson. “Bruhs” everywhere with their pimply cheeks and ice cream hair. A good number of them were wearing expensive batting gloves with hot pink accents. One had a hot pink catcher’s glove. Another— hot pink sneakers. I noticed, but more telling— my son with a keen eye for all things teen-boy cool noticed. Days later he and his buddy were seriously discussing the merits of hot pink clothes, hats, and sports equipment (“not baby pink— but hot pink, bruh!”).
This place— just blocks from me— is apparently everything middle-aged women need right now. Earlier this summer, The New York Times did a report on the recent boom in romance bookstores. I was already deep into my audio plow through the entire Carley Fortune collection. What’s with us and why are we finding endless escape in these told and re-told steamy tales? Theories abound, but the trend is not slowing down. Women are finding ways to weave this into their daily routines like Starbucks and calling their mom— in the school pick-up line, on the train, at the gym. I see you, and— don’t worry— I won’t interrupt.
Finally, a snack for soccer moms! The struggle is real. You’re on snack duty and need 15-20 shelf-stable, single-serve, food and/or beverage takeaways for a herd of sweaty kids that a) taste good, b) are nut-free, lactose-free, you-name-it-free, c) won’t melt in the baking sun, and d) give-off the illusion of ‘healthy’. Goldfish, Gatorade, and Veggie Straws are soooo last season (“Come on, Mom— this isn’t pee-wee anymore!”) Even Prime and Dot’s pretzels have had their flash in the pan. Go Go Squeez— the historically kiddie brand— has finally figured out how to age up in a way that nails it: beloved flavors, real fruit, branding that’s not trying too hard, and ELECTROLYTES. Brilliant!
I find myself actually looking for this Taskrabbit marketing campaign lately. My kids don’t get it, but I sure do— and that makes me love it even more!