The Lean Luxe Completely Impractical Holiday Gift Guide 2020.
Consider this your one stop shop for everything completely absurd. Impractical — or practical, depending on your tax bracket — at minimum, this list should have you chuckling at a time (and a year) when levity’s needed most.
Ana Andjelic: “Entrepreneurial Rihanna is having a moment. And strange as it might sound, it’s got zero to do with her music.”
It’s true that social media makes it easier than ever to attract an audience and build wide reach. But remember: The barriers to entry are also incredibly low, and the floor is littered with the bones of far too many short-lived celeb endeavors to count. A myopic focus on social media as the only growth explanation ignores the complex web of factors that help to explain the rise and prominence of the Fenty brand collective.
Ben Young: “Poolside FM’s fresh new redesign is proof: There’s tremendous power in creating a distinctive vibe — and an experience that delights.”
There’s a reason why the new Poolside FM redesign has become an instant hit. It offers a distinct vibe, an unmistakable feeling. It feels familiar, fun, approachable, and tastefully retro. It delights you, and it’s all delivered in a tight, cohesive package. In a world where no one pays attention to the details, this is the luxury opportunity.
Brightland’s Aishwarya Iyer: “I knew I wanted the notion of green to speak for the oil’s tasting notes and character — rather than use it in our visual aesthetic.”
At first glance, most folks might find it hard to believe that the olive oil space needed any help or improvement. When you assess the realities of the market, however, you quickly learn that there are indeed very valid opportunities to innovate on both product and packaging — exactly as Aishwarya Iyer has proven.
Tracksmith CEO Matt Taylor: “We want Tracksmith to be around for 100 years. That requires delayed gratification, true human connection with consumers, and thinking beyond just Facebook ads.”
Longtime subscriber Colin Nagy chats with Tracksmith’s Matt Taylor about his approach to building Tracksmith into one of the more cohesive modern brands of the moment. Says Matt: “We live in a world where instant gratification reigns supreme. Tweets, headlines, soundbites––we’ve lost our ability to go deeper and wider. But I’m a runner and running requires building a strong foundation or base. You don’t win the race on the first day. You have to accept delayed gratification.”
Luke Scheybeler: “Modern luxury, status, and the death of discretion.”
As Kering’s François-Henri Pinault and LVMH’s Bernard Arnault publicly pledged €100M and €200M, respectively, to rebuild Notre-Dame after last month’s fire, Scheybeler couldn’t help but wonder whether it might have been better for this money to be given discreetly and without the publicity. And whether it was more “luxury” to give quietly––or to make a grand gesture and seduce others into supporting the cause––and what it might say about the modern luxury philosophy, given that we’re asking such questions.
Sara Bernát on today’s luxury fragmentation: “There’s almost no overlap between the Aesop shopper and the Lamborghini owner — and there’s a reason for that.”
A sharp, academic analysis on our current moment in the modern luxury timeline. Bernát’s argument: “Luxury in the Age of Fragmentation is a bit different. The gatekeepers no longer have much of a stronghold, so luxury definitions are unique and one group’s idea of it can vary wildly from another’s. The Maiyet customer’s socially sensitive and worldly view of the world stands in stark contrast, for instance, to the exclusive worldview of Lamborghini customer’s. These two brands will also most likely not share an overlapping consumer base.”
Ana Andjelic: “How new botanical haircare brand Act + Acre represents a model for the future of entrepreneurship.”
Struggle porn and getting rich quick are no longer part of the responsible narrative. Instead of just being businesses, emerging companies must find a way to weave themselves into the fabric of society and culture. A new kind of entrepreneurship is looming, built around a “when you do well, we do well” sensibility.
The new reality: Hims as an incubator, Bonobos as an M&A shop, and Harry’s as a VC. What’s driving this new DNVB trend?
Subscriber Phil Soriano explores why some of today’s VC-backed ‘blue chip’ DNVBs are engaging in some unusual activity beyond the scope of brand and community development. In some way or another, the likes of Glossier, Harry’s, Bonobos, and Hims have each dabbled in acquisitions, incubation, or in-house VC expansion. Soriano explains why.
W. David Marx: “How post-war Tokyo is a cracking case study on the origin of modern trend life cycles.”
Colin Nagy sits down for a stellar interview with author W. David Marx, discussing his new book Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style. For anyone interested in how brands are born, how they develop and grow – and how culture can propel them – Marx’s book is an essential study.