things i’m reading: brands are seeking to make real human connection easier for us (sad we can’t do it on our own, but i do appreciate it)
coach is creating the new third space with a collection of dozens of cafés across the u.s….inside malls! i’m incredibly nostalgic for loitering at the mall as a teen and think every teen deserves this experience. i will likely check it out too if there’s one near me because i love this initiative. (bof)
barnes & noble brought back hand-written recommendations from its employees (unquestionably one of my favorite parts about mcnally jackson or any indie bookstore where i can’t leave without buying something out of fear of them closing). i admittedly barely consider b&n big retail these days after borders shuttered back in 2011. indie first, but buying books not on amazon is a win…in my book at least. (dirt; npr)
starbucks brought back hand written names on cups…it’s the little things! (fast company)
so what happens when we put connection in the hands of brands? my p.o.v. is as long as brands are doing it authentically, i’m glad somebody’s doing it.
things in my cart: brands are giving us more ways to get hands on!
i started seeing brands launching their own “diy” versions of their evergreen skus a few months ago. it all happened around the same time that “recession core” took tiktok by storm and it felt like me to be a way brands were approaching “recession-proof” positioning — this isn’t just a brand or a product you use on your own, it’s a an experience. maybe even one you can have friends over to partake in. it’s economical.
these were coming from some of my favorite brands and you all know i love a craft so, i was incredibly here for this (recession core coining aside).
i also loved chloe gordon cordover’s take on this for the dieline that this is an anti-ai movement (if you don’t subscribe to her newsletter, shelf life, you should act now).
oddli launched a watercolor kit! i love this and this brand so much. they never miss.
ariel gordon jewelry partnered with honestly wtf for a knotty rope kit. yes, so you can recreate a non $700 version of miu miu’s iconic rope keychain.
brightland launched a paint & pour set (so cute). this made so much sense for the brand since they’ve been partnering with artists since 2019 for its artists series (check out the “artist details” section in each product description!).
ghia launched a color-inside-the-line label for one of my favorite skus from the brand - le fizz - that immediately caught my attention. it was so summer-y and so chic i hope they bring this back.
saie partnered with rocky’s matcha (my favorite matcha) on a collab matcha making kit. i’m counting matcha making as a diy here.
hermès launched a brand activation centered around drawing!
anthropologie sells paint anywhere “adult paint kits”. the halloween one is pretty cute and very gilmore girls fall.
personally, i’d love to see more brands getting in on diys/caft kits!
things i’m listening to: kraftwerk
we can’t talk about crafting and not talk about listening to kraftwerk.
what’s the most relevant thing to know about kraftwerk today? they were brand-builders before brand building was cool. they treated their band like a design company — everything from the typography to the color palette and font choices were unified.
my favorite song? it’s a toss up between it’s more fun to compute and tour de france.
fun facts about kraftwerk?
at the band’s 2016 hollywood bowl debut, they made the entire 17,000 person audience wear 3d glasses (la times)
they predicted cyber-personas back in 1981 long before
youwe all had one (dig)kraftwerk’s lead singer and keyboardist, ralf hütter, was extremely into cycling….hence an entire tour de france album title. (road)
i would love to hit a dtla warehouse party that exclusively plays kraftwerk at any point in time.
things to make: some crafts of course!
macrame bracelets! i made these like it was nobody’s business as a kid and we’re all overdue for their comeback. they’d also make a great addition to wrapping on top of a gift (a bonus gift).
puffy letters! i’m adding magnetic strips to the back of them because i just got a new fridge that can take magnets (my old one couldn’t and it was so lifeless).
i’m also making some flower magnets and ordered a massive tub of model magic (i figured i’ll try my hand at the old school stuff before going for the fancy stuff like pott’d)
maybe after my magnets i’ll take on a picnic chess set?
i’ll pair it all with a lil orange juice like this. potentially spiked. likely with a light pink hibiscus ice cube.
things to *swoon* over: some photos that feel like crafting
