Gucci and Palace are teaming up for a high-low, logo-heavy collab for Vault; meet Lucky Jewel, the cult New York art collective taking on fashion; young people are fantasizing about being dumb as rocks; and, unrelatedly, some Gen Z-ers are disengaging ahead of midterms.
HOW TIKTOK ATE THE INTERNET, wapo
A dismal look at the TikTokification of America: “The biggest technology innovators are reinventing themselves in TikTok’s image, not only in developing short-video copycats — Meta’s Reels, YouTube’s Shorts — but in swapping out networks of friends and families for feeds of strangers chasing viral glory.” If you think that sounds bleak, consider this: Soon, TikTok’s model could shape the entire internet.
BIG TECH EMPLOYEES ARE TIKTOKING ON THE JOB — AND THEIR BOSSES DON’T ALWAYS LIKE IT, theverge
On the “tech girlie” side of TikTok, lifestyle vlogging has given rise to a cottage industry of creators who’ve made working in tech — and showing followers the ins and outs of their workday — a key part of their personal brand. The videos often follow a standard format: cheery, upbeat background music plays over quick shots of meeting slides, themed workrooms, and snack drawers. Viewer comments oscillate between contempt and yearning — and employers are similarly split on how to feel about it.
WITH GRAILED ACQUISITION, GOAT ATTEMPTS PEER-TO-PEER RESALE, glossy
Though they’re technically different business models, consignment reseller Goat’s biggest rival is peer-to-peer platform Stockx…which explains why Goat would acquire peer-to-peer platform Grailed.
As of 2021, StockX had more than a million sellers on the platform, while Goat had around 700,000. Both companies are neck-and-neck in market valuation, with Goat worth $3.7 billion and StockX worth $3.8 billion.
MILLENNIALS AND GEN Z ARE FUELING A BOOM IN THE SECOND-HAND WATCH MARKET, bloomberg
The pre-owned luxury watch segment will surge by 75% by the end of this decade, accounting for nearly half of the overall market, with younger buyers fueling the trend. You can blame / thank Brynn Wallner for fueling at least part of that boom!
THE ERA OF THE PAYWALLED RESTAURANTS IS UPON US, nyt
If you’ve tried (and failed) to get into a favorite local spot lately, this piece is worth reading. The tl;dr is that platforms like Front of House, a startup designed to help restaurants sell “digital collectibles” (aka NFTs) that grant holders special access, are making it so only people who are connected, either by cash or by social connections, can land a res.
Instead of lining up at 4:30 p.m. on a Monday, the one day Dame takes walk-in diners, a devoted diner could pay $1,000 dollars, which buys them the ability, with at least 24 hours notice, to book a table once a week through the end of 2022. (20 such tokens have been created; 11 have been sold so far.)
One last thought:
Just subscribed! These posts are all great.