Sometimes what seems nonsensical actually makes perfect sense: luxury toothpaste, hand-painted video games, business names that have nothing to do with the product. Plus, a question bubbling up in the hybrid-work world: is happy hour dead? | | 01. A store that does everything? Maybe not quite, but here's how food stylist and artist Suea describes her store, DAE, which has just opened in New York City: 'It's part home goods and design store, part events space, part wine bar, part sool [Korean alcohol] bar, part restaurant, part snack bar, part coffee and tea shop and more.' While it's getting buzz for its koi-fish-shaped butter and rice-wine cocktails, people told Suea that she was 'insane' to do it without outside investment or consultants. 'Looking back,' she says, 'I'm grateful because this forced us to learn so much and see every little part of building a business in New York.'
02. Dollar-store meals and microwaved salmon rice bowls didn't used to shout celebrity chef, but then TikTok did its thing. Today, there are lots of ways to build an audience in the food creator space from stylized videos and relatable recipes to finding a surprising niche – no culinary school required. Take Katie Zukhovich: her pasta salad summer series went viral and now she's putting on a pasta salad workshop in New York City. | | | Creative, customizable and clean Don't compromise sustainability for style when it comes to product packaging. noissue's eco-friendly materials and manufacturing – think 100% Forest-Stewardship-Council-certified paper and soy-based inks – are combined with an in-house design team and easy-to-use online editor that can bring your packaging designs to life. Join a community of brands championing sustainability and helping customers responsibly dispose of packaging after use. Let your brand shine | | 03. Another way to stand out in food: spend six years in the Alps developing a cookbook. That's what Meredith Erickson, author of Alpine Cooking, did. Now she's launching Doladira, an aperitivo inspired by her high-elevation travels. Ingredients include plum, rhubarb and elderflower. Make ours a double.
04. 10,000 hours – and then some. Australian indie video-game developer Pat Naoum really went in, spending seven years hand-painting his video game, The Master's Pupil, and basing it inside Claude Monet's eye 🖌️.
05. Ofelia Botella was working full time in tech when she saw a gap in the market for 'really beautiful wedding stationery that didn't feel basic.' Now she works with couples to create bespoke watercolor wedding stationery and, recently, she launched a one-day service, providing three illustrations that can be used for invitations and menus. | | | | TIP. Product bundling – when you combine several services for one bulk price – is one way to expand offerings beyond the basics. Here's a guide on how to incorporate it into your business. | | | | | | 06. Energy drinks are having a surprising resurgence – the category grew by more than 13% last year – and there's a lot more going on besides Prime and CELSIUS. - Pzaz is a caffeinated spray that provides an energy boost and freshens your breath.
- JoyShot's energy shots have the equivalent caffeine of a cup of coffee, with flavors such as mango yuzu.
- Vuum makes energy drinks packed with plant protein, aimed at aiding muscle recovery.
- Juvee's drinks aim to boost your mood and immune system in addition to energy – cherry slushie is its latest flavor drop.
07. Even though podcast business models reliant on advertising have been struggling, there are signs that a creator-led Gen Z podcast renaissance is underway – one that relies on video and social reach as much as audio. Bobbi Althoff's deliberately awkward celebrity interviews are blowing up; while Alex Cooper, the host of podcast Call Her Daddy, has launched media company The Unwell Network, signing TikTok talent Alix Earle and Madeline Argy.
08. Thanks to collectives like Ethiopia Skate and Ethiopian Girl Skaters, the East African country's skateboarding scene started blowing up a few years ago. And local skate brands are bringing new life to the movement 🛹. Last year, local skater Ruel Desta and three friends opened Addis Ababa's first skateshop – Kushineta Skate Club – selling skateboards and streetwear-inspired apparel. 'What makes the skateboarding culture distinct here is the passion, dedication and loving community of skaters, despite having to face challenges such as inadequate gear and safe spaces,' Ruel tells us. | | 09. 'Addis is also witnessing an artistic renaissance with a rejuvenated energy and vibrancy,' Ruel adds. He shared a few brands and people to watch around the capital. - 'Hanubet is a small business run by two designers with two separate brands, Hamek Design and Ethiopian Batik. Its store name takes the first two letters of both of their names – Haimi and Nunu – to form Hanu, and "bet" is the Amharic word for "house". So, their shop name means "Haimi and Nunu's house". They host pop-up shops collaborating with other brands and neighboring small businesses – [it's] just a general hub for creatives to gather.'
10. Thomas Rowe and Jase Cooper started London Sneaker School because, even though sneakers easily match other luxury accessories when it comes to hype and value, there wasn't a clear path for sneaker obsessives to learn the craft and design their own. They just opened a concept shop on London's Savile Row – a nod to how sneaker-making is at the same level as high-quality tailoring. | | | We moved into our new office in Hackney, east London, just over a year ago. In that time, many of you have come down for launches, events and talks, and it's really cemented our belief in the power of an incredible workspace and what an incubator it can be for your brands and businesses. So, we're opening our doors: for the first time, our beautiful new office space is available for hire – whether to host an event or to work from day to day.
Email julia@couriermedia.com for rates and more info. | | 11. Another side of luxury fashion that's getting a second look: archival fashion. Disruptive Berlin from Brenda Weischer, AKA @brendahashtag, is a great example. As the prices of new luxury goods have climbed, archival fashion provides a way for the young and fashion-conscious to get in on designer goods. Plus, creators such as Wesley Breed and Alex Schenck are educating followers on the history of brands and how to spot dupes.
12. Something we never thought we'd hear associated with luxury: toothpaste, mouthwash and breath sprays 🪥. But that's the pitch of Swedish brand Selahatin, which is giving oral hygiene the same treatment as perfume, with unusual ingredients such as licorice, salt, citrus and cinnamon.
13. There's still space to make over the medicine cabinet. An ex-Glossier employee just launched Douse, focused specifically on 'bottom drawer' products that address unsexy needs, like dandruff and flaky skin.
14. That said, we've noticed a lot of brands are launching perfumes. It turns out they're less of a bid to become a fragrance house and more so a branding exercise. Swedish laundry-care business Tangent GC has launched a line of perfumes alongside musical compositions inspired by the scents, while haircare brand Ceremonia released a scent 'rooted in Ceremonia's culture and soil'. | | | | TIP. Ceremonia founder Babba Rivera told us that self-care is crucial to her work as a founder. Here are her top five tips for maintaining balance. | | | | | | | 15. Struggling to name your business? Here's an unconventional method – Vancouver-based Japanese snack bar Pizza Coming Soon doesn't serve pizza, but that was exactly why the founders chose the name. 'It's a confusing and stupid name,' says co-founder Alex Usow. 'Everyone names their restaurant after their grandmothers. We just wanted something funny that people won't forget because it's weird.' | | More from us (and elsewhere)
➡️ Has hybrid work killed Friday happy hour? Cue midweek DJs.
➡️ Why Edouard Massih is doing Lebanese food his own way.
➡️ A folding map and guide that'll make you want to delete Google Maps.
➡️ How this company stayed on track after layoffs.
➡️ Is this game the next Wordle? | | | | |
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