LINKED UP 131

The End of Google Search – and the Internet – as We Know It

For years now, Google has been tweaking its search formula to prop up AI and bury actual links. Now it’s rounding into its final form – and changing the internet forever. (The Ringer)

Google Search Is Dying. What Comes Next Is Worse

As AI eats the web, the internet’s collective memory is disappearing. (The Walrus)

You’re Thinking About Online Trends All Wrong

From pessimism around dating to AI reshaping culture, cyber-ethnographer Ruby Thelot tells WIRED why people are putting too much stock into things that go viral. (WIRED)

Screen Time: Tony Njoku 

Tony Njoku shares the tabs he keeps coming back to, from albums and essays to digital archives, creative tools and internet rabbit holes. (Crack)

POV: No, Reading Is Not Dead – It’s Far More Complicated Than That

The Stack Reading Habits Report digs deep into how and what people are reading nowadays, and – importantly – why. Here, Stack founder Steven Watson shares some of its fascinating results and his opinions on our changing attitude to the printed word. (It’s Nice That)

The Bookstore-Slash-Skate-Shop Next to Ballerina Farm

Claire Carusillo is the co-owner of Storyboard, a bookstore, skateshop, and coffee bar in Midway, Utah. (The Paris Review)

The Very Best Bookstores in New York City

These bookshops are a must visit for any New York book lover. (Town & Country)

“Magazines Are Cultural Artefacts”: magCulture’s Jeremy Leslie on the Enduring Importance of Print

Despite the ever creeping digitalisation of the world and culture, physical objects are taking on different, yet vital, roles in culture today. Ella Glossop chats to one of London’s biggest proponents of the art about why we need to support independent publications. (Huck)

The Sexy Magazine You Really Will Read for the Articles

Erotic Review is a refined publication for a different age. (NYT)

The Untold Story Behind Larry Clark’s Tulsa

Clark’s legendary photobook may seem like a timeless portrait of youth and addiction, but its images emerged from failed policies that still haunt Tulsa today. (Aperture)

Harmony Korine Makes Sense of His Shape-Shifting Art: “It’s Really One Whole Work”

The filmmaker’s first U.S. retrospective, Perfect Nonsense, has just opened at the ICA Miami. (Artnet)

Pull Up a Seat

A new monograph highlights Yinka Ilori’s many eclectic chair designs – and the profound stories and messages underlying them. (Family Style)

The Hidden Truth Behind Soho’s ‘Vertical Drinking’ Scandal

Is standing up at the pub about to be banned? Or is that just what the liberal media would have you believe? (The Londoner)

Lucky at Leo’s

Leo’s is co-founded by Julian Porter and Lauren Johns of Milk and Juliet’s Quality Food – both South London institutions. Porter and I chatted about creating restaurants, the lore of the Chatsworth Road building, his food philosophy and his love for unfashionable drinks. (to Be)

Smoking Is Cool Again. Why?

After two decades in disgrace, the habit is back in fashion. (FT)

How Long Gone to Host Inaugural Awards Show “The Goneies” in New York 

How Long Gone, the cult-famous culture podcast hosted by Chris Black and Jason Stewart, has announced the inaugural edition of “The Goneies”, an intimate awards show taking place on Sept. 15 at Racket NYC in Manhattan. (Variety)

The BoF Podcast – Chris Green on Why the Best Fashion Stores Don’t Chase Scale

Chris Green joins Imran Amed to explain how his self-funded Brooklyn menswear store earned a place among the world’s best fashion stores – by staying off the internet and betting everything on how it feels to walk in the door. (Spotify)

Collier Schorr’s Margaret Howell Campaign Was 26 Years in the Making

A quarter-century after she first willed it, Collier Schorr has finally photographed a Margaret Howell campaign. Here, she reflects on coming full circle. (AnOther)

Brunello Cucinelli on the Importance of Ancient Philosophy and Practical Jokes

The king of quiet luxury critiques tech-driven burnout, preaches humility among the wealthy and explains why he remains deeply hopeful about humanity. (WSJ)

Meet Your Favourite Menswear Expert’s Favourite Menswear Experts

The Churchwell brothers are accomplished doctors, not TikTokers. But for a certain type of style fan, they’re also a perfect example of blending traditional tailoring know how with just the right amount of self-expression. (Esquire)

Gen Z-ers Dress Like They’ve Never Worn Clothes Before

Time was, if you wanted to know what people’s deal was, you read their clothes. (NYT)

Batter Your Clothes

Why your favourite clothes deserve to be worn. (Easy on the Ivy)

The State of the Tennis Sneaker

A stumble and a shake-up. (Dirt)

Soulwax Created a Soundtrack for the Easily Bored 

The Belgian electronic duo made us a playlist to celebrate the release of their short film score for Reebok x IDEA’s Club C 85 sneaker. (Interview)

‘Fish Market’ – The Reggaeton Rhythm That Could Bring a Billion-Dollar Industry to Its Knees

The makers behind the 1989 track are suing Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee and several others, alleging unlawful use of their song. (FT)

$TARFACE – $TARFACE / Tyga

The rapper’s slop-pop concept album is smug and complacent and depressing. Its very existence has made the world a worse place. (Pitchfork)

William Orbit, Pop Producer for Madonna, All Saints and More, Dies Aged 69

Musician’s projects included Madonna’s Ray of Light, Blur’s 13 and All Saints’ chart-topping singles ‘Pure Shores’ and ‘Black Coffee.’ (The Guardian)

AUTO BOOKS

AUTO Books is a mobile bookstore and private book consultancy operating out of the trunk of a 1984 Mercedes-Benz at various locations around Los Angeles. Very cool! 

More info here.

STOUT BOOKS

Since 1974, William Stout Architectural Books has been a dedicated bookstore for architects, designers, and design enthusiasts. 

Founded by Bill Stout, a practicing architect at that time, the business endures as one of only three bookstores in the United States dedicated to architecture and design. Over fifty years, Stout Books has developed into an internationally-respected cultural icon and a destination for inspiration, ideas, and camaraderie.

Check out their website here.

MICHAEL MCGREGOR FOR J. PRESS

Artist Michael McGregor photographed by Alex Arnold wearing the J. Press poplin suit.

TYLER, THE CREATOR – SAG HARBOR

Saturday morning mood music.

LINKED UP 130

Inside the Coke-Fuelled Rise and Fall of VICE

The company didn’t die because of investors, sexual harassment charges, or going ‘woke’ – it died because our founder stopped believing in the product that made us famous. (Pirate Wires)

Roxy’s Tales – Leo Fitzpatrick: Coming of Age in ‘90s New York

“Leo Fitzpatrick is many things: the actor who brought Telly to life in Larry Clark’s 1995 film Kids, a longtime DJ, and a veteran of New York City’s most electric skate and club era. In this episode, we sit down to trace his path from the skate parks of the late ‘80s to the club floors of the Y2K underground.” (Spotify)

The Theatre of Sport: Bill Buford Revisits Among the Thugs 

“I think male behaviour is perplexing and disruptive and often a good story.” (The Paris Review) 

Don’t Trust People Who Talk About “Intention”

Banned words. (Blackbird Spyplane)

Nights of Grace

An unemployed guy walks into a barre. (Byline)

Down in the Basement of 180 Studios, 2034 Has Arrived

Romain Gavras and Surkin’s underground exhibition at 180 Studios conjures an unsettling sense that the future already looks a lot like the present. (to Be)

London’s Lost Brutalist Estate

While the Barbican thrives, Elephant and Castle’s Heygate was demolished. Why? (The Londoner)

Council Wants Pubs in London’s Soho and West End to Limit Standing

Sadiq Khan criticises Westminster council’s ‘anti-growth policies’ after it recommends stopping ‘vertical drinking’. (The Guardian)

The First Ever Time Out Market London Is Coming to Piccadilly

The flagship Market will open in an iconic West End location in 2028. (Time Out)

The Story Behind Present & Correct, the Perfectly Curated Stationery Shop

We catch up with co-founder Neal Whittington as the fan favourite print ephemera and stationery brand makes its first foray into the publishing world with a debut title from P&C Additions and uncover some of the stories behind the shop’s legendary stock. (It’s Nice That)

How to Spend a Bookish Afternoon in Midtown Manhattan

This walking tour through the bustling heart of New York City includes bookstores, great reading spots and literary-themed snacks. (NYT)

Yinka Ilori’s New Book Gives His Celebrated Chairs a Voice

Chairman reveals how one of design’s most familiar objects became the starting point for more than a decade of work. (Wallpaper)

How In-Camera Tricks, Colourful Paper and Patience Brought Sam Nicklin’s Reflective Photographs for Alessi to Life

The photographer’s collaboration with the iconic Italian homeware brand is a key reminder that “simple ideas can often have the biggest impact”. (It’s Nice That)

How One CDMX Artist Made a Better Tournament Poster

What can seem like an afterthought at some tournaments takes centre stage at Los Cabos. (Racquet)

Thom Browne, Norma Kamali, and More Designers Reimagine State Flags For America’s 250th

Sixteen of the designers enlisted by the CFDA reveal the unexpected influences that brought their deisgns to life. (CULTURED)

These 25 Artifacts Explain America

Want to understand this country? Look at our stuff. (NYT)

Meet the Parisian Designer Making Clothes Out of 200-Year-Old Fabric

Oliver Church’s handmade shirts and jackets have earned him the respect of menswear fanatics around the world. (GQ)

From Ship Decks to Skate Decks – A History of Vans Sneakers

Vans is ingratiated firmly as one of the big sneaker brands today, learn how this small deck shoe company became a titan in our profile. (Heddels)

Preppy Attire Without the Cultural Baggage

The madras, the red pants, the boat shoes – an enduring aesthetic finds new fans. (NYT)

My Perfect White Tee: Sofia Coppola, Rick Owens, Edie Campbell and Others Pick Their Favourites

HTSI style insiders solve the ultimate wardrobe conundrum. (FT)

The Best Clothing Stores in New York

New York is, was and always will be a shopping town. These are the stores that keep it vibrant and alive. (NYT)

Is This the World’s Most Fashionable Cake? 

CNN Style editor Bianca Betancourt dives into how Sant Ambroeus’ signature dessert has gained a devout (and fashionable) following. (CNN)

The Art of the Fashion Brand Playlist

How houses like Lemaire and The Row curate a world with sound. (SSENSE)

We Are Entering the Age of Intentional Music Listening

As music streaming platforms continue to be flooded with a paralysing amount of new releases, a small but growing subculture of music fans are finding new pleasure in limiting their choices. (Dazed)

The Lost Civic Life of Movie Rental Stores

Decades before recommendation algorithms, video stores served as social hubs where conversation and camaraderie became a form of taste-making. (The MIT Press Reader)

MTV for This Generation: Track Star Is What a Media Company Looks Like Now

Founded by a creator and backed by a legacy media scion, the startup is trying to turn a social video franchise into a media empire. (ADWEEK)

BrooklynVegan, Alt Press Hit With Mass Layoffs

Music publications Revolver and Goldmine have also been gutted by owners Veeps and Live Nation. (Pitchfork)

A Silver Lake Love Story

An oral history of the Silversun Pickups’ era-defining indie rock classic ‘Lazy Eye’. (L.A. Material)

Kenneth Blume III, FKA Kenny Beats

Formerly known as Kenny Beats, whether you call him Kenneth or Kenny, please use his last name, Blume. (Tape Op)

Rapper of the Month: Kibo (July 26)

ROTM is a monthly series to track the best and most impactful rappers in music’s fastest moving ecosystem. This month’s selection is London’s digitised skrewball Kibo. (The Linx)

MORE CHAOS

THE CALM AND THE CHAOS

“The Calm and the Chaos” is a new creative project from Stone Island that pays tribute to the hardcore and metalcore subculture. 

Photographer and director Isaac Lamb spent over 6 months travelling across Europe and North America with bands High Vis, Angel Du$t, Knocked Loose, and Haywire 617, capturing the dynamism and the staying power of the hardcore scene, in the moments between the chaos of the shows and the calm of the downtime.

Band members are photographed wearing a mix of current and vintage Stone Island garments.

YINKA ILORI “CHAIRMAN”

Bringing together over a decade of work, Chairman explores Yinka Ilori’s celebrated chair works and the vibrant design language shaped by his British-Nigerian heritage. 

Through photography, archival material and studio insights, the book reveals how discarded and overlooked furniture is transformed into powerful vessels of memory, migration and joy.

Chairman is available to pre-order here.

CORNER SHOP

Part of the 180 The Thames neighbourhood, Corner Shop is an all day grocer, café, bakery and wine bar with interiors by Eagle + Hodges.

Read T magazine’s feature on 180 The Thames here.

TYRRELL WINSTON X BEAMS T

Artist Tyrrell Winston has collaborated with Beams T on a six-piece capsule collection. Serving as a uniform of summer essentials, the collection is inspired by Winston’s artistic work and his own brand, Win Sport. 

More info here.

LINKED UP 129

Petrol Bombs, Drugs and Bradley From S Club 7: Inside the Wild ‘00s Hood Movie That the Police Seized

Breakin’ the Cycle had celeb performers who hoped it would go to Cannes. Until they realised its creators were still running a drug gang while filming – and it all went very wrong. (The Guardian)

Lust for Life: Danny Boyle on the Radical Spirit of Trainspotting, 30 Years On

To ring in 30 years of the kinetic Trainspotting, Danny Boyle tells Ella Kemp about the music, memories and everlasting magic of the Scottish film that changed everything. (Letterboxd)

“A Radical Democracy of Images”: Mike Mills on His Work Outside of Feature Filmmaking (Criterion Collection)

A Novelist’s Dark Portrait of Natalie Portman

Rachel Cusk’s new book mines the actress’s life. (UnHerd)

Reliving 1980s L.A. With Cindy Crawford, Kaia Gerber and Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy’s Love Story fuelled a nostalgia for ’90s New York. Will his new prep-school thriller bring back the wayfarer era of Southern California? (NYT)

How the Wrong Kind of Nostalgia Can Endanger a Society

The philosopher Svetlana Boym argues that “nostos” encourages people to reject the world as it is and seek to return to a better time – real or imagined. (Big Think)

The Naff Index, Summer 2026

Our annual survey of seasonal ghastliness. (Gentleman’s Journal)

Same Shoe, Different Factory

Only two major running brands still own their factories. The rest rent from the same pool of contractors. Many do so with no commitment past the current order. (Worse on Purpose)

Artist Uniform: The Anti-Fashion Art Duo Who Accidentally Became Style Icons  

Moschino, JW Anderson, and Supreme’s favourite suited-up British art duo, Gilbert & George, are getting their due with two major 2027 shows in Tokyo and Kyoto. (Highsnobiety)

Oi Story 2 – Proper Interviews Nigel Lawson of Oi Polloi

To get the inside track on what Oi Polloi’s second act will look like, we caught up with one half of its founding duo, Nigel Lawson. (Proper)

It’s Emily Dawn Long’s World After All 

Emily Dawn Long’s Chrystie Street showroom is equal parts studio, clubhouse, fitting room, and idea factory. (Highsnobiety)

Portraits From The Big Apple

Five voices from the city’s ever-evolving style scene. (Easy on the Ivy)

My London: Artist Yinka Ilori

Artist Yinka Ilori chills at Banya, loves the steaks at Straker’s and never cheats on his Camden barber. (The Standard)

Hard Copy: The Zine Rethinking Photography Through Xerox

Featuring artists such as Collier Schorr, Justine Kurland and Jeff Mermelstein, Hard Copy reimagines the work of photographers across fashion, art and documentary through the imperfect textures of Xerox photocopies. (Dazed)

Why Do Celebrities Keep Trying (And Failing) to Become Artists?

Adrien Brody, Ed Sheeran, Jack White, who next? (It’s Nice That)

The Designer Behind the Album Covers for Steve Lacy, Tyla, and Addison Rae

New York’s John Patrikas has become the expert for unforgettable pop visuals. (The FADER)

Capturing the Beautiful Drama That Is Olivia Dean

For Lola Mansell, documenting Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving tour is all about trust and timing. (Highsnobiety)

Summer Songs Supermix 2026

Two and a half hours of eternal joy. (Blackbird Spyplane)

MUNA on Their Upcoming Tour, Song of the Summer and New Ugg Campaign

It’s about to be a MUNA fall, y’all. (NYLON)

Everybody Loves Xaviersobased

How New York’s hottest young rapper is building a life beyond the internet. (SSENSE)

“I Know What It’s Like to Be Vulnerable”: Musician This Is Lorelei AKA Nate Amos on Addiction and Finding Peace

The singer-songwriter and Water from Your Eyes guitarist was unstoppably prolific, despite a growing dependence on substances. Now sober, he reflects on his new album and the songs that helped him turn his life round. (The Guardian)

How Conor Oberst Survived Teenage Rock Stardom

The singer-songwriter opens up about life as a niche icon for more than 30 years, the personal struggles that nearly killed him and trying to write political music under President Trump. (NYT)

UK Drill Pioneer PS Hitsquad on His Solo Debut: “I Feel Like I’ve Spent My Whole Life on License”

The former Zone 2 member’s debut album documents his experiences of incarceration, becoming institutionalised and “learning how to live again”. (NME)

What Is UK Poo? The Controversial New ‘Genre’ Making a Splash Online

A viral X post has drawn attention to low-quality, meme-worthy UK rap videos – but is the trend laughing with, or at, these irrepressibly British artists? (Dazed)

James Cam’ron: Killa Season 20 Years Later

Two decades after its release, POW revisits Cameron Giles’s pivot toward street-level cinema and speaks to his collaborators. (POW)

POW Book Club: Jeff Weiss’s Waiting for Britney Spears

Pranav Trewn speaks to POW founder Jeff Weiss about his debut book on the occasion of one of its European releases. (POW)

Roxy’s Tales – Brian DeGraw: The Downtown Story of Gang Gang Dance 

“In this week’s episode of Roxy’s Tales, I sat down with Brian De Graw, co-founder of Gang Gang Dance, to trace the full arc of his journey. Brian has been an essential force in New York’s scene for over two decades as a musician, DJ, and visual artist.” (Spotify)

Matthew Schnipper Still Lives for the Thrill of New Music

A chat with former FADER editor-in-chief about his memoir Rise Above and how the music of Bill Callahan and Henry Rollins helped him move past tragedy. (The FADER)

Lou Koller, Frontman of New York Hardcore Band Sick of It All, Dies Aged 59

Koller, who co-founded the celebrated band in 1986, had been battling cancer of the esophagus. (The Guardian)

Public Listening: Taco Bell

Risking it all for pre-recorded music. (John’s Music Blog)

The Rise of the Jamaican-Patty, Italian-Doughnut, Zine-Selling Newsstand

Candy, soda and print just don’t sell like they used to. (Curbed)

A Different Kind of Grocery Store Magnate

How the scion Sammy Nussdorf found his calling among the carefully arranged shelves of Meadow Lane, his chic market in Lower Manhattan. (NYT)

The World’s Best Hotel Breakfasts

Alison Roman, Jeremy Lee, Amy Poon, Frederik Bille Brahe, Bobbi Brown and more share their favourite places to start the day. (FT)

23 Things It’s OK to Steal From a Hotel (And a Definitive List of Stuff You Should Leave in the Room)

Nick Jones’ new St. Clement hotel has a WHOLE CUPBOARD FULL of complimentary booty. But what about the bath robe or the hand-held steamer? Here’s a guide to what you can and can’t take home with you. (Male on Sunday)

Moods July 2026 (Moodmail)

SETS AND THE CITY

New work by artist Leah Goren for Nike Tennis to celebrate the energy of tennis in New York City leading up to the US Open. Beginning today, until September 19th, you can customise your own one-of-one garment at Nike SoHo and Nike House of Innovation.

More info here, via Mike Cherman.

YEW PICKLE

More sparkling water! YEW have introduced a Pickle flavour that combines sparkling spring water with a splash of briny dill pickle, notes of fresh cucumber and a bright, tangy finish. Sounds kinda funky, but I’m intrigued.