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Vulture Culture

Everyone wants to be culturally relevant, but what even is culture anyway? (Protein)

Welcome to the Era of Microsnobberies

Now you’re judged on your children’s lunch boxes and whether your olive oil has a story. (WaPo)

How a Highbrow Novel Became Celebrity Gossip 

Life of M, Rachel Cusk’s new book, has a protagonist with an uncanny resemblance to Natalie Portman. But in an interview, Cusk says she never expected it would cause such a frenzy. (NYT)

The Secret History of the Lost First Edition of Brideshead Revisited

Evelyn Waugh’s beloved novel was published first in Town & Country, but it might look a bit different from the copy on your bookshelf. To honour our anniversary, we’re bringing the original out of the archives. (Town & Country)

How Does The Shards Compare to Real Life? A 1980s L.A. Prep Weighs In

The new series depicts a Reagan-era Los Angeles of absent parents, rampant drug use, and near-death experiences. It’s not entirely fictional. (Town & Country)

David Hockney’s Portrait of Betty Freeman Became Iconic. Their Friendship Was Even Better

The author of a new book about “The Beverly Hills Housewife” recalls that when Hockney painted Freeman, he made much more than just a legendary image. (Town & Country)

When Google Isn’t Enough: Three Libraries That Are Providing Fashion Creatives With Rich, Printed Archives

Preserving the fashion industry’s history and heritage is a colourful, creative business. We head to Spain, London and New York to visit three archives that are inspiring the next generation. (Monocle)

From Barbie Logos to Medieval Manuscripts: Step Inside Teddy Blanks’ Film Title Design Process 

Teddy Blanks, the Chips co-founder behind the title sequences for Barbie, Weapons and Robert Eggers’ upcoming Werwulf, explains how eBay dolls, hidden AA symbolism and a 14th Century manuscript all found their way into his lettering. (It's Nice That)

That’s Never Going to Happen, Like Snow in July

Taryn Segal on her zine of photographs of oddities and the absurd. (Monster Children)

Melissa Auf Der Maur’s Chronicle of Nineties Rock

The photographer, who played bass for Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, captured a moment in which one generation’s subculture became the next generation’s mainstream. (New Yorker)

Lily Allen, One Year On

A candid conversation with Lily Allen, caught backstage in the middle of the UK leg of her epic, 62-date West End Girl tour. (Perfect)

Celebrating the Unsung Heroes of Black British Music With Escaping Babylon Author, Jesse Bernard

Jesse Bernard sits down with Rob Kazandjian to talk about some of the lesser known voices he spotlighted in his book to trace their impact on British culture. (DJ Mag)

Herb Sundays 190: Electro 1997–2005 (Electroclash, New Disco, Disco Nouveau) Part 1

Electroclash never truly existed, but the feeling was immense. Memoirs of the new Electro era part one. (Herb Sundays)

Inside Paul Smith’s Nottingham Archive, a Treasure Trove of British Fashion

Wallpaper takes a trip to Nottingham to discover Paul Smith’s career-spanning archive, which continues to inform the label’s collections today. (Wallpaper)

What the Ladies Are Wearing This Summer

We asked our friends what they're wearing right now, and they delivered. (Sprezza)

Has Cricket Bowled Over the Fashion Set?

The sport is becoming a chic summer fixture – here’s how to get the look, even if you don’t understand the rules. (The Standard)

Why Contemporary Painters Are Obsessed With Tennis (Artsy)

Tennis Gamesmanship and Dark Arts: MTOs, Bathroom Breaks and the Serve Clock (The Athletic) 

How the U.S. Open Changed the History of Tennis

The legacy of the U.S. Open goes way beyond Flushing Meadows. (Town & Country)

DENZEL CURRY & KENNY BEATS – II

ii, the new album from Denzel Curry and Kenneth Blume, is out now. Cover art by Leon Xu.

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The Wealth and Glam of The Hamptons Looks Almost Quaint

Barbara Kopple’s documentary follows a generation of starlets, moguls, and other tanned partygoers who have no idea what tragedies and class anxieties lie in store. (New Yorker)

Watch The Hamptons here.

Penn State Fraternity Members Are Charged in Cocaine Trafficking Case

More than a dozen current and former students from two fraternities were part of an operation that involved packaging drugs at fraternity houses, the authorities said. (NYT)

A Hackney Story

In the early 2000s, Clapton was the scene of a spate of public shootings, often conducted in broad daylight. The area earned the tabloid sobriquet ‘Murder Mile’. But who was behind the violence? Police officers from Operation Trident and villains from the warring gangs speak for the very first time. (The Fence)

Roxy’s Tales – Kunle: IRAK, Alife and Downtown NYC’s Graffiti Scene

“I sat down with Kunle Martins aka EARSNOT for a conversation spanning graffiti, friendship, IRAK, Alife, survival, streetwear, art, and parties of the ‘90s and Y2K era in downtown NYC.” (Spotify)

This Ain’t the ‘90s – Skateboarding’s Missing Youth

Dr. Veith Kilberth weighs in on why fewer kids are picking up a board today, and why it matters for the future of the community. (Bubble)

Stories From Elsewhere

Elsewhere: The Story of UK Skateboarding, 1987–2002 by Neil Macdonald is out now. (Monster Children)

A Rare Interview With Tricky, Bristol’s Trip-Hop Phantom

In the wake of his latest album, Different When It’s Silent, Emma Garland sits down with the elusive artist to discuss grief, the question of retirement, and quitting Massive Attack over a portion of chips. (Dazed)

Ford Focus: James Ellis Ford’s Favourite Albums

As the Arctic Monkeys, Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode superproducer releases his remarkable second solo album, James Ellis Ford walks us through the albums that have guided him in sickness and in health. (The Quietus)

“It Was a Damn Unicorn”: The Pioneering, Divisive Power of Paul Simon’s Graceland at 40

On its anniversary, the author of a new book about the album explains the complex legacy and masterful musicianship of the 1986 classic. (The Guardian)

Blonde Turns 10 (Stereogum)

“He Never Needs to Drop Again”: The Legacy of Frank Ocean’s Blonde 

10 years ago, the Grammy award-winning artist dropped Blonde, and music changed forever. Here, fans reflect on what the album has meant and continues to mean to them. (Dazed)

The 37 Greatest Electroclash Songs of All Time

Presenting the sexiest, trashiest club classics of a genre that isn’t easy to define but is undeniable on the dancefloor. (Pitchfork)

What’s Killing the Video Star?

The music video was once an essential element of an artist’s identity. What happened? (POW)

Against the Algorithm

Paul Moore, Junior Writer at It’s Nice That, and Luma Bashmi speak about famous creative family dynasties, reclaiming the internet, where AI should be heading (it’s not what you think), Moore’s views on Coppola’s Megalopolis, and those comments from Timothée Chalamet. (Port)

Amazon Caught Destroying Rare Books to Train AI 

“They just want the content as a bunch of words strung together.” (Futurism)

Remembering 4Columns

Reflecting on planning, commissioning, editing, and writing film reviews for nearly a decade at a one-of-a-kind arts criticism website. (MUBI)

Sherman’s March: How Fashion Learned to Fear a Newsletter

Hedda Hopper. Elsa Maxwell. Cindy Adams. We’ve always had a love-hate relationship with our most celebrated purveyors of gossip. Lauren Sherman, author of Line Sheet, is the latest inheritor of the mantle. (Vanity Fair)

She’ll Make You Rethink How to Wear a Shirt

Charlotte Collet helps many of the biggest brands in fashion. But there are lessons for us all in her styling. (NYT)

Plain White Tees

From Carmy’s signature Merz b. Schwanen tee to the minimalism of The Row, explore the best white T-shirts on SSENSE and elsewhere. (SSENSE)

What Makes a Great Outdoor Store?

Owner Nate Hoe on building one of America’s best outdoor shops, championing under-the-radar brands, and why great retail still beats endless scrolling. (Sprezza)

Why That Small Clothing (Or Record, or Book) Store You Love Also Sells Coffee

In a challenging climate, independent retailers are turning to an item New Yorkers buy every day. (Brooklyn Magazine)

Game, Set… Coffee?

From court to café: the perfect tennis and coffee pairing. (BAGEL)

From Acid House to Holy Carrot: Inside the Mind of Chef Daniel Watkins (Service95)

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy

A celebrated restaurateur looks back at his career. (The Fence)

Nieves González: “My Work Is a Gesture of Devotion” (The Talks)

IKEA Launches Collectible Design Objects “At a Price That People Can Afford”

Furniture company IKEA has launched the limited-edition Konstrunda collection, an assortment of furniture and homeware objects that reimagine collectible design from the likes of Andu Masebo at an affordable price point. (Deezen)

Would You Pay £100 for the Perfect Passport Photo?

A viral Polaroid project has New Yorkers shelling out for a single shot. (FT)

VICTORY LAP: TRAINING MODE VOL. 1 (2025)

Victory Lap Radio presents Training Mode Vol. 1, a one-hour documentary showcasing more than 25 UK artists, filmed in London in 2025.

More info here.

GOODHOOD F.I.T.S: GANT X YALE

The Gant x Yale University collection, styled by Goodhood. More info here.

PETER SUTHERLAND FOR LIVING PROOF RADIO

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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)

GANT X YALE UNIVERSITY

Gant was founded in 1949 in New Haven, home to Yale University. From selling shirts at the campus store to helping define American sportswear, this exclusive collection revisits the brand’s ties to timeless Ivy style.

Available here.

VINTAGE SADE PINS

A mixed collection of original, licensed, and bootleg ‘80s Sade pins on a blank New Era 59FIFTY, courtesy of Lawrence.

THE WRONG ANSWER SHOP

Geoff Snack has announced that the Wrong Answer shop will open on Saturday August 15th. The shop will be located within the USM Showroom at 28 Greene St. in Soho NYC and stock a tight selection of books and ephemera.

MARGARET HOWELL A/W 2026

As seen by Collier Schorr.

“Informed by her long-standing admiration for Margaret Howell, Collier Schorr interprets the Autumn Winter 2026 collection through her own distinct visual language. The campaign brings together a cast of people, some of them friends of Schorr, whose presence reflects the shared instinct behind the images and the clothes.”

More here.

SUBURBAN PARADISE

“Suburban Paradise” is a small, end of summer capsule collection by BURBIA studio. Campaign photography by Matt BNTL.

Available here.