4. behind: Effn, Heaven Mayhem and Papergirl Paris
few things excite me more than discovering a great brand that offers quality without breaking the bank
I realise I called this an informal substack with informal opinions, yet it has been quite detailed in a sense that feels a little formal. Today will not feel that way (hopefully🤞.)
Effn
I don’t tan, so although new beauty brand Effn piqued my interest (mostly due to the rise in bodycare), it was actually the modern, minimalist packaging that got my attention. If I did tan, I guess this would be the sort of brand I’d buy from; in the same way, Skims is the type of brand I look to for loungewear.
Bali Body skincare follows a similar aesthetic with their packaging, as does Rare Beauty's new body collection. While the monochrome vibe isn't groundbreaking, it certainly appeals to those seeking an Instagram-worthy shelf aesthetic.
Heaven Mayhem
I’m so over winter. And seeing as I’ve already booked flights to more tropical climates, I've decided I’m leaning into jewellery for the summer season. During my browsing, I discovered a gem.
I have to start by mentioning that the '80s are making a triumphant return—credit goes to Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, and so on for showcasing oversized studs and retro clip-ons on catwalks.
Enter Heaven Mayhem, timeless, vintage-inspired statement jewellery launched 2023 in LA. Despite its infancy, the brand has been worn and adored by a roster of major influencers and celebrities, including Hailey Bieber, Rosie HW, Matilda Djerf, and Lori Harvey, among others. However, what I particularly love about the brand is their distinctive style of product photography. It’s pretty unique, featuring jewellery pieces on printed model shots.
Papergirl Paris
Off to Paris this week, my absolute fave after London! I’m not a sneakerhead but admittedly love shopping for sneakers, and what better place to do so than Paperboy Paris? Part cafe, part sneaker store, I love everything about Paperboy, notably their collabs with New Balance.
They've just dropped PaperGirl Paris, a women's collection. And the timing couldn't be better, as women's sneakers continue to assert dominance in the industry. To mark this occasion, the renowned cafe has once again joined forces with Japanese label BEAMS to introduce a fresh take on the ASICS GT-2160 model (ah, the pink laces though!)
Weekly musings:
The Business, Careers & Finance Edition From SheerLuxe: Sheerluxe launches a new quarterly supplement, providing you with all the insights and empowerment needed for modern life. So if you love the girls for their stylish and on-trend takes, then definitely sign up to receive their business insights.
Why is Fashion So Obsessed With Paparazzi Culture Lately? For CGDS’ latest campaign, the Italian brand collaborated with paparazzi agency Backgrid to recreate their own celebrity fodder. GCDS is just the latest to look at paparazzi photos as inspiration. We had Bottega Veneta’s viral shots featuring A$AP Rocky and Kendall Jenner and Balenciaga’s runway set against the backdrop of glitzy Los Angeles, with no shortage of celebrities in attendance. This embrace of "anti-fashion" is gaining traction as a prominent trend, and personally, I'm all for it.
TikTok is Catching Up to Netflix As Gen Z’s Favorite Entertainment Source: The gap between TikTok and other platforms, including traditional media, is narrowing. Gen Z are split evenly when choosing between streaming services and social media if they could only use one for the rest of the year. I would personally choose TikTok over Netflix.
Packaging themes for this year: The packaging themes for this year represent a fascinating blend of nostalgia, minimalism, and innovative design strategies, reflecting broader trends in the fashion, beauty, and luxury industries.
How Marketing Can Change Your Mind: David Ratajczak, the global leader of BCG’s marketing practice, highlights how companies can leverage our brain's tendency to form associations between events, objects, and memories to create positive brand perceptions. Marketing campaigns are no longer confined to big media platforms, accessible only to large companies. Instead, startups and small businesses can now compete with industry giants by using precision digital technology to exploit these psychological associations. This approach allows them to gain mindshare effectively.
‘A wake-up call’: UK publishes first census on diversity in fashion: A recent UK Fashion DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) Report reveals that only 9% of executive roles in the British fashion industry are held by people of colour. This lack of diversity extends to the broader workforce. The report suggests three strategic levers for fashion companies to improve diversity: leadership commitment, data collection on workforce diversity, and reviewing systems and pathways, including pay audits and addressing biases in recruitment. It calls for a culture where open discussions about diversity and inclusion are encouraged, and where DE&I is seen as a responsibility and not a burden.