Everything Is Romantic
Spring is springing, simple phones, lovely hotels, and ending a prolific career
Hello, happy Monday! Things have been buys lately, family in town, new projects popping up, and I wasn’t fully prepared for this week’s edition. Sorry! I blame the nice weather and the call of the Campari Spritz beckoning me away to a sunny terrace. Now I just need the sea to warm up so I can float along the Mediterranean. I would love to hear from you, what’s new and exciting? I feel like I haven’t had an email from a reader in a while. Tell me what’s happening in your world, I’m curious and nosy 💙
The latest evolution of the Light Phone was announced and it’s absolutely the best version yet, and honestly, incredibly tempting. Among the new features the Light Phone III will have is a camera with a dedicated two-step shutter button which is similar to auto-focus point-and-shoot cameras. It’s the type of shutter in which you half-press to focus the image, and full press to snap the photo. It’s smart to bring a bit that analog touch to a device that strives to be so analog in nature. The form factor also seems so much nicer than the massive smartphones we have to endure today. Please bring back lil’ phones!
Kyle and I are trying to be more mindful of our travels lately so we sat down yesterday to make a plan of where we want to travel and, more importantly, why we want to go there. And when I see photos like those of De Durgerdam, a hotel on the outskirts of Amsterdam, that’s exactly the kind of place I want to visit. The rooms have a storybook-feeling to them, charming, with eclectic color palettes, and filled with all kinds of odd knickknacks. Who wants to come visit with me?
If you’re looking for a sharp statement shoe for summer (this is for you Colleen!) then HAY and ASICS have you covered. Curated by HAY founder Mette Hay, the re-release of the Skyhand OG from back in ‘94 now comes in the most delicious colorways. HAY always makes really interesting choices when it comes to their brand and partnerships and this was a surprise to me. But it really does work well as these color combinations feel distinctly like HAY. Personally, I’m obsessed with the pink ones.
I’m so impressed with Kat Gilbert’s brand refresh for Vienesse coffee house Demel. Founded in 1786, Demel is considered to be a culinary and cultural institution that makes up the fabric of the Austrian capital. Gilbert’s role was to reposition the brand to be a little more digital friendly and have more options for takeaway while retaining it’s classic look and feeling. I really enjoyed how the work is laid out, giving the history of the space, and the smart moves she made to refine the brand. Also, you must check out the illustrations from Baron Federico of Berzeviczy-Pallavicini, artistic director and owner of Demel, which they brought back into the brand.
Vanessa Friedman has an exclusive interview with Dries Van Noten about his upcoming retirement from fashion. “It’s scary,” he said. “It’s a big void. It’s like, What is going to happen after, with my name?” I’m very curious to see what his next act entrails. Ends and beginnings are always fascinating, and he mentions a project that involves young people, craft, and the virtues of staying small. Time will tell.
the run thru on kat gilbert’s site on demel is phenomenal