Paris this week, the year of the sound system, and Japanese bread packaging

Here's what's in my brain this month.

Sprezza in Paris this week

I’m very excited to be in Paris this week, working with BEAMS of Japan on the rollout of their newest collection. I’ll also hang out with the homies from the MAN/WOMAN show on Friday.

Between that, I'll be running around the city, visiting showrooms, interviewing people, and creating content.

This is the first time I’ve done anything like this for Sprezza, and I’m excited to see how it works. I’ll be making:

• Short-form videos/day in the life while there

• A longer form vlog on YouTube (more info at the end!)

• A Field Notes from Paris recap on the newsletter of my time there, what I saw, who I met, favorite brands, etc.

• Bunch of IG content

• + more!

If you’re around, send me a note! Love to say hi.

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Down the rabbit hole of sound systems

It's tough to pull me out when I fall down the rabbit hole. And my latest escapade down the rabbit hole is exploring bespoke, custom sound systems.

I am absolutely in love with the current wave of brands and makers who specialize in building custom sound systems.

Obviously, listening rooms (Jazz Kissas, a staple of Japanese culture) have a deep history. Still, I’m seeing a new wave of brands and makers in the West who specialize in building setups to accompany these sound systems, and they look fantastic.

More people around the world are building businesses around making bespoke sound systems.

There’s WrenSilva, A California-based maker of HiFi vinyl systems.

Also out of California, we have the phenomenal Good Wood.

And one of my personal favorites is Friendly Pressure in London.

I could list countless others, but what I love most right now is their approach to craftsmanship with these projects; reminds me of the 2010s “maker wave”, when we started seeing people become expert leather makers, hat makers, table makers, and so on.

At a time when it feels like everything is made fast and cheap, in my opinion, there’s always a place for this, and I hope we see more it going forward.

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A winter playlist for you

I made a playlist for winter. In fact, every season I make a playlist, and you can find it on my Spotify profile below. I try to match each playlist to the vibes of that particular season, and it happens to also be music I’m loving in the moment.

Enjoy!

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I’m launching a YouTube channel

You may not follow me on Instagram, but in 2024 I made an effort to make more short-form videos, and it’s changed my whole world. That’s not an exaggeration. I’ve gone from about 20k followers to almost 100k, which I plan to hit this month.

I’ve realized how much I enjoy making video in general; it’s a different way of thinking about explaining what’s in my brain from writing.

And as I think about the future, I’m going to launch a YouTube where I make fewer, longer-form pieces of content that I can use as a medium to film longer-form content, interviews with people, how I experience new cities, and so on.

My first video will be a vlog-style video covering my time in Paris at Fashion Week.

I’ll release it next week.

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Why am I obsessed with Japanese bread packaging

Came across this page on IG from my guy Tom at Service Works, and I can’t stop researching Japanese bread packaging — it’s so incredibly good.

Here’s the page

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Four products I love right now

Custom jackets from William Ellery

These brutalist side tables from Variable System

Quilted nylon jacket from 18east

Outsiders Store’s delightful lineup of gloves

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