The best of Sprezza from 2023

A few thoughts (and some holiday reading from the archive) on the year.

Some thoughts on the state of Sprezza—freestyle

When I look at the state of men’s style content, it’s clear there’s a lot of noise. A million creators riding the coattails of memes for engagement but no conversation.

Plenty of affiliate-ridden websites offering “25 products on Amazon under $25.”

Old-guard magazines and blogs we all once loved no longer move the needle when you realize they’re all chained to ad revenue to stay afloat.

I’ve been working on Sprezza as a creative project for over 2 years now.

When I started writing, it was just an outlet for me.

But the more I wrote, the vision became bigger than myself. I started to realize people craved what I was writing about. As a result, both the email list (and, ultimately) the community have grown beyond what I ever imagined.

Now people in all 50 US states, and 108 countries. Wild.

I’ve learned that readers don’t simply want clicks and memes. It’s not just about recommending products.

You don’t only want roundups and guides.

You want stories and editorials. Great interviews and deep dives into topics where you learn something new.

You want to meet each other in real life, make a new friend, and share great experiences over a drink.

You want connection.

And the more I build Sprezza, the more I’m certain this is where we’re going.

This year, we–

• Hosted meetups in NYC, London, and Italy.

• Curated the first-ever popup shop with brands I love (thanks to Huckberry).

• Invested more in editorial stories and content (thanks to my boy Fenimore on the photos!).

2024

2024 will be fun as we expand from “Sprezza is just a newsletter.”

The newsletter will still exist, but I’m working on other touchpoints to connect with you (some online, some physical, and some in-person). It’s the next phase of maturing the brand.

For now, I’m recharging for a bit (welcoming another baby into the world any day now), and content will resume next week.

I hope you all are enjoying time with your families, friends, or whomever else you spend time with. Stay safe and healthy, and get some rest.

One quick ask

I’d love your feedback on how I can improve Sprezza.

Here’s a 2-minute survey with a couple of questions. Thanks in advance!

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The best of Sprezza in 2023

These were some of my favorite pieces I worked on or wrote this year. If you joined after these were published, give them a read! Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to articles as well: Leland Grossman, Georgia Graham, Rhys Thomas, Mat Spade, and more.

1/ How Drake’s made wearing suits fun again

2/ Menswear is genreless

3/ A primer on Chefcore

4/ Is made in Korea the new “made in Japan”?

5/ The travel guide to Edinburgh

Featured editorials

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