The Relevancy Read

Hot takes, early calls and astute observations, carefully curated.

A Sampling

Barncore and pretty pet products.

November 01, 2022

The newest “-core” is “Barncore.”

As Western influences take hold of style, all things cowboy, equestrian, and farm-adjacent proliferate. Dairy Boy’s “Horse Girl” sweatshirt puts a positive spin on the somewhat negative nickname via timely streetwear drops. Evoking the polo fields of Watermill, Vera Wang’s Spring 2023 collection features formal riding garments with dark fairytale-esque flair. An early indicator, Casablanca’s Spring 2023 Menswear collection, inspired by Mexican Vaqueros and Oaxacan art, modernizes traditional gear like chaps, satin dress shirts, and blue jeans. Attention Merchants: riding jackets, boots, decorative belt buckles, flannels, denim, and any other variety of equestrian-related items play. Actual horse not included.

Cool hamsters have faux leather couches.

An influx of aesthetically pleasing dog brands (Maxbone, Pagerie, Fable, etc.) put fur-baby fashion on the map. Now, elevated offerings emerge for all animals. Interior designers Nate Berkus and Jermiah Brent’s new PetSmart collab offers high-design objects for every pet from reptiles to rodents in their signature mid-century modern style. Launched last week, Horse Kicks sells $1,200 Hypebeast horseshoes, reconstructing sneakers to specifically fit hooves. Pets, congratulations! You have officially tricked the humans into spending paychecks on your attire and abode.

Is spooky season still seasonal?

2021 marked the horror genre’s highest market share of the box office, beating out comedies and dramas for the first time in history. Today, a flurry of blockbuster and streaming successes suggest horror has gone mainstream. Amidst our own daily terrors, horror becomes a cathartic outlet, no longer reserved for niche audiences or Halloween season. We see this embrace of dread and gore as an aesthetic opportunity. Look to JW Anderson's latest Carrie capsule and Gucci's The Shining-inspired campaign for creative plays on cult classics. American Horror Story’s recent NYC pop-up elevates IRL entertainment activations with a provocative, high-design shopping experience.

We’re literally sick of chasing trends. Are classics the cure?

Screen addiction precipitated "digital nutrition." Financial stress turned to "wallet wellness." Now, fast fashion calls for fashion fasting, as “compulsive copping” adds to consumers' sky-high anxiety. Blackbird Spyplane explores remedies for the ailment, advising to “only buy things that stoke desire in person, establishing a higher bar of dopeness (and a lower probability of regret) that is involved with e-commerce.” Jacket brand Paynter guides customers How To Get Good At Shopping, providing 3 principles to filter purchases through and stop the dissatisfying cycle of keeping up with what’s new: Quality, Wearability, and Timelessness.

Amid anarchy in the food industry, potlucks become safe space.

James Corden’s Balthazar tantrum and punitive ban underscores an overall feeling of angst and anarchy in the food and beverage industry. Guilt tipping is out of control. Securing restaurant reservations is impossible. Eateries like Café Mutton are fed up with nagging requests. The cost of eating out soars, while quality of service declines. Nowhere feels safe. We’re calling a comeback on the good-old-fashioned potluck. A Supper Series offers a “for the people, by the people” dining experience in rotating locations across NYC, where fun comes first.