What We Consumed This Week: From Luxury Candles to Sensible Beach Necessities
From news to podcasts to shopping, find out what the team at Coveteur consumed the second week of August.
Welcome to Coveteur’s Consumer Diaries!As our co-dependent relationship with the algorithm deepens with time, the bottomless scroll has turned us all into 24/7 consumers. As we consume varying degrees of news, targeted ads, trailers, shopping, and user-generated content all accordioned together in an endless feed—our consumer habits have reached a fever pitch. Each week we will be untangling the top news stories of the week and asking Coveteur staff members about what they consumed this past week.
Weekly Wrap
This week in culture news…
Covid is spiking again, Taylor Swift is releasing another “(Taylor’s Version)” album, Aidan and Carrie are back together—feels like we’re living in a groundhog day in culture news. This past weekend, Vogue faced a bit of a technical snafu when one of their Beauty Secrets YouTube videos linked out to an internal Google Doc of their talent’s YouTube commissions. Exposed on TikTok and analyzed to pieces on Reddit, this information breach is enough to give social media managers nightmares for years to come. In celebrity news, Megan Fox announced the upcoming release of her book of poetry titled, “Pretty Boys Are Poisonous,” which promises to dive into her personal relationships as well as the decades of misogyny she faced in Hollywood. I am praying the podcasters behind Celebrity Book Club have already placed their pre-orders. A few days ago, the VMA nominations were announced and news outlets were quick to notice that women are dominating the categories. All the nominees for Video of the Year and Artist of the Year are female or non-binary. Glad to see the industry adopting the zeitgeisty “he’s just Ken” attitude, but isn’t it time we reconsidered the gender categories of awards shows?
Consumer Diaries
From podcasts to shopping to media, we asked Coveteur staff to send their top recommendations for what they consumed this past week.
Shibimu Shade Mini: “For beach-going sun seekers, the Shibumi sun shade is the perfect mix of beautiful and useful. It takes about two minutes to assemble (you just connect the pole, string the shade, and anchor it) and uses the always-present wind coming off the ocean to stream the canopy over your head, providing you with beauty and shade all at the same time. Bonus points for it being the only sun canopy that also brings to mind Priscilla Queen of The Desert. ‘Come on girls, let’s go shopping!’”— Marc Duron (Head of Innovation, Great Bowery)
Tata Harper X Nette, Into the Garden Limited Edition Candle: “If you want to feel transported to the beautiful Tata Harper Garden in full bloom; this is the candle for you. This is more than a candle, it’s an experience! This fresh, uplifting scent was created by master perfumers and crafted by artisans in Portugal in a sunny yellow color with sustainability in mind.” — Patricia Foster (Executive Beauty Director)
White Crocs: “I know there are a lot of haters out there, but Crocs are chic as hell and they’re here to stay. As someone that works from home, I needed something between a slipper and a sneaker to get me through my chores and errands without a fuss. I chose the off-white color ‘bone’ since that seemed like a fashionable neutral. They are absurdly comfortable and I live in them 24/7. If you’ve been on the fence about Crocs this is your sign to go for it.” — Andie Eisen (Culture Editor)
Sweet Juju Playlist by Mia Moretti: “As the disco craze swept the globe in the mid-80’s, down in South Africa, musicians like Letta Mbulu, Penny Penny, and Chicco were putting their own funky, jazzy twist on it. To celebrate the release of her debut single, Sweet Juju (inspired by Mbulu's anthem of rhythm, love, joy, and ‘gettin' your man!’ from 1983), DJ Mia Moretti created a beach-perfect weekend-perfect #SWEETJUJU playlist inspired by the records she would have been rocking out to in the 70s and 80s had she been around. Along with her South African disco faves, Mia added a little Nigerian jùjú music, a dash of the Lijadu Sisters, some Cameroonian funk by way of Pasteur Lappe, and of course, a healthy spoonful of Mama Africa herself, Miss Miriam #Makeba. This is Mia’s dream dj set for a New York City day that turns to night, then back to day again. And, boy, does it deliver.” — Marc Duron (Head of Innovation, Great Bowery)
Flamingo Estate Olive Oil: “Made from 150-year-old trees in Ojai California, the flavor is earthy and verdant with a rich, peppery finish. This isn’t your typical cooking olive oil, it’s best for dipping bread or drizzling on pasta. This is definitely the one to break out at a dinner party to impress your friends. Don’t be alarmed by the $48 price tag- it’s definitely worth it.” — Andie Eisen (Culture Editor)
Verb Ghost Oil: “Summer humidity is my hair’s worst enemy. My hair is either pin straight with no volume or frustratedly frizzy, with no in-between. This hair oil has been helping tame the frizz and maintaining what’s left of my year-long digital perm. Plus, it smells soooo good!” — Katie Mok (Content Management Coordinator)
Byredo Saffran Candle: “I’ve been a fan of this Byredo scent for a few years. I’m not usually a fan of sweeter smells but there is a savory edge to the saffron and black pepper notes that even out the more cloying sweet tones of violet and vanilla. I was always turned off by the price tag on something as non-essential as a candle, but after a birthday gift card, I was ready to add to cart.” — Andie Eisen (Culture Editor)
Sandy Liang x Baggu Small Heavyweight Canvas Tote: “When three of my coworkers told me they already placed their orders, I clicked so fast. The biggest impulse purchase ever, I ordered my canvas tote from the Sandy Liang x Baggu collab and I’m beyond excited to get it.” —Samantha Wu (Marketing Coordinator)
Mondo Mondo Gold Tropicana Clip-On Earrings: “I’ve been a huge fan of Mondo Mondo for years—their style is costumey yet understated with brilliant use of color and texture. The playful designs are cheeky without forfeiting quality or elegance. A lot of pieces are discounted right now during the SSENSE sale, so get it while it’s hot!” — Andie Eisen (Culture Editor)
GapFit Recycled High Rise Running Shorts: "Though this may look like a chaotic (and very off-brand for those who know me) purchase, it’s not—hear me out. I’ve always had a thing for silver metallics and I’m envisioning these paired with a cool t-shirt and fisherman sandals. Once it cools off, I plan on recreating this Wales Bonner runway look. Stay tuned!" – Camille Freestone (Senior Style Editor)