This is the end.
The time has come to bid a fond farewell.
Dear readers,
Ok, that was dramatic. We’re not closing down or quitting the industry.
It’s just that like the rest of you, we need a (sort of) break once in a while, especially since our next print issue—due in September, and devoted to the complexities of modern British identity—is being put together painstakingly in our office. (We are still open for pre-orders though; read more about that HERE… your support makes our survival possible!)
Since you’re probably on holiday too, this newsletter is taking its annual break until the start of September. But don’t worry, if you’d like some fun reading material to kill time in the passport control queue, we’ve got you.
We’ve selected five of our favourite articles that we’ve published this year so far… for the road. There’s something for everyone, from the cultural power of Indian craft to the dangerous art of sword-swallowing.
In assembling this list, we’ve only scratched the surface of the many, equally wonderful, articles we’ve published despite being a tiny indie platform.
So if you’ve enjoyed any of these pieces, take a look around the site, tell your friends, drop us a comment about your favourite articles, or just pre-order the print, please!
Happy holidays from:
Nina-Sophia Miralles, director & Wang Sum Luk, deputy editor
‘We’ve Always Been The Silent Creators’: Reclaiming Heritage In A Global Fashion Economy
‘We can continue advocating for ourselves. I always say I want non-Indian people to wear my brand. I want them to respect Indian culture, Indian jewellery, Indian fashion, the same way people respect Italian textiles.’ — Read more here
‘A Unique Form of Time-Travel’: Meet YouTube Star & Rare-Book Dealer Tom Ayling
Tom Ayling has over a million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Impressive, given that his content is focused on rare books and manuscripts: hardly the obvious thing to go viral. — Read more here
It Can’t Be Beet: How Feral Reinvents Non-Alcoholic Wine
Made from white beet juice, Feral’s N°1 looks indistinguishable from a Chardonnay, but is—like all of this company’s offerings—alcohol-free and naturally fermented. — Read more here
Sword Swallowers Are A Dying Breed, But Not For The Reason You Think
‘You have to put your body in harm’s way,’ sideshow performer and street artist Viscera Nefarious says. ‘You do have to accept a certain amount of risk, and that’s not something you can fake.’ — Read more here
Can You Eat The Rich? Notes On Regurgitating Marie Antoinette
The rich person in question may be long dead and buried, may be dismembered and rotted to ashes, but chances are you’re consuming them anyway. Yum! — Read more here