Is everyone in New York having fun without you?
There's only one way to find out: a Feed Me survey.
Hello everyone. I’m writing this from a plane to Los Angeles. I hope to see some of you this week at Café Telegrama or somewhere else.
Today’s letter includes: a new activewear brand for men from a Set Active alum, A24’s M&A is only getting started, Audrey Gelman’s hotel is unsurprisingly brand trip bait, and we’re conducting a comprehensive survey on the state of parties in New York City.
📱 Have a story you think we should look into? Text the anonymous Feed Me Tip Line: (646) 494-3916
Lately, a lot of ink has been spilled on the state of partying, much of it contradictory. Gen Zs don’t know how to party, apparently — or maybe they do, and you’re “just old.” People are “sober-curious,” but they’re also curious about snorting pink mystery powder and microdosing at the office. Nobody is eating anymore (because Ozempic) but every grazing table looks like a Roman Emperor’s banquet (because Instagram) only to get thrown away untouched (feel free to fact check us on this).
Social media might be making parties less fun, but the lucrative brand potential of parties-as-content is also making them splashier, more frequent and more FOMO-inducing. New apps are trying to revolutionize the invitation game (please stop sending me Partiful invites, I can never find them); other people are going back to fliers on lampposts. Graydon Carter’s When The Going Was Good has us nostalgic for parties in the 80s, and Cat Marnell’s The Bored and the Beautiful promises nostalgia for nightlife in the 2010s; who will dare write a novel on the modern state of New York social life?
From an anecdotal perspective, too, it seems to me like nobody really knows how to party anymore — like the codes of party etiquette have gone out the window. A few recent stories: A friend was upset that I didn’t attend her birthday party, although I wasn’t really invited, I was included on a Close Friends Instagram Story that outlined the details of the evening. I was in a group chat where women debated whether mint green and yellow wedding guest dresses were “too close to white,” when we all knew that none of them would be mistaken for the bride. I’ve heard people say that they show up to parties to get a photo taken and leave. (Getting dressed to trade hours of your one precious life for a photo you might not even like!) I’ve been at dinner parties where nobody eats, and worse, the bottle of champagne someone gave the hostess last year still hasn’t been touched. And everyone is just awful at gossip. Showing a table of five people a screenshot of a conversation is lazy, and honestly cop behavior.
It is now October 21st, the beginning of the hedonistic, revelrous march from Halloween into Thanksgiving into Christmas. Even if you aren’t on the PR list circuit for the countless brand events destroying Cami’s sleep schedule, chances are you’ve started to get a few invitations for holiday parties, or at least parties during the holidays. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, we don’t blame you. And, as always, we’re here to help.
Feed Me has been working on an incredible project to help you survive this hyper-social season. We’re kicking it off with a comprehensive survey* on the state of partying in New York. If you have ten unbothered minutes today, I highly invite you to contribute** — including your email is optional, but if your stories are interesting we might want to reach you for some follow-up questions. Watch this space.
*Disclaimer, to keep this focused and accurate, we decided to study the New York nightlife scene specifically.
** By default, this survey is anonymous. If you want to elaborate on any stories for our upcoming party project can include your email in a response.
Nicholas Pakradooni, former art director at Set Active, launched a new men’s activewear brand called Lui. The vibe of the brand is homoerotic jock (“We follow the fun, live in the moment, and our North Star is desire… Call it hedonism. Call it knowing what you like.”) The Lacrosse shorts are $50, which feels affordable next to Horse’s $125 viral striped shorts. I like thinking about these athletes making out. I asked Pakradooni what gap in the menswear market he believes Lui is filling, and he told me, “Lui is menswear designed for modern leisure. We take our cues from heritage sportswear staples focused on craftsmanship and update the silhouettes to make sure everything fits just right for today. No countdowns, no ‘sold out in seconds.’ Just well-made pieces, always available, built to live with you — not compete for your attention.”
