Runway Grocery
McDonald's runways foreshadowing Erewhon Balenciaga bags
Hey hey, look who’s back. I had a wonderful vacation, thanks for asking. I didn’t have wifi for about half the trip so my screentime was the lowest it’s been in quite sometime. Much needed. I know I said I’d report back on Pisco Sour rankings, but I only got a photo of two (as previously mentioned, I wasn’t on my phone too much)! I gave both a 9/10 which may seem high but if you were also in good company, next to the sea, in sunny weather, you would too! Alright, we’ve got some catching up to do so let’s get to it.
🍔Father, Son, and House of McDonald’s
McDonald’s is more than a fast food chain. It has become a source of style in high fashion. One of the first to draw upon the golden arches for inspiration was Jeremy Scott, creative director for Italian fashion brand Moschino. In 2014, his debut collection for the label included red and yellow jackets, skirts, and robes, a handbag shaped like Happy Meal packaging, and a cellphone case that looked like a carton of French fries with the golden arches heart on it. A few years later, menswear brand Vetements held their Spring/Summer 2020 show in a Parisian McDonald’s. Some models even carried French fries to accompany their outfits. Earlier this year, skate brand Palace released a collection with the fast food brand which included clothing and a skateboard deck (as mentioned in Send Foods). Most recently, Crocs partnered with McDonald’s on a shoe collection in November. Other recent collabs with McDonald’s include Travis Scott’s record label Cactus Jack and Cactus Plant Flea Market, which last year made figurines for happy meals as well as clothing and other merch.
By now, you probably get the picture. The iconic brand has solidified its place among pop culture and has outlived other symbols of its time remaining relevant nearly a century later as brands continue to find new ways to use its logo.
🛒Kim K’s “little Erewhon Balenciaga bag”
Over the weekend, Balenciaga held their first Los Angeles-based show in anticipation of their Fall 2024 line. In true LA fashion, guests received bottled juice from cult-grocery store, Erewhon. Kim Kardashian attended holding a paper Erewhon grocery bag with flowers in it. “This is my purse for today; this is what Demna wanted me to carry,” says Kim Kardashian to a group full of paparazzi outside the show. “A little Erewhon Balenciaga bag.” Demna is a Georgian fashion designer and current creative director of Balenciaga. This would be the second time he incorporated an influential food brand into a runway show. He also happens to be the co-founder of Vetements. That’s right, Vetements was the brand who held their SS20 runway show in McDonald’s. While the idea to use McDonald’s came from his co-founder Guram Gvasalia, who believed the fast food brand was the “Louis Vuitton of food”, the move clearly influenced Demna’s approach.
🌶️Kim K’s PE Firm Acquired Truff
Speaking of Kim K, her private equity firm SKKY Partners signed its first deal with premium condiments brand Truff. In a public statement, Kardashian said, “Truff is exactly the kind of business that embodies what we were looking for when we founded SKKY – a next-generation brand with a deep, authentic connection with consumers and the potential for ongoing growth.” It’s about time. It’s been over a year since Kardashian launched the fund, so its exciting to see a food brand as its first deal.
🐟Caviar For the People
Caviar has become much more accessible over the last few years and is no longer a luxury reserved for posh diners. In an article published on Eater, Jaya Saxena recounts caviar’s journey from “emblem of wealth” to “a bit more populist”. She says, “The arrival of caviar courses across menus mostly shows how the demarcations between kinds of restaurants — fast casual, date night, dive bar, upscale — have been shifting and fading. Restaurants are trying to be everything everywhere, all at once.” It makes sense that this particular delicacy has trickled down to the common folk, thanks to social media. Even if you’re not selling much, chefs say it’s not a hassle to keep around. It’s small and easy to store. It’s a way to offer different experiences and different price points without that much of a lift.
🍌Banana Peels, In?
A growing interest in low-waste cocktails has introduced an unlikely ingredient. The banana peel. It’s been popping up in bars across the country (and across the pond) making appearances in LA as well as Manchester, England. Full banana peels are blended with pandan leaves and orange peel to make a syrup for an Old-Fashioned at Strange Beast in Ventura, CA. Manchester’s Speak in Code infuses the leftover banana and pineapple peels into a coconut rum via sous vide. Honestly props, I thought composting took some work. This takes zero waste to a whole new level.
🧂Glossier Getting in the Kitchen
While I was out, Glossier went and made a pepper mill!? More specifically, a Peugeot x Glossier Pepper Mill, inspired by the sparkling pink peppercorn top notes of their scent Glossier You. Iconic.
🥤Kin Now Available in Target
Non-alcoholic drink brand Kin can now be found on the shelves at Target. They share shelf space with other canned mocktail or non-alcoholic wine brands such as Ghia, De Soi, and Surely. Speaking of Ghia, they just launched Berry, their newest apéritif, which is a notably sweeter offering than their original bitters-based flavor. Hoping to see this one at some holiday parties this year.
🍔The Big Mac is Getting a Makeover
Fresher produce, more special sauce, and a new brioche bun. Due to the “Better Burger Trend” (think Shake Shack, Smashburger, etc.) the Big Mac has fallen to #13 in consumer burger rankings, according to the WSJ. Burgers are 40% of fast food sales so for McDonald’s to keep up, they had to make some changes.
That’s all for this fine Monday. Have a great day, stay cozy.