"Weekend Reading" is a weekly rundown of our favorite stories from around the web.
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Alber Elbaz Makes a Happy Return
"'I wanted to make people happy, and make myself happy, because I have not been very happy the last four years.' So said Alber Elbaz, the prince who kissed awake the sleeping beauty of Lanvin only to be jilted at the altar 14 years later; poster child for the fickle, faithless side of fashion; a designer known as much for his self-deprecation as the graceful generosity of his clothes."

via: The New York Times

La Dolce Vita: The Spectacular Catwalks of Alexandre de Betak
"From Christian Dior to John Galliano and Raf Simons, the ‘Fellini of fashion’ has revolutionized the world of shows over the past 25 years, 1,000 shows and counting"

via: The Guardian

Influencers are Losing Their Influence
"When Instagram announced earlier this year that it was entertaining the idea of removing “likes” many wondered if it would be the end for influencers. But, a new study suggests the downfall of influencers might already be happening. According to new research, engagement with influencer posts on Instagram is near an all-time low. According to Mobile Marketer, the analytics firm InfluencerDB recently found that the rate for non-sponsored posts fell to just under 2 percent during the first quarter of 2019 from 4.5 percent three years earlier, while sponsored posts are now at just over 2 percent from 4 percent."

via: i-D

Shopping Can Make You Famous
"Every Sunday afternoon, shoppers descend on Bella McFadden’s Depop page for the chance to be dressed like ’90s cult film characters, 'sk8r girls' and 'Y2K mall goths.' Ms. McFadden, who is 23 and lives in Los Angeles, is something of a 'Depop mogul': Sales of her thrift-store finds have taken off on the popular e-commerce app, where she has more than 500,000 followers who admire her early-aughts aesthetics. They long to be styled by her. They know her as Internet Girl."

via: The New York Times

Legal Weed Puffs up Snack Sales
"Pot-induced munchies are such a well-known phenomenon that even enterprising Girl Scouts have cashed in on it, setting up cookie-hustling booths outside of marijuana dispensaries. If a phenomenon is so well known that even children know about it (no offense, children), it should not be a surprise to business sectors. And yet. Market research firm Nielsen has released some new analysis showing that the rise of legal weed—marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 11 states and Washington, D.C.—is having a serious impact on the snack industry. As pot becomes more mainstream, according to Nielsen it is creating 'big opportunities for the American food and beverage market—particularly for the snack and confectionery category.'"

via: Fast Company

Why Are We All Pretending to Be Outdoorsy?
"By 2019, none of us so much as blink an eye at the sight of a Manhattanite wearing workout gear outside of the gym — whether they are actually on their way to Equinox or simply wear high-performance leggings and Nike Flyknits as a daily uniform is beside the point. And sure, even though there are those among us who are still scandalized by leggings outside the gym, the athleisure look has become normalized to the point where it’s no longer a cutting-edge style. In its place is a new kind of practical look that is perhaps even more incongruous in an urban, fashion-forward setting: the rugged, outdoorsy style."

via: Hypebeast

Mark McGrath Just Wants to Make Yacht Rock
"With so many nineties trends storming back into the zeitgeist—tiny sunglasses, low-rise jeans, Newt Gingrich—maybe we should have seen another Sugar Ray album coming. But we didn’t. And, to be fair, neither did lead singer Mark McGrath. The album, out July 26th, is called 'Little Yachty' as a nod to the rapper Lil Yachty and a signal that Sugar Ray has fully pivoted into yacht rock. The road to its release began when McGrath was shooting a fake studio session for the intro reel of Celebrity Big Brother. But guitarist Rodney Sheppard came prepared with a new song idea—and by the time McGrath reentered society after a month in the Big Brother house, Sheppard informed him that, much to his surprise, BMG was interested in giving them a record deal. Little Yachty is both Sugar Ray’s first album in ten years and their first release since losing two original members of the band, who were around for the 'Fly' and 'Every Morning' days."

via: GQ

Citi Bike Is Leaving Behind Poor Communities Of Color
"Citi Bike is predominantly serving wealthy, white New Yorkers, while leaving behind low-income residents and communities of color, according to a new study out of McGill University. The report, which was funded by New York Communities for Change (NYCC), looked at publicly available data on the city's primary bike share system. It found that New Yorkers living inside Citi Bike's service area have a median household income of $90,400, compared to an average of $54,700 for those excluded."

via: Gothamist

René Redzepi Gathered the Best Chefs in the World—and Me—for a Wild Cooking Competition
"For four years, Esquire's Food Editor Jeff Gordinier followed the meteoric rise of Noma, widely acknowledged as the best restaurant in the world, and its mastermind René Redzepi, widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative chefs to ever touch food. Though Noma has been a Copenhagen hotspot for a decade, its influence has since crisscrossed the globe, collecting acolytes along the way. In this excerpt from his new book, 'Hungry: Eating, Road-Tripping, and Risking It All with the Greatest Chef in the World' (out now), Gordinier recounts a night in 2016 among some of the most renowned chefs of our time, who Redzepi gathered in one place to compete over dinner. Gordinier himself was only barely injured in the making of that meal."

via: Esquire

American Eagle to Start Selling Cannabis-Based Products
"American Eagle Outfitters Inc. will start selling cannabidiol (CBD)-infused personal care products in the United States later this year, entering a fast-growing market for daily consumer goods made with cannabis derivatives. The apparel retailer will sell CBD-infused lotions, muscle balms and aromatherapy products developed and supplied by Green Growth Brands Inc., the Toronto-headquartered cannabis company said on Thursday."

via: Business of Fashion

Tags: weekend-reading