Issue #368 | Nike Gets Its Edge Back for the Paris Olympics

Nike Gets Its Edge Back for the Paris Olympics

Ricky Bobby’s daddy once told him, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” While the tag line from Will Ferrell’s 2006 comedy Talladega Nights isn’t totally true—last is actually last—the point being made is clear: any contest only has one real victor, and everyone else? A loser. The Niners lost the Super Bowl. Rory Mcllroy lost the U.S. Open. The Mavericks lost the NBA Finals. Nike must have been taking notes from Ferrell’s NASCAR spoof for its new cutthroat Olympics ad, which doesn’t mince words in saying that yes, in fact, winning is everything.

Fast Company

Customize Your Life With This Super-Light Backpack

[Partner] Organization is (at least one) key to success, however you define it. Maybe that’s having all your ducks in a row to expertly navigate JFK with 10 minutes before the gate closes, or to catch a fading sunset on film with a looming rainstorm. Whatever you’re after in life, Carry Cubo’s pack gear will help you find a semblance of order amid the chaos. The LEV-24 backpack pack is a mere 2.9 pounds, and features O-rings and straps to attach gear, secret pockets for laptops and phones, and an open-plan compartment that lets you arrange accessories in a way that makes sense for you, and whatever’s around the bend.

Get organized with Carry Cubo’s packs.

The Coolest Menswear Item Right Now Is…An Oxford Shirt?

It’s not reinventing the wheel, but in 2024, a surprising number of fellas haven’t considered the Ivy staple as, well, a staple. “The sharp-enough cloth appeals to guys who are sick of athleisure and ‘stretchy shirts,’ and ‘want to actually look good,’ Brandon Snower, founder of New York brand Le Alfré, tells the Wall Street Journal. ‘Like, I can wear an Oxford to a really nice restaurant—you can’t do that with an athleisure fabric.’ You sure can’t. Here’s why the old standby is suddenly getting a second look.

Wall Street Journal

John Mayer Reflects on His Friendship With Online Ceramics

It was 2016, and the songwriter and virtuoso had just joined up with Dead & Company. A “welcome” package included bootleg band shirts, but one maker in particular stood out. “Most of the designers were sending me three or four shirts,” John Mayer tells GQ. “Some of them had notes, some came with cards. That’s when I realized there was this cottage industry that had developed—maybe it had always been there—of Deadheads who also were designers. And all of the designs seemed to fall into the same language except one set of shirts, and those were from Online Ceramics.”

GQ

• Le Alfré Classic Linen-Blend Shirt – $100

• Vice ’84 Baseline Cap – $34

• Alex Crane Bo Shorts – $78

• Swatch Orange Joy – $130

• Uniqlo Drawstring Shoulder Bag – $39.90

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