By Association

Maurice Ajanaku & Emma Hooper

🌎 Cultural conversations on the latest in design, brand and tech news. 🎙 Hosted by Emma Hooper & Maurice Ajanaku

  1. 02-10-2023

    PFW McQueen Shifts, Pokemon Catching, Anti-Anxiety Patches & An Exclusive Interview With Van Sha Founder

    Autumn is here, and so is Paris Fashion Week. Sarah Burton steps down after a wonderful showcase of designs that lean more to Alexander McQueen’s more confronting style design and performance-wise. We wonder who will join as Creative Director herein after her wonderful 26 years in the position - someone young, female and maybe from a different creative industry altogether? We hope so.  A second creative subject in focus, closer to home (for us at least) at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. A collaborative exhibition designed to encourage a younger audience debuted last week Pokemon X Van Gogh. But souvenirs and merchandise from the exhibition quickly sold out and quickly started exploiting its audience with high resale prices. Great initiative but not so much of a smart output plan. What could and should they have done differently? Furthermore, what do we think their marketing team should do now?  Our final subject is on Megan Markle’s adoption of the anti-anxiety patches becoming more and more popular, created by a company called NuCalm. We talk about placebo effects, alongside positive mental health awareness, but also how wellness leaders Goop have tried and failed to do this before.  Mo interviewed Sharan Bal, she’s the founder of Van Sha - a distilled dark spirit inspired by her Indian roots, and the best thing of all? You won’t have a hangover.

    1u 13m
  2. 07-09-2023

    Elon's Retro Supercharger, Messi's MLS Splash, and Luxury's Love for Sports

    The worlds of technology, sports, and luxury collide in this week's episode of By Association. First on the agenda, we delve into Tesla's newly-approved Supercharger in West Hollywood—a nostalgic throwback complete with a '50s style diner and a drive-in movie theater. Is Elon Musk onto the next big thing or is this just another chapter in the Elon ego saga? As summer football sizzles, Lionel Messi has set the MLS on fire, scoring 11 goals in just 9 games for Inter Miami. We explore how his presence is sending shockwaves through the league, attracting royalty and Hollywood elites to the stadium. In a parallel universe, the Women's World Cup has achieved unprecedented success, but not without its share of controversies. We discuss the achievements and the overshadowing negatives, from new records in viewership to the unfortunate incident involving Spain's now-suspended football federation president Luis Rubiales. Luxury brands are also entering the sports arena in a big way. We examine the impact of luxury players like Louis Vuitton and Gucci on the game of tennis, and discuss whether luxury brands should stick to their traditional lanes or venture into new territories. Emma shares her insights on the class dynamics at play in tennis, especially as luxury brands make their way into the sport. Meanwhile, as summer comes to a close, we take a look at how luxury brands have staked their claim on beach clubs around the world, setting new trends for the seasons to come.

    47 min

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🌎 Cultural conversations on the latest in design, brand and tech news. 🎙 Hosted by Emma Hooper & Maurice Ajanaku