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Welcome to Launch Digest, where we bring you the latest and greatest product launches to hit the market across the DTC universe. It’s December. Yes, we’re all reading that correctly. While we’re fully in the swing of winter, it seems that the launches this week are granting us a respite from holiday-specific cheer. (Aside from a few advent calendars, and the obvious fact that nearly all of these launches would, hypothetically, make great gifts.) From Ghia’s biggest launch yet to MadHappy’s new (and brilliant) ploy at splashing your social feed, we’ve got plenty to cover.
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Ghia Gives Us A Juicy New Launch
Did you think the Ghianduja Crunch was all we would get this holiday season? Think again. On Wednesday, the brand launched its biggest innovation since its Original Aperitif: the second act, Berry ($38). Meticulously formulated with real strawberry juice, fermented jasmine green tea, and blackcurrant, the new Berry Aperitif is slightly sweeter, designed to take you through your holiday dinner and festive entertaining (all the way till summer; I’d suggest you purchase in bulk). While the original Aperitif leans tart and bitter, Ghia’s Berry has a medium-bodied flavor akin to a dry Lambrusco. Music to my ears and heaven to my palette. Pair it with a pasta, tiramisu, or some Christmas caviar. Ditch the lipstick, and let Berry on the rocks be your stain for the evening.
Did Someone Say Caviar?
Perhaps it’s just my algorithm, but I’ve been seeing plenty of caviar these days. Whether it’s beautifully displayed for a swanky holiday soiree or dusted on (my vehicle of choice) kettle chips, there’s something undeniably scintillating about gifting a suite of caviar to someone you really adore. Caviar is notoriously intimidating – and the sticker shock means that making the “right” choice feels incredibly high-stakes. Island Creek Oysters is simplifying the gifting process and pioneering a new way in the world of caviar. By sourcing directly from responsible farms and producers, the company is dedicated to doing away with an industry history of smuggling, overfishing, environmental degradation, and unscrupulous supply chains. It’s also making things a whole lot more fun and transparent.
The brand’s First Class Caviar Flight ($230) – complete with Sterling Farms California White Sturgeon, Adamas Siberian Caviar, and Marshallberg Osetra Caviar – screams indulgence. If you’re lucky, your recipient might invite you over to sample some and close the gifting loop economy. The Date Night Flight Package ($165), which provides a Mother of Pearl caviar spoon for serving, caviar key for properly popping each tin, and a tasting journal for your personal development, makes for a dreamy date from home. Ships free and overnight for the freshest possible flavor. Dive into Island Creek’s “Why Caviar” page if you, like me, are preternaturally curious.
Would You Like A Matcha Latte With Your Optimistic Streetwear?
Following in the footsteps of Aimé Leon Dore and simultaneously capitalizing on the social media mania that is a chic LA café in this particular moment in time, Madhappy opened its first flagship store on Melrose last week – armed with its own cafe, pantry. (Intentionally lowercase, a la the texting style of a man wearing a Madhappy sweatshirt.) pantry serves coffee, tea, pastries, and of course, little specialty treats, in partnership with all of the greats: Courage Bagels, Gjusta, Jon & Vinny’s, Beverly Hills Juice, and AWAN. If you don’t have time to make it over to Melrose anytime soon, fear not. The conversation pit, courtyard, and blue- and green-accented café will surely splash across your feed in a matter of days. There’s already merch.
Holiday Sparkles – Brought To You By Tower 28 & Studs
Just today, Tower 28 and Studs launched co-designed reversible flatback earrings, featuring Tower 28’s signature “W” with a pavé setting on one side, and a bright marquise gem on the other. Made with implant-grade 14K gold-plated titanium, the flatbacks are hypoallergenic and won’t poke – if you do choose to sleep in them (I wouldn’t blame you). Shop the Tower 28 x Studs Sparkle & Shine Kit ($58), which includes the earring, a SuperDew Highlighter, and ShineOn Lip Jelly in Magic, a translucent, gold-shimmer gloss.
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Before You Go…
We’ve barely scratched the surface – you can blame the holiday last week, we’ve got plenty of launches left to cover.
Casio and Online Ceramics collaborated on a G-Shock 5600 ($185), full of playful easter eggs beyond the psychedelic font and forest green colorway. And yes, John Mayer had something to do with it. Press the button for the backlight – if you can get your hands on one of these – and you’ll see a special phrase revealed: “Love Grows In The Sunshine.”
Vacation launched not a product, but an initiative: The Orange Gelée Revival Project, dedicated to bringing back a revived version of the recently discontinued, cult-favorite Orange Gelée sunscreen (which is currently selling secondhand for up to $400 on eBay). Vacation takes its sun care and sun tanning seriously. With this Project, they’re building a panel of Orange Gelée superfans to create a formula that marries modern sunscreen science with the spirit and sentiment of the original tube. We’ll have something to shop by Summer 2024.
Who needs a stuffy advent calendar when you can have an exclusive tote filled to the brim with cult-favorite beauty essentials you can unbox in one day if you please? Time – and calendars – are social constructs. SSENSE’s Exclusive Holiday Beauty Bag is outrageously awesome, boasting minis of Le Labo, Byredo, Augustinus Bader, and twenty-one more in a By Far tote bag, all for $215. Violet Grey’s Icons Only box will run you a bit more – at $349 – but you will be getting $700 worth of products. Augustinus Bader is in there too, so you can’t go wrong.
Jacquemus launched its “L’Enfant” capsule collection, which will run you significantly less than the Khaite pieces we featured a few weeks ago (for the low-maintenance couture child). Supernatural collaborated with King Arthur Flour ($75) for a bundle of dye-free decorations, frostings, cookie glue (read: icing), and Gingerbread mix, along with complimentary eggs and butter from Vital Farms – so your all-natural gingerbread village can open an Erewhon on the corner.
Happy shopping. Email me directly – zoe@thequalityedit.com – with any launches you’d like to see in the spotlight, or DM us over @thequalityedit.
