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Friday 11 September 2026 · Ep 199 · Curated by Mike Litman

A24 and Dior sign a two-year partnership across theatre, film and fashion

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In this episode

1Culture and Ideas

A24 and Dior formalise a two-year creative partnership through theatre, film, and fashion.

A24 and Dior have signed a two-year partnership across theatre, film and fashion. It is anchored in live theatre and runs longer than a capsule collection or a one-night event.

Why it mattersDior gets close to an entertainment brand with a strong following for its taste, and A24 gets the backing of European luxury.

Via Hypebeast

On our radar beforeA24 has now come up in 8 of our 199 episodes. First: Ep 20, 16 Mar. Latest: Ep 126, 30 Jun. Every episode on A24.

Five more signals

2Design and Architecture

Studio Drift lit 2,977 drones over New York Harbour as a memorial.

Why it mattersDrone shows could offer civic memorials a temporary, programmable and participatory alternative to permanent monuments.

Via Dezeen
3Music and Entertainment

Universal Music is licensing its catalogue for AI remixing, not fighting it.

Why it mattersSwapping litigation for licensing changes, for good, how a back catalogue earns.

Via The Verge
4Fashion and Style

Brutalist collaboration between Rick Owens and Dr. Martens is now in its third cycle.

Why it mattersRick Owens and Dr. Martens show collaborations becoming multi-year product platforms rather than one-off drops.

Via Hypebeast

On our radar beforeRick Owens has now come up in 5 of our 199 episodes. First: Ep 122, 26 Jun. Latest: Ep 131, 5 Jul. Every episode on Rick Owens.

5Tech and Digital

Adobe hit one billion monthly active users by making its freemium tier the growth engine.

Why it mattersWith a billion people using Adobe's tools, creative value is shifting from the software to the judgement applied to it.

Via Techmeme

On our radar beforeAdobe has now come up in 5 of our 199 episodes. First: Ep 16, 12 Mar. Latest: Ep 65, 30 Apr. Every episode on Adobe.

6Brand and Business

Uniqlo's US expansion is driven by a deliberately non-trend positioning in a trend-saturated market.

Why it mattersUniqlo's growth on permanence rather than novelty points to a lasting consumer appetite, not a recessionary blip.

Via Glossy

On our radar beforeUniqlo has now come up in 2 of our 199 episodes. First: Ep 136, 10 Jul. Every episode on Uniqlo.

What it means

Institutions replaced campaigns. Culture made the first move.

A24 and Dior building a two-year partnership around theatre, Rick Owens and Dr. Martens reaching a third cycle together, and Uniqlo growing in the US on permanence rather than trend all favour lasting arrangements over moments. These are systems that gather meaning over time. The campaign era prized attention; this one prizes trust, which is slower to build and slower to fade.

One to watch

ElevenLabs will announce a second major label licensing agreement, outside UMG, within five months of the UMG platform launch.

Tomorrow, by breakfast

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A24 and Dior sign a two-year partnership across theatre, film and fashionEp 199