Goddamn Empire News Today

Crystal Mills and Colleen Dunleavy of Southie’s Love Child talk about blooms, booze, and the art of the pivot.

ROSALINE SHAHNAVAZ Steamy bubble bath? Check. Thin-stemmed glass of Malbec? Check. Opaque clay face mask and an expensive, minimalist candle? Check and check! Congrats—youre now officially ready for “self-care Sunday.” Er, at least a "self-care Sunday" Instagram pic. Yes, you too can “relax” in front of total strangers (ahem, followers) after spending an inordinate amount of time meticulously posing your props so they hit the light juuusttt right. You already know this but Ill dec...

In 2020, venture capitalists unceremoniously broke up with D2C brands and product-based businesses. Some simply monitored the “lackluster” Casper IPO or skimmed articles about Brandless and others “imploding” and started pulling a slow fade on D2C brands — not taking pitches, not following up. Many product-based brands, as it turns out, are no longer interested in chasing venture capital. Last year, investors adopted a wait-and-see approach to all new investments and prayed po...