Latest news with #Service95
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
From Timothee Chalamet to Dua Lipa - books are the hottest new accessory
Reading isn't just for nerds as a new wave of celebrities launch book-clubs and are photographed by the paparazzi holding the hottest books. This age-old hobby is making a mainstream comeback Bookworms unite: reading is finally cool again. With everyone from Timothee Chalamet to Bella Hadid getting papped with paperbacks in their hand, it seems having your head in a book is the new hottest look. A recent Reddit thread showcasing famous figures reading books has gained over 5K upvotes, showcasing the hobby's surge in popularity. It's impossible to ignore the recent rise in celebrity book-clubs, like Reese Witherspoon's Reese's Book Club, which launched in 2017 and has now gained over 2.9 million followers on Instagram. Pop-icon Dua Lipa is another famous example, as she launched Service95's book-club in June 2023, which was created with the aim of telling diverse stories around the globe. But why is this centuries-old pastime that (let's face it) has been viewed as kind of nerdy making a mainstream comeback? After all, a lot of us can remember when books were associated with being geeky and introverted. Plus, less of us are reading now, as according to a YouGov poll, 40% of Brits haven't picked up a book in the past year. However, when pictures of the classically handsome Timothee Chalamet reading Dune by Frank Herbert on the New York Subway began to be circulated online, it acted as a cultural reset. There was something undeniably avant garde chic about being caught pouring over a novel on public transport. Recently, Hollywood heartthrob Jacob Elordi was also snapped reading The Art of Cinema by Jean Jocteau on holiday. As was high fashion model Bella Hadid, when she was seen sporting The Outsider by Stephen King, with the book providing a very on-trend pop of red against her grey suit. But it's more than just aesthetics – some celebrities have even used them to make political statements. It's hard to forget when Canadian musician Grimes stepped out in front of the paparazzi in 2021 with a copy of The Communist Manifesto front and centre in her hands as way to "troll" the media. Of course, reading is also attractive. Perhaps no better example of this is superstar US athlete LeBron James, who regularly posts half-dressed pics of himself glued to a novel on Instagram – including the dystopian bestseller The Hunger Games. It also ties in with a growing cultural appreciation for sensitive, romantic men, aka 'men who yearn'. The hashtag 'yearning' has over 60K posts on TikTok, and features clips of Jane Austen characters eloquently expressing emotions. Actors like Cillian Murphy, who are known for their thoughtful public personas, also make a frequent appearance. As does Pedro Pascal, who has publicly stated his support of LGBTQ and trans rights. The Last Of Us actor has been snapped reading Rosewater by Liv Little, a queer love story. There is something about reading a book, especially a good book, that imbues the reader with a certain je ne sais quoi. Perhaps it's the timelessness of the activity, which has been shared by the progenitors of the romantic era: eighteenth century poets longing for love. Or maybe it's the aura of mystery that a book contains. It's harder to interrupt someone who is reading a book versus someone who is on their phone. There is generally a shared understanding that the reader is enveloped in their own world, that their thoughts, at least for the moment, are their own. Is it shallow? Maybe – but if shirtless pictures of celebrity athletes and pap shots of supermodels with books in their hands are what it takes to get people reading again, then maybe it's not wholly a bad thing.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'I want Rollr to be the last deodorant you ever buy'
Milo Pinckney figures that he has paid himself an average wage of £4 per hour to get his four-year passion project off the ground. "I've been working on this full-time and haven't had a second job,' says the founder of Rollr, a refillable roll-on deodorant. His perseverance has paid off after launching the product earlier this year, with the brand on track to overfund pre-seed of £400,000. There are also some heavyweight investors underpinning Pinckney's commitment to disrupt what he deems as a stale deodorant category. 'I really believe that Rollr has a chance of changing it from something which has been incredibly dull to a new ritual that is interesting for people,' says Pinckney. 'We want to upgrade everything about deodorant.' Read More: 'I couldn't find a babysitter so I set up a £10m childcare business' He was given an early PR win after Dua Lipa's Service95 newsletter unexpectedly recommended Rollr as one of the best buys of 2025. 'That was one of the coolest moments so far,' admits Pinckney, whose own PR move is to highlight Rollr as 'the deodorant designed for pleasure and planet'. The entrepreneur first conceived the idea after returning from a trip to New Zealand, a bond with nature laying the foundations of creating a unisex product which could make a difference. As a DIY enthusiast, Pinckney has built anything fom Scalextric tracks to constructing a pub in his parent's garden during COVID called Come On Inn. Yet, Rollr has proved his ultimate challenge to date. As he lifts up the sleek roll-on product, which features a gemstone, he then shows me the refillable powder sachet, which offers 90% less packaging than competitors. 'It's been incredibly challenging and a reason why no-one else has done it,' he says. Read More: Meet Wild, the UK's leading refillable deodorant brand 'Naivety was definitely important. At the beginning I was like, 'If we want to do a refillable deodorant and want to be sustainable then let's take the water out, you just evaporate it.' But if you are trying to do something that hasn't been done before there is a lot of trial and error. 'I always wanted to find the most sustainable way to refill deodorant. We tried liquid, tablets and crystals and it would have been easier to send a can with pre-made refillable liquid. "But if we can make refilling with a powder [by adding water] part of a value proposition for people to enjoy, the impact we can have on other brands could be limitless.' Pinckney is on version two after he spent a year perfecting his product which now features patented technology and a lifetime bottle for the consumer. 'The brand was missing the mark, nothing really stood out about the uniqueness of the product,' he said of the first iteration. Rather than an antiperspirant, Pinckney says Rollr is a 'de-perspirant', which effectively tightens the pores to reduce sweat without blocking them. 'It is the most naturally effective way to stop odour and reduce sweat which is why it has taken so long,' adds Pinckney. 'And there's a nice added wellness bonus with the product as it helps with lymphatic drainage. 'Most of us use deodorant and most of us see it as a chore. Our formulation is more effective, more sustainable and brings some excitement to a market which has been left behind by innovation in beauty and personal care for decades.' Pinckney has stayed lean in his bid to see his vision through, investing £500 of his own cash coupled with a £500 loan from his parents for product prototypes. 'I haven't put a huge amount of cash in but there's been a lot of determination to get to this stage,' he says. 'I've been able to see this survive as my parents live in London and I've been able to stay in their house. Without them it wouldn't have been impossible.' Read More: How Jeff Dewing went from bankruptcy to £70m fortune He can also call several investors as friends when he had to overcome several product problems. He has also partnered with creative agency Mother while Pippa Dunn, EE's former CMO, is on the Rollr team. Other investors and advisors include Vinay Solanki, head of Channel 4 ventures, and Aditi Kibe-Heal, a former Unilever marketing director. 'We've had to overcome lots of challenges, but there is a reason why this is original and we want Rollr to be the last deodorant you ever buy,' says Pinckney. Read more: 'My sofa took six months to arrive — so I built a £20m business' 'Dragons' Den failure sparked my alcohol-free brand's rise' 'Want to grow an iconic brand? CEOs have to value CMOs as servant leaders'Sign in to access your portfolio
