Perfectly Imperfect is a newsletter offering “A Taste of Someone’s Taste” from guests like Charli XCX, John Cale, Ayo Edebiri, Michael Imperioli, Lena Dunham, Mac Demarco, Dasha Nekrasova, Tim Heidecker, Rayne Fisher-Quann, Mel Ottenberg, Chloe Cherry, Matty Matheson, Anna Delvey, The Dare, Caroline Calloway, Snail Mail, and more. Check out our full archive here.
If an ever-evolving cultural time capsule of interesting individuals and what they’re into sounds cool to you, you’re in for a real treat ❤️🤘😁🫶
In January 2024 we built a place to share what you love called PI.FYI. You can read about why we built it in The New York Times or in our announcement post.
If you’re a free subscriber now, consider subscribing for special features on PI.FYI, exclusive newsletter content, and access to our full archive.
Some press quotes …
Perfectly Imperfect gazes back nostalgically to an era when corporate algorithms didn’t control cultural discovery, and websites like The Strategist hadn’t streamlined product recommendations. If the modern internet has democratized access to culture and commerce, it has also, some critics say, devalued qualities like discernment and idiosyncrasy in taste.
- The New York Times (January 2024)
Perfectly Imperfect invites a wide berth of New York artists, writers, intellectuals, and scenesters to spiral on bits of personal ephemera, consciously rejecting the endless algorithmic scroll.
- Interview Mag (March 2023)
By showcasing the aesthetics, technologies, and even humor bubbling around various contemporary scenes, the newsletter is less about directing you on how to kit out your own life with the “right” goods, and more about cataloging the various flotsam of our time
- Vanity Fair (January 2022)
Perfectly Imperfect has offered a window into the changing guard of New York City’s downtown scene with a deceptively simple premise: Cool people like cool things.
- The New York Times (October 2022)
For press inquiries contact Clarke, Carrie, or Alison.
Perfectly Imperfect is an anthropology project from Tyler Bainbridge and Alex Cushing, with help from our epic & cool interns Vivi, Mavis, Josh, and Sofia.
Some Perfectly Imperfect Features To Check Out
Charli XCX ∙ Dasha Nekrasova ∙ John Wilson ∙ Anna Delvey ∙ Chloe Cherry ∙ The Dare ∙ Sarah Squirm ∙ Caroline Calloway ∙ Nolita Dirtbag ∙ Chris Black ∙ Hunter Harris ∙ Debby Ryan ∙ Anthony Fantano ∙ Kaitlin Phillips ∙ Ali Michael ∙ Samuel Hine ∙ Brynn Wallner ∙ Madeline Quinn ∙ Lucien Smith ∙ Isabella Lovestory ∙ The Drunken Canal ∙ Walter Pearce & Honor Levy ∙ Aaron Wiggs ∙ Annie Hamilton ∙ Dean Kissick ∙ Rachel Seville Tashjian ∙ Alex Delany ∙ Susan Alexandra ∙ Hari Nef ∙ The Ion Pack ∙ Jon Caramanica ∙ Cat Marnell ∙ Alison Roman ∙ Chloe Wise ∙ Andrew Savage ∙ Throwing Fits ∙ Aria Dean ∙ Petra Cortright ∙ Jason Stewart ∙ Catherine Cohen ∙ Rayne Fisher-Quann ∙ Blackbird Spyplane ∙ Naomi Fry
Press and stuff like that…
What the ‘Cool Kids’ Are Super Into - The New York Times
A scene-y newsletter launches a scene-y social network - The Verge
Perfectly Imperfect and the Growing Currency of the Recommendation - Vanity Fair
Perfectly Imperfect Wants to Know What You've Been Into - Office Mag
Examining the growing movement against the algorithms - NPR
Tyler Bainbridge of Perfectly Imperfect Seizes Control of the Aux - Interview Mag
How Perfectly Imperfect’s snowball growth started with word of mouth - Substack
NYC Beat SXSW Recap - Paper Mag
Steal My Vacation: Tyler Bainbridge - NYMag
Forever Imperfect Party Recap - Paper
Sound Radio #24: Tyler Bainbridge
The newsletter breaking you out of your algorithm bubble - Embedded
Are Tastemakers the New Influencers? - Lithium Magazine
Garbstore meets Perfectly Imperfect - Garbstore
Cool Friends: Tyler Bainbridge - Coolstuff.nyc
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