At the center of Floyd’s design language is its signature wheel system, borrowing from the polyurethane wheels that helped reshape skateboarding in the ’70s. Paired with durable hard shells and a bold palette of colors, the details give each case a distinctive look without losing sight of its purpose. It’s a practical approach to design that doesn’t sacrifice character for function.
“It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Back Market centralizes this conviction as they fill the walls of Silence Please, a multi-hyphenate speakeasy where you can, on a normal day, browse records, drink handcrafted teas, and sit among a sea of silver laptops when coworking is of personal importance. On this particular night, the lounge is filled with a selection of young people who have worlds of creativity existing inside them. Surrounded by fiction writers, fashion designers, and visual artists, the notion is abundantly true. That which is on the inside seems to instantly beautify that which is on the outside.
The night is full of sounds by Nation, DJ Thank You, velvette blue, and rockie rode. The thematic choice of Silence Please alongside such exceptional soundmakers is to cut through the noise, putting a pause on the cycle of routinely tossing old items for new ones. The party drew a narrative space for The Ugly Computer, riddled in residual sticker marks and abundant in cosmetic issues. Imperfections that add character without compromising the functionality and integrity of the technology. In this way, Back Market leads us in a reclamation of the word “ugly,” and teaches us to repurpose this language into a term of endearment, a term of empowerment.
