The Material Review

Issue 152: Death of the Affordable Wagon, Ghiaia Cashmere World, The Cult of Aldi, AirPod Translation, Cairo’s Master Tailors and Spotlight On: The Last Wright.

Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.

The ‘Affordable’ Wagon is Dead in the U.S.

“Even Volvo is now out of the wagon game. Is the segment dead in America, or can you still find something for families that don’t want an SUV?” [GearJunkie]

Why Everybody in Menswear Wants to Live in the Ghiaia Cashmere World

“The cult-favorite knitwear specialist blends Italian craft with SoCal ease, and its vision of the good life looks more enviable by the day.” [GQ]

The Curious Cult of Aldi

“How an 80-year-old German discount chain became America’s hottest grocer.” [Bloomberg]

Can Apple’s AirPod Translation Get You Through Tokyo? We Tested It.

“A non-Japanese-speaking first-time visitor used Apple’s new in-ear translation feature to connect with locals at bars, sushi classes and even a fire ritual.” [NYT]

The vanishing world of Cairo’s master tailors

“Changing fashion, modernisation and a lack of willing apprentices mean the craft is threatened with extinction” [FT]

A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.

Sid Mashburn Vesper Blazer

Casio AE1200WH-1A

COLUMBIAKNIT | Marled Hat ‘Navy Heather’

Mount to Coast T1

Informale Easy trousers in fawn Brisbane Moss cotton cavalry twill

The Last Wright: Building the Final Home Design of America’s Greatest Architect

Streaming services have become an endless abyss of content, and they’re nearly impossible to navigate unless you go in with a plan. I try to stick to that rule most of the time, but recently broke it and ended up stumbling onto The Last Wright on HBO Max (technically its on Magnolia but close enough).

The show follows a mother-daughter duo as they try to build a house based on Frank Lloyd Wright’s final, unexecuted plans, discovered among the materials that came with their own Wright-designed home. From the start, they’re committed to honoring the original intent of the plans as closely as possible, even when that makes the process slower and more complicated.

You don’t need to be especially familiar with Wright’s work to get pulled in. Watching how meticulous he was about every detail, and how much thought he put into how a home should function within its surroundings, is genuinely fascinating. It’s also a reminder that many of his most iconic homes were built in the Rust Belt, often for middle-class families, which feels surprising given his stature and influence. That this final project is being realized just outside of Cleveland feels especially fitting.

Neither woman comes from a contracting background, a point that feels a little overcooked throughout the show, but ultimately helps demystify the process of actually getting something built.

What makes it especially good is that it’s an easy watch while still being genuinely compelling, a balance that feels increasingly rare. There’s also archival audio and footage of Wright throughout, which adds context and personality. And despite the slight tiredness that’s crept in from years of aggressive licensing around his name, it’s easy to see why the image endures. Few people have ever pulled off a tweed suit better. - TS

Watch The Last Wright: Building the Final Home Design of America’s Greatest Architect on HBO Max