The Monday Media Diet with Nick Ragosta

We’ve been longtime fans of the menswear brand Stoffa, and I asked Nick Ragosta to share what is capturing his attention. Have a great week. -Colin (CJN) 

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Nick Ragosta. First and foremost, I am a husband and father. I grew up in Rhode Island, went to college in Connecticut, and lived in Florence, Italy for a few years before coming to New York in 2011, where I have been since.

Professionally, I am the co-founder of Stoffa, where I lead the client experience and sales side of our business. My partner and I started the brand in 2014 with the (admittedly lofty) aim to change the way people buy their clothes, and champion a focus shift in the luxury market away from hype and excess, and toward quality, sustainability, and individuality. We wanted to create a brand that reflected our shared values, and wondered what the multi-generational, artisanal brands we respected would look like if they had started today. Our approach is not to develop techy fabrics or use 3D body scans and automation, but to pair the old-world service of a personal tailor with a relevant product assortment, and leverage technology to streamline logistics and communication on both the production and marketing side. We move at a deliberate pace, taking our time to develop each product and focusing on an edited suite of perennial designs, offered exclusively in the highest quality, all-natural materials—deadstock or undyed whenever possible. Ultimately, we strive to create true value and craft lasting, personal pieces that wear well and age gracefully.

Describe your media diet. 

I usually start by browsing the headlines on my news feed, which is mostly NYT, WSJ and NPR. If I have time before my daughters wake up, I watch the PBS Newshour broadcast from the night before, but if not, I listen to the podcast on my way into the office. It’s literally yesterday’s news, but it’s a great recap on word events and geopolitics and I appreciate their reporting style. Other than the news recap, it’s long form, thorough, and often a bit boring, which I think is important. When it comes to news, I have been making a pointed effort to distinguish informing myself from entertaining myself.

On my commute I also listen to select episodes of NYT Daily or the BoF podcast. I read the BoF daily newsletter early in the morning and bookmark any longer articles to catch up on once I am in the office. I also enjoy Lauren Sherman’s new newsletter from Puck—her tone is conversational and easy to read, and she does a great job contextualizing current happenings in the broader industry landscape. I especially appreciate her candid takes on buzzy DTC brands. 

Dana Thomas’ newsletter ‘The Green Dream’ is great. If you are interested in fashion, I recommend her books, 'Deluxe' and Fashionopolis'. I recently started listening to the Acquired podcast thanks to WITI and am really enjoying the deep dives.

On the entertainment front, I listen to Switched on Pop, which I love in no small part because of the hosts’ endless positivity and excitement, The Treatment from the incredibly perceptive Elvis Mitchell, and the Team Deakins podcast to hear insights from legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins.

What’s the last great book you read?

A few come to mind. I recently read Sam Wasson’s 'The Big Goodbye', which examines the shift in the film industry’s power dynamic from the filmmaker auteurs to the Hollywood-big-business engine. It’s all explored in parallel to the making of 'Chinatown' and the team behind it. I find a lot of professional inspiration from the worlds of film and food which, like fashion, sit at the intersection of art and commerce, and Wassons’ book is an interesting dissection of one of these worlds during a period of major transition. It piqued my interest on the subject, so I followed it with 'Easy Riders, Raging Bulls', which dives deeper into other colorful characters who came up during that period.

I don’t read a lot of fiction, but I recently revisited Cormac McCarthy’s 'The Road' and it’s been on my mind a lot since. It’s often described as bleak, which is certainly fair, but there is also an underlying theme of resilience and, I think, hope. As a new dad, and especially during the time we’re living in, the parent-child dynamic really struck me.

What are you reading now?

My two-year-old has displaced my kindle, so at the moment I am reading random Wikipedia articles to downshift before bed. It’s a rather hypnotizing way to unwind that I have come to enjoy. Just before my kindle disappeared, I was reading 'Meditations' by Marcus Auerlius on a friend’s recommendation, and 'Killers of the Flower Moon', which I was hoping to finish before finally seeing the movie.

What’s your reading strategy when you pick up a print copy of your favorite publication?

I am a visual person, so I do an initial skim, taking in all the photos and reading the titles and bylines. From there, I typically start at the front and work through from start to finish, trying in earnest not to skip anything.

Who should everyone be reading that they’re not?

I always feel behind the ball in this arena, so I doubt I have any suggestions that other people aren’t already on to. Instead, I asked some of my most interesting and intelligent friends for their recommendations, and they suggested: Tayeb Saih, Alex Schafran, Lauren Wilford, Annie Lowrey, Jane Mayer, Tim Alberta and Kiese Laymon. If these are controversial choices, you’ll have to take it up with them!

What is the best non-famous app you love on your phone? 

It’s already famous but I just started using Matter for audio versions of articles I bookmark but don’t get a chance to read. Also, KickMap, which is essentially a simple, but well-executed map of the NYC subway system. I downloaded it when I first moved here and have found it useful ever since. I just used it today.

Plane or train?

It depends on where you’re heading, of course, but I prefer the train. There is a rhythmic quality and a real sense of romance to a train ride that I don’t get on a plane. Even places you’re already familiar with take on a new feeling from the window of a train.

What is one place everyone should visit? 

Any place you have history. I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time in places closely tied to my family history and culture, and it has had a deep impact on me. I lived in Italy for a few years, which is where my family immigrated from in the early 1900’s. Aside from the beautiful landscapes and architecture, delicious food and rich culture, my time there provided me with a deeper understanding of my family’s culture. It also opened my eyes to how special it was to grow up in a small state where my paternal grandparents were born and raised. It’s the soft connections, the stories, the generational family ties—these add layers of nuance and form a more intimate understanding that I don’t think can be replicated from afar. All this has changed how I approach and appreciate new people, places, and cultures.

Tell us the story of a rabbit hole you fell deep into.

I am going to sound like a post-pandemic cliché, but I have been working on perfecting my homemade focaccia the last few months—actually, years at this point. It's hard to mess it up, but making it great requires a lot of tinkering and a real feel for dough. My two-year-old is my sous-chef and tester, and so far, she is pleased with the results, though I know there’s a lot of room to grow. (NR)