Perfectly Imperfect x Back Market get ugly, together

Waiting in line might be big in New York these days (of note: croissants, tiny tote bags from grocery stores, Julia Fox’s closet) but on Saturday, May 16, a line spilled down Bowery that had nothing to do with laminated pastry. 

But what were they waiting for?

Perfectly Imperfect, a growing Gen-Z cultural platform, teamed up with Back Market to host a Pretty Ugly Party, celebrating the release of  “The Ugly Computer”,  a new category of MacBooks and laptops is available on Back Market. Each device has minor cosmetic wear while being 100% functional — and is therefore considered “ugly” by Big Tech, who would rather toss these devices in the trash. But since Back Market swooped in, these devices have been diverted from the landfill.

Perfectly Imperfect reached out to Back Market about the Ugly Computer launch because “we knew our community would love the message behind the campaign that ‘imperfections’ are what make objects and people unique and interesting,” said Tyler Bainbridge, founder and creator of Perfectly Imperfect.

Hosted by Emma and Izzy from turtlewithHat, the event took place at Silence Please, a venue in Chinatown that by day, sells and showcases meticulously crafted sound systems meant to last a lifetime. At the top of the severely tall flight of stairs — the hallmark of any good party in Chinatown — musicians Rockie Rode and Nation Soldier, brought attendees straight to the dancefloor. The soft green light of a custom neon sign that read “Where the world shops refurbished tech” gave the room a Blade Runner-style glow (if Blade Runner was about lowering your carbon footprint) while the various screens adorning the space played 80s-esque glamour shots of the Ugly Computer herself on a loop. 

And if that wasn’t immersive enough, Ugly Truth Booth confessions from the attendees flashed across the room. Some highlights included: “I have cultivated a dedicated wikifeet following” and “My Uber rating is 1.6.” Fingers crossed that person was planning on taking the train home. 

Circulating the room, staff wore shirts emblazoned with the phrase “I <<3 THE UGLY COMPUTER” silk screened over vintage tees sourced by Perfectly Imperfect, encouraging guests to enjoy cocktails, vegan hotdogs by Glizzy’s, or even sit for a flash tattoo courtesy of Light Tats. But ultimately, what got attendees in was more than a free drink or finally complete  full sleeve on their left arm — it was a connection to their lifestyle.

“I’m a big lover of vintage clothing, refurbished tech is a natural next step,” said party-goer Sophie.

Refurbished tech was everywhere to be found. Attendees sipped on cucumber spritzes and orange wine among much of the refurbished tech Back Market offers, like iPads and smartphones, as well as retro tech items like the TI-89 calculator, Game Boy Pocket, and iPod Nano. “Cute, Tamagotchis!” exclaimed a group of attendees in unison as they perused the display, zoning in on the tech from the 90s and 2000s that many of those at the party grew up without. Across the room, more 24-year-olds in low-rise jeans that a certain 35-year-old writer remembers from her heyday were explaining Back Market’s sustainability platform to one another. 

Bopping around the party was Rachel Slakter, Back Market’s own social media lead, interviewing attendees. “What’s your favorite ugly thing?” She asked guests to kick things off. “My sister,” exclaimed twin comedians Annabel and Sabina Meschke at the same time. Sibling rivalry aside, visitors also discussed what else they wanted to stop buying new: “Honestly, everything,” said environmentalist Laiyonelth Hurtado.

In addition, Ugly Computers were on display, with invitees instructed to touch the art, and quite literally make it more “ugly” themselves by decorating them in stickers provided by BM and Perfectly Imperfect, boasting statements like “Live, laugh, loathe” and “Creativity demands imperfection”. It was easy to see how the anodized aluminum marks left by outlines of previous stickers seamlessly blended into a new look.

But would anyone want to buy one? 

“I feel like computers are expensive for no reason,” said the second Sophie we spoke to that night. “I would totally buy one.” Throughout the entire event, it was impossible to ignore this propensity for choosing function over “newness” — wired headphones dangled out of purses, and back pockets boasted loose USB-C and headphone jack cords across the at-capacity gallery space. Refurbished and retro tech was already in the hands of most people in the room. 

“I feel like,” noted attendee Hajin Yoo, “everything you need in the world already exists.”