Back Market and Perfectly Imperfect threw a party in NYC to celebrate the launch of the “Ugly Computer.”

Somewhere in between the introduction of the first iPhone in 2007, and today’s faff over the newly-updated, limited-time sparkly disco ball Spotify app logo, tech turned sterile. We’ve long waved goodbye to the clunky interface of MSN and maximalist keyboard attachments. Not a scratch or an indent could be found on your phone or your laptop, let alone a scuffed or yellowed protective case. Pristine condition was of the utmost importance, but everybody knows a bit of wear is what brings an object to life, not tear it down. So why not apply that to tech too?

Last week, Back Market and Perfectly Imperfect celebrated that very idea. Taking over New York City’s speaker design studio Silence Please, Back Market, the online marketplace for refurbished electronics, threw a party in honour of “the Ugly Computer, a new category of refurbished MacBooks with minor cosmetic wear from old stickers that are 100% functional. And who else than the online platform whose name couldn’t be a better match for the occasion to join them?

The campaign’s focus lies in rethinking what tech, and “new” tech supposedly is, and what it looks like. If Vinted can become Gen Z’s hotspot for their latest wardrobe additions, why can’t the same philosophy be applied to our phones, laptops, and tablets? Afterall, a sticker here and a drop of spilled nail varnish there is a much larger expression of your character than what colourway you chose your computer to be (in my case, a type-B freak who should really learn to paint her nails elsewhere).

The event, which was hosted by the duo Izzy and Emma (also known as @turtlewithhat_), celebrated that love and embrace of the imperfect. Soundtracked by live DJ sets from Nation, Velvette Blue, DJ Thank You, and Rockie Rode, Silence Please was transformed into a crafty zone, with live installations courtesy of Back Market, to fully immerse guests into the DIY-ified tech space. Among the evening’s offerings were flash tattoos, as well as a sticker station which invited those around to jazz-up their devices, and displays of vintage tees for attendees to take home, all the while food and drinks flowed by the dozen.

With an attendance that included NYC’s coolest artists, creatives, content creators, and editors, it’s just a matter of time until you see their personalised hardware creeping up on your FYP. But the big, ugliest winner of the night? A bedazzled tiara-crowned silver “Ugly Computer.” Attendees had been invited to decorate the MacBook with fridge magnet-style stickers, which included a big and abrasive yellow star stick plastered with the word “Niche!” Of course, to further denote it, the laptop was finished off with a white and navy blue sash that reads “The Ugly Computer.”

So, how ugly are you making your computer?

Photography by Lauren Davis