What is digital fashion and why pay attention to it? Philosopher Michael R. Spicher shares how his ongoing research on digital fashion shows that we are “aesthetic beings.” He also discusses the relationship between beauty and politics.

In this clip from the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Michael about his new co-edited academic book on digital fashion. They explore the origins of digital garments, the impact of virtual try-ons on sustainability, and the deep human drive for aesthetic expression. Michael explains how digital fashion opens up new possibilities for self-expression, challenges traditional fashion norms, and intersects with issues of equity, decoloniality, and even Supreme Court rulings.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14217467
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #BeautyAtWork #DigitalFashion #Aesthetics #PhilosophyOfBeauty #MichaelSpicher #VirtualFashion #FashionAndTech #BeautyPolitics #PhilosophyPodcast #BrandonVaidyanathan #SustainabilityInFashion #MetaverseFashion #VirtualTryOn #Neuroaesthetics #BeautyAndJustice

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Why would someone in the finance industry start an independent makeup line then, years later, begin leading nature walks? Jennifer Walsh, biophilia expert and founder of Wellness Walks™, tells the story of the birth of Beauty Bar and why she founded Wellness Walks.

In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan welcomes Jennifer to explore her remarkable journey—from working at Merrill Lynch to becoming a beauty industry pioneer and nature wellness advocate. She shares how early TV appearances and entrepreneurial grit helped launch one of the first apothecary-style beauty boutiques in the U.S., and how her personal healing in Central Park sparked a mission to reconnect people with the natural world.

Together, they unpack the science of biophilia, how design impacts well-being, and why walking slowly through nature may be one of the most profound forms of self-care today.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2043099/episodes/14144885
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #JenniferWalsh #Biophilia #NatureHeals #WellnessWalks #BeautyBar #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #MindfulLiving #BeautyIndustry #BiophilicDesign #HealingWithNature #WalkWithWalsh #BrainOnNature #BeautyAndWellness #PodcastInterview #NatureTherapy

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In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan talks with fashion designer and DC Fashion Week founder Ean Williams about his unexpected journey from shy, style-conscious teen to fashion model, Air Force intelligence specialist, and eventually a leading force in the fashion world. Ean shares candid reflections on how fashion shaped his identity, the challenges of modeling, his father's lessons on hard work, and how a problem-solving mindset led him to build a platform for emerging designers. He also talks about the dynamics of personal rejection in a modeling career and shares the story of how his fashion career came to be.

This conversation explores the deeper power of fashion—not just as an industry, but as a transformative, expressive force in our lives.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14060070
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #DCFashionWeek #EanWilliams #CreativeJourneys #FashionJourney #ModelLife #FromRejectionToSuccess #EngineeringMeetsFashion #FashionAndIdentity #ConfidenceThroughStyle #BehindTheScenes #DesignWithPurpose

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How did a barn on a Minnesota farm turn into a space where people from diverse backgrounds could experience beauty? Musician, designer, and arts non-profit co-founder Chris Everett recounts how the artist retreat was born and shares the story of a particularly beautiful moment there.

In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan talks with Chris Everett about how he and his husband transformed an old farm into Everwood, an artist retreat rooted in nature, creativity, and community. Chris reflects on the healing power of the arts, his mission to support artists, and how beauty can open hearts—even across ideological divides.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13967102
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #ChrisEverett #ArtsRetreat #CreativeHealing #EverwoodFarm #ArtAndCommunity #BeautyInDiversity #ArtistSupport #MusicForHealing #PodcastClips #TransformThroughArt #BrandonVaidyanathan #SacredSpaces #ArtsNonprofit

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What does it mean for a business to have a beautiful culture? Leadership coach and consultant Esther Blázquez Blanco offers some advice for leaders.

In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan is joined by Esther Blásquez Blanco for a profound conversation on what it truly means to create a "beautiful" culture within an organization. Esther challenges the idea of perfection, emphasizing that beauty in culture lies in commitment, honesty, and human connection. From resisting copy-paste culture fixes to nurturing safe mental spaces, she shares real-life insights, practical advice, and a refreshing approach to leadership. A must-listen for leaders, consultants, and anyone passionate about workplace transformation.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2043099/episodes/13877333
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #CompanyCulture #BeautifulLeadership #OrganizationalChange #WorkplaceWellbeing #EstherBlazquezBlanco #BeautyAtWork #LeadershipDevelopment #HumanCenteredWork #CultureConsulting #BrandonVaidyanathan #SafeSpacesAtWork #ConsciousLeadership #WorkplaceTransformation

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What makes a society fragile? Fragile states expert Dr. Seth Kaplan shares the story of why he started researching the relational underpinnings of societies and how they contribute to societies’ fragility and flourishing. He also discusses what a beautiful neighborhood looks like and why they’re so important.

In this clip of Beauty At Work episode, hosted by Brandon Vaidyanathan, Dr. Kaplan reflects on his intellectual journey—from global exploration and entrepreneurship to the study of fragile states and American communities. Drawing from his book Fragile Neighborhoods, he emphasizes the foundational role of social relationships in national stability and personal well-being, and explores how neighborhood-level vitality holds the key to reversing societal decline.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13769256
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#SethKaplan #PoliticalScience #FragileStates #BeautyAtWork #PodcastEpisode #BeautyAtWork #BrandonVaidyanathan #NeighborhoodsMatter #ThrivingCommunities #BeautifulNeighborhoods

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In this inspiring episode of Beauty At Work, host Brandon Vaidyanathan sits down with Sean Vigue, a renowned online yoga and Pilates instructor, to explore his journey from musical theater and opera to becoming a global fitness educator. 

What motivates a musical theater professional to become a personal trainer and Pilates instructor? From dancing on stage to teaching at Disney and building a massive online following, Sean reveals what it means to find harmony between art, fitness, and personal growth.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13682599
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #SeanVigue #YogaLife #PilatesInstructor #FromStageToStudio #MovementAsArt #FitnessJourney #TheaterToWellness #MindBodyConnection #PilatesLife #YogaForEveryone #ArtAndDiscipline #WellnessWisdom

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Is there beauty in imperfection? Award-winning Dubai-based architect Pallavi Dean thinks that imperfection, along with homeyness, is a central aspect of beauty. Here, she shares the story of what first inspired her career in architecture and what aesthetic values continue to drive her work. In this episode of Beauty At Work, hosted by Brandon Vaidyanathan, Dean explores how empathy, sensory design, and collaborative problem-solving inform her creative process.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13587754
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #PallaviDean #RoarDesign #DesignWithEmpathy #ArchitectureAndBeauty #ImperfectionInDesign #WomenInArchitecture #CreativeLeadership #HumanCenteredDesign #BuiltEnvironment #Dubai

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Why is the mockingbird’s song so beautiful and yet so challenging to understand? Biologist and integrative scientist Dr. Dave Gammon discusses his research on the “career-killer” animal, sharing where he finds beauty in his research as well as his teaching. 

From the musical complexity of mockingbird songs to evolutionary insights about human monogamy to interdisciplinary teaching bridging disciplines, Dr. Gammon reveals how beauty shapes both his research and his classroom.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13501443
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #ScienceAndBeauty #DaveGammon #BrandonVaidyanathan  #MockingbirdMindscapes #BeautyInTheWild #VariationOnATheme #SongsOfScience #ScientificStorytelling #InterdisciplinaryImprov #FromBigBangToUs #FearTheMockingbird #ChorusOfCuriosity #BiologyInHarmony

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In this compelling episode of Beauty at Work, host Brandon Vaidyanathan sits down with cultural scholar Sheri Parks to explore how aesthetics—often dismissed as trivial—carry profound power.

How is aesthetics a tool for social justice? Public intellectual Dr. Sheri Parks shares how her projects harness the powerful beauty of dance, art therapy, indigo dye, and more to transform communities.

From healing trauma through art and movement, to restoring economic and cultural dignity through the Indigo Dye Initiative, Parks reveals how beauty functions as a force for resilience, justice, and joy. Learn how aesthetics can reconnect communities, empower Black farmers, and provide meaningful labor for returning citizens.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13387670
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #SheriParks #IndigoDyeInitiative #AestheticHealing #CulturalRevival #BlackFarming #ArtTherapy #SocialImpact #BeautyAndJustice #CreativeEconomy #HealingThroughArt #AestheticsMatter #BaltimoreInitiatives #ReturnToRoots #BeautyForChange

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