My Mission Is...

This episode we talk to founder of consulting firm TownHouse Consultancy, PR, strategic and marketing whizz Daniel Marks. From over two decades in the fashion industry working at various PR communications firms. From the account manager, to founding partner in an agency, to finally his own company Town House Consulting.

In this episode he speaks about starting his own charity due to a health scare, his longstanding relationship with the house of Versace and Donatella Versace. And standout moments in his career such as working to get the British fashion industry recognized and included during the London Olympics in 2012.

This episode we talk to founder of fashion brand Another Tomorrow, Vanessa Barboni Hallik, on how she went from working in the financial environment then stumbling into the fashion industry. Barboni Hallik coming from Wall Street as a trader, had a sense of "being in the wrong place." Keep listening to hear how she has learnt from the ground up to build a successful sustainable brand.

INTRO

This week’s My Mission Is… podcast guest is Nikki Samonas, actress, host, and UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) Goodwill Ambassador from Ghana. Samonas has worked with LuQuLuQu, a campaign by UNHCR, to raise awareness of and support for forcibly displaced people in Africa. Her work with refugees began in 2017 when she visited a refugee camp in Ghana to learn more about UNHCR’s emergency response work. 

This year, Samonas starred in High Currency, a drama series depicting the challenges faced by women working in the banking sector. Her recent philanthropic work includes donating sanitary pads to refugees to help combat period poverty in Ghana, and taking part in a free breast cancer screening in Accra, the country’s capital. She recently won the Women’s Choice Awards Africa award for Best Actor.

In this week’s episode, Samonas talks with Mission’s founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about the misconceptions surrounding refugees, social media as a means of awareness raising, and the importance of humor during dark times.

This week’s My Mission is… podcast guest is Drew FitzGerald, philanthropist and co-founder of JUST, JUST Water, and 501cTHREE. JUST’s first major project, JUST Water, was started to reduce the plastic use and emissions in bottled water packaging. Meanwhile, 501cTHREE is a non-profit that blends innovation and creative storytelling to raise awareness and get people engaged with climate change solutions. Through his work FitzGerald has partnered with several household names including Jaden Smith, Calvin Haris, Lionel Richie, Sony Pictures, and Columbia Records. With a passion for social and environmental impact, FitzGerlad has cultivated a new awareness around energy, food, and water.

In this week’s episode, FitzGerlad talks with Mission’s founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about growing up under the banner of kindness, how to best utilize energy, and the power of persistence.

This week’s My Mission Is… podcast guest is Daniel Lismore, an artist, fashion designer, and LGBTQ+ activist who uses his body as his canvas and lives in extravagant ensembles. His outfits consist of an eclectic mix of upcycled fabrics, clothes, and items: from trash to centuries-old jewelry. Described as tapestries of his life, his ensembles are often exhibited in museums worldwide, such as Savannah College of Art and Design and the V&A in London. His signature traveling exhibit, titled “Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Already Taken,” made him a fixture in the art and fashion worlds. Still, his otherworldly appearance has also made him a target of hate and homophobia in public. This doesn’t stop him but compels him to campaign for LGBTQ+ rights and advocate for authenticity.

In this week’s episode, Lismore talks with Mission’s founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about trans rights, “stealth” activism in the form of persuading influential people through calm discourse, and unexpected reactions to his exhibitions. 

FIND MISSION HOST

This week’s My Mission Is… podcast guest is Daniella Vitale, Chief Executive Officer Salvatore Ferragamo North America. As it happens, Vitale cut her teeth at Ferragamo at the very beginning of her career as a merchandise manager. Since, she has had noteworthy stints at Giorgio Armani, Gucci, and Barney’s, where she made a splash first as the first female chief executive. After leaving Barney’s, she was appointed executive vice president and chief brand officer at Tiffany before being tapped once again by Salvatore Ferragamo, this time as the CEO. Vitale is lauded for her digital-first approach and business acumen and was named one of the BOF 500. 

In this week’s episode, Vitale talks with Mission’s founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about creative director Maximillian Davis’s vision, introducing the brand to a younger consumer, and her work with Unicef and the crisis in Ukraine.

This week’s My Mission Is… podcast guest is Jon Rose, the founder of Waves for Water (W4W), a nonprofit organization working to bring clean water to everyone who needs it. Rose’s life as a pro surfer served as a catalyst for his clean water initiative. Helping over 4 million people, Rose sees his work as more than just giving back; it’s a way of life.

In this week’s episode, Rose talks with Mission’s founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about the “divine intervention” that sparked his passion for water access, the pivotal moments he’s experienced throughout this journey, and why bringing clean water to different countries is not one-size fits all.

This week’s My Mission Is… podcast guest is Robert Triefus, Gucci’s vice president for brand and customer engagement. Prior to his role at Gucci, Treifus cut his teeth working with newspapers in the U.K, before establishing his own communications agency and eventually specializing in the fashion sphere with stints at Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani. At Gucci, Triefus has been responsible for overseeing the brand’s trailblazing experiments in the metaverse.

In this week’s episode, Triefus talks with Mission’s founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about the experiences that got him here, how Alessandro Michele shook up Gucci, and of course, virtual fashion.

This week’s My Mission is… podcast guest is Nick Bennett, the founder of a mental health fitness program Fika. Bennett’s goal is to mainstream the concept of ‘mental fitness’ by helping people develop essential life skills that prevent mental health decline.

In this week’s episode, Benett talks with Mission founder and editor-in-chief Karina Givargisoff about the story behind Fika and the importance of mental fitness. He also opens up about the 5 minutes Fika card—a communication technique invented by Bennett whereby one person is given the floor to talk for 5 minutes while the other person listens and can then ask questions (the partners then exchange roles.)