Second Life

Amina Porter is the CEO of PS, a private, luxury airport terminal for commercial flights. The service offers commercial passengers an elevated travel experience that allows them to bypass the stress of the normal airport terminal. But before Amina was trailblazing in the aviation and travel space, she was making moves across finance, real estate, hospitality, and even had a side gig in e-commerce. Then, in 2018, she experienced a personal tragedy that made her rethink everything and ultimately led her to embark on her second life in more ways than one. 

This week, Who What Wear Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen is taking us behind the scenes of how she styled our September cover shoot with Kaia Gerber. She’s walking us through the months-long process of putting together a shoot and sharing details on everything from how she and the team landed on the cheeky back-to-school theme to the last-minute outfit adjustments that took a look to the next level.

Babba C Rivera is the founder and CEO of Ceremonia, a line of clean haircare products rooted in Latinx heritage. In 2020, she launched the brand with a single product—a scalp oil inspired by personal childhood rituals and her father’s early career as a hairdresser in Chile. In the three years since, Ceremonia has grown its product line, opened a brick-and-mortar store in New York, and launched in over 500 Sephora locations, becoming the first Latinx-founded haircare brand sold at the retailer. Rivera also recently raised $10 million in a Series A, making her one of only 58 Latinas to raise over $1 million in VC funding. But before Rivera was building a haircare empire, she was leading marketing teams at companies like Uber and Away, and even operated her own brand marketing company called ByBabba.

Now known for her identifiable aesthetic—a colorful blend of French and L.A. influence—Clare Vivier began her handbag and accessories brand, Clare V., by hand-sewing laptop bags out of her home in 2008. Today, we’re reflecting on 15 years of the beloved brand and celebrating Clare’s upcoming book, La Vie de Clare V.: Paris Chic/L.A. Cool, which launches on September 12.

Preorder now: https://www.clarev.com/pages/la-vie-de-clare-v

Kaelen Haworth has carved a unique path for herself in the fashion world, gaining institutional knowledge and refining her point of view every step of the way. After graduating from Parsons, Haworth set out to create her eponymous fashion line Kaelen, which was accepted into the CFDA Fashion Incubator and then sold by retailers such as Intermix and Shopbop. Taking her learnings from that experience, she then launched a second line, the direct-to-consumer and size-inclusive brand Second Sight. But after realizing that her favorite part of the job was curation, Haworth pivoted in 2020 from designing to editorial and celebrity styling. Now, she’s embarking on yet another journey within the industry: This September, Haworth is opening a retail destination in Toronto called Absolutely Fabrics, a concept store that will stock both designer and vintage pieces, serve as a studio space, and host programming like trunk shows, shoots, and product-launch events.

She’s back! Earlier this year, wardrobe stylist Allison Bornstein joined us to chat through her internet-famous styling and closet organization tips. Now she’s here to share how she transformed those viral hacks (and much more) into her thoughtful, optimistic, confidence-boosting guide to personal style, Wear It Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed. 

Preorder now:

https://www.allisonbornstein.com/wear-it-well

Allison Statter and Sherry Jhawar founded Blended Strategy Group in 2015 as a celebrity and influencer marketing agency, and since then, the company has evolved to include services in integrated marketing, PR, social media, and more. They continue to build brands at Blended, but just last year, they also set out to create their own: a line of aluminum-free deodorant called Nez. But before Statter and Jhawar were teaming up to disrupt multiple industries, their careers looked a bit different. After graduating from Harvard Business School, Jhawar went on to be a founding member and the head of global marketing at the lip balm company EOS. Meanwhile, Statter was working at Azoff Music Management, managing artists such as Jennifer Hudson, Jewel, and Mariah Carey. While working together to book celebrity talent for EOS, the two realized they could create magic if they joined forces.

If you're a fan of Net-a-Porter's carefully curated collections, you can thank the trend research, buying expertise, and great taste of Market Director Libby Page. In this episode, Libby joins Hillary to talk about all things denim. She's sharing the season's biggest denim trends as well as her take on the timeless denim staples that will never go out of style. Plus, she's dropping her shopping tips and favorite denim brands to buy. 

There’s no question that Padma Lakshmi has had a multifaceted career. After working as a model in Europe—walking in runways for designers like Gianni Versace and shooting with photographers like Helmut Newton—she went on to rack up a multitude of acting and hosting credits. Throughout her life and travels, she kept coming back to her love of food. In 2006, she stepped into the role of host on Top Chef, and in her 19 seasons on the competition show, she received four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Host and became an executive producer. But earlier this year, Lakshmi announced her exit from the show and her plan to embark on a new path. Today, she’s focusing on her documentary series, Taste the Nation, where she travels to immigrant communities across the United States to learn about their food.

Jake Arnold is a celebrated AD100 interior designer known for his work with clients such as John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Katy Perry, and Zendaya. His design philosophy—centering livability and comfort rather than striving for a specific aesthetic—is the throughline in all of his work, from running his Los Angeles studio to authoring his upcoming book, Redefining Comfort. In this episode, he dishes on how he got here without any formal training, plus the cost-friendly ways to make a space feel luxurious.