Story + Rain Talks

The Stories: “Usually we'll hear from folks when they're having a big life event, like leaving the city. People will say, ‘you've been a part of my life for the past 11 years.’ Or, ‘I’m moving to LA. Can you recommend something for me there? Do you have any plans of opening there?’ The love is really wonderful."

“Am I doing a good job? What does competition look like? Are we telling the story as good as we used to? I used to pack a lot of the boxes; I cared about the quality. How do we make sure that those quality standards are maintained?”

The Backstory: “No doubt, the pandemic was this real accelerant for what we were doing. It really changed people's habits overnight. We had been trying to get press for years, then, suddenly, press was flocking to us.” 

“My father is a lifelong natural products and natural food entrepreneur. That was what I grew up around. I saw him building out these small-footprint, pre-Whole Foods kind of grocery stores, filled with natural products.” 

“The nice thing about being young and naïve is that I was like, ‘how can I make a million dollar business? The foolishness of that was what made it so fun, the possibilities so endless.”

Wisdom Rains: “What this is doing, at a minimum, is getting people to think about how their health is connected to how they feel and what they eat. We've become very disconnected with it, because people are no longer growing up in the kitchens of their grandparents, learning how to cook.” 

“Customers drive the innovation. Listen to the people you're delivering to. What do they want? That’s kept me busy for the past 11 years.”

On Inspo: “I always come back to and try to remind myself about why I’m doing this. What's really exciting and fulfilling to me, especially being a young founder in an industry where a lot of competitors raised a ton of venture capital and we really have no right existing, it’s been fulfilling to me to go back to the mission of, how do we take the food that I was selling myself at the farmer's market and seeing the issues of customers who would come to the farmer's market. I felt like if there was a few of them, there were many, many more out there who would want this kind of product. And my mission was how do we create this and make it something that is sustainable and profitable.”

On Farmers: “Our farmers are incredible. I think people forget this, but the farmer's job is one of the hardest. There are no days off. Food is something that is highly perishable, growing all the time.”

The Stories: “Literally no one would know who I was in Australia at all! It wasn't until very recently that it changed. It's not something I focus on. I'm quite a private person and quite protective of my life. It's funny to finally feel embraced by the country that you always wanted to work in. I can't say that I haven't had some of those earlier struggles, where there was a juvenile resentment for not feeling important enough in your own country.” 

“I think I have a healthy relationship with wellness and balance where I want to be as healthy to myself as I can, but in terms of more tangible wellness practices, I think moving your body is always a good thing. I do pilates, yoga. I think trying to take care of your mental health is important. I’m someone who has my own struggles with anxiety and trying to manage that in a healthy way. I do a lot of journaling. Art is also really helpful for me.”

The Backstory: “I had very early exposure to the arts growing up. My mom was a children's television writer and my dad was a musician. So that definitely reinforced and encouraged a lot of creative pursuits from a very early age.”

Wisdom Rains: “What I’ve learned in my work, is that so much is out of my control, creatively. There’s something to be said about learning to embrace the wave; the flow of things.”

On Inspo: “I always go in with this idea that you’re always trying to be as honest as you can; you’re finding the essence of truth. My process and my style is to make sure I’m doing the best job and justice to the character – and that means working from a place of real honesty and truth.”

On Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar: “People are drawn to the complexity of the wellness and medical industries, and we all know someone who has been affected by cancer or a serious illness. Not only are we constantly bombarded by new information about health and wellness all the time, the chase for eternal youth and wellness is everywhere and so pervasive in our lives. Apple Cider Vinegar really touches on the complexities of conventional and nonconventional medicine.”

What Else: “Creativity has been so imbued in my life, and I feel like I have a strong idea of my taste, so directing is something I'm wanting to explore more. Obviously, it's quite hard to get your foot in the door, so I'm going to try to write – in order to facilitate it.”

Obsixed: A collection of Alycia's current lifestyle obsessions and brands.

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Watch Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix⁠

⁠Watch Saint X on Hulu⁠

⁠Watch Fear the Walking Dead on Netflix

Christopher Esber Gondola Mini Tote

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

Leset Yoko Pocket Pant

Tulips

We’re ranting live from Industry City in Brooklyn and from The Female Founder’s Collective’s annual Female Founder’s Day. Tamara sits down with Sarah Beth from the team to answer some questions she has about career and building a brand. We grab FFC Co-Founder Rebecca Minkoff between sessions at the gathering of 500+ plus founders for this episode on out-of-the-box thinking and career paths, risk-taking, having perseverance, and sticking to your vision as a founder.

Tell us a little about your early career and how you’ve navigated career moves over the years, to get to where you are now? What was the catalyst  for creating Story + Rain? Can you tell us how the name ‘Story + Rain’ came about? With decidedly differing answers, Tamara and Rebecca answer one of our favorite questions: What is a story about your career that you’ve never had the opportunity to share before? Is there a moment in your career when you found yourself having to stick to your vision and it paid off in spades, in terms of authenticity and your brand? What kind of creativity goes into putting together an event like Female Founder’s Day? 

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The Female Founder Collective 

Rebecca Minkoff wears West Booties in black

Tamara carries the Dior Changing Bag

Spanx Booty Boost Active Leggings

Petite Plume Silk Sleep Mask

Beautybio Get That Glow Glowpro Facial Microneedling Discover Set

Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 30

On this episode, we go BTS and talk with filmmaker Edward Burns' go-to costume designer, Rosemary Lepre Forman to discuss tricks-of-the-trade and working on his latest film, Millers In Marriage with its star-ensemble cast. She shares details around their longterm collaboration, how she's learned to be resourceful and creative in her work, and how she leaned into the 1990s and a 'quiet luxury' look for the Millers cast of stylish, complex characters living between NYC and upstate New York. Tamara and Ro dive into the creative heartbeat of a 20-day shoot, how accessories bring a character to life, and why fashion is a powerful tool in storytelling.

What’s the look and feel of Millers In Marriage in four words? Where did you get crafty and resourceful in terms of pulling wardrobe for Minnie Driver, Gretchen Mol, Julianna Margulies, Patrick Wilson, Campbell Scott, Benjamin Bratt, and more? How did you learn to become resourceful, did the job teach you? How can people make the Millers look their own? What is your personal take on quiet luxury for the film? Wrapping a project + letting go of the creative process. 

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Rosemary Lepre Forman

Millers in Marriage

The Stories: “On my first day as a CFDA member, I stood up in front of then-president Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb and I asked what our industry’s plans for sustainability was. I remember the Olsen twins sitting in front of me and turning around, staring at me. Everyone was staring at me. ‘Who is this girl?’ Diane and Steven looked at each other and said, ‘We have none.'"

The Backstory: Grew up with two creative grandmothers and aunts; one grandmother who was an award-winning quilter and who had hand-selected the rocks that her grandfather built their house with. Her mother is an ‘overachiever,’ former lawyer who creates watercolor art and who spent hours with Melissa as a child making food for her Barbie refrigerator. “My dad, although he isn’t crafty, is very intellectually creative.”

Wisdom Rains: “I tend to look at the shifts and the circularity of my business – marked by what some people might call ‘trauma’ – as opportunities to rebuild better. Even though they’re really challenging to go through at the time, you really learn what’s important, and what you want.”

On Inspo: “The way that we make jewelry is so influenced by traditional Mexican silversmithing techniques. I don’t do a lot of casting. We hand-make, hand-form, hand-hammer using a lot of the same tools that are used in Mexico. I really appreciate their craft and attention to detail.” Names her mother as ‘super-inspirational’ for how she’s reinvented herself to achieve many different things over the years.

On Community + On Her Store: “People really enjoy getting together and talking about things, trying stuff on and having fun. I’ve only been in business for as long as I have, because of my community. I’ve built really strong relationships that have carried me through really challenging times, so I feel like nourishing those, intentionally. My wholesale partners have become a strong focus, so has creating the same type of partnership and energy within my store.”

What Else: “There is a lot of technical detail within what we do that doesn’t scream, ‘look at me.’ It’s an understated elegance that allows each person to put their personal stamp on my jewelry when they wear it.”

Obsixed: A collection of Melissa’s current lifestyle obsessions and brands.

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melissajoymanning.com

Veteran fashion editor, stylist, and author Sasha Charnin Morrison and Tamara sit down to get granular on fashion then and now. From magazine jobs to signature style, fashion experts and fashion week, the pair pick apart what it took (and takes) to rise to the top in fashion and in publishing – and more.

When you think about your time at Vanity Fair, what story comes to mind?  Learning on the job. The exclusive editorial positions at fashion magazines. You have worked with the most talented people in the business, who stands out in your mind?  Talking Mirabella, Liz Tilberis, Paul Cavaco, Janice Min. Fashion shows and the 90's fashion scene in Paris. What is lacking in fashion content? What do you think makes for a great fashion editor or style expert now?

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Secrets Of Stylists by Sasha Charnin Morrison

Simone Rocha Ruffle Detail Parka

Norma Kamali Kenny Jumpsuit

The Frye Company Campus Boot in silver

Chanel Sycomore Eau de Parfum

Laura Geller Kajal Longwear Eyeliner in Deep Black

About-Face Smoke Stick in Smoking Gun

The Stories: Finding an unexpected and inspiring note from mother Barbara Ann Teer. Pivoting. Launching NBT Beyond Walls. Building a building and the creative process involved. Escaped a close call leaving Tom Ford pieces two countries behind while on tour styling Lenny Kravitz. “Our work is for all audiences, but it’s also to create a platform of possibility and to course-correct the stories that have rendered us two-dimensional.” Working with Ivy Park and Beyoncé to sample her mother's words onAlien Superstar.

The Backstory: Worked the door at NYC’s legendary clubs, was discovered on a red carpet at the MTV VMAs and worked as a producer for TRL, co-founded a swimwear line, began helming National Black Theatre after her mother’s sudden passing.

Words Of Wisdom: “I’m building the plane while I’m flying it.” "If I don't see you wholly, and you don't see me wholly, then we can never connect or belong." "Life is short. Live it to the fullest." "No matter how fast and hard you run away from your purpose, it always comes back around."

On Inspo: “My forever 'yes' is to show up and be a good daughter.” Dancer Judith Jamison’s relationship with her mother’s best friend, Alvin Ailey, has inspired her through ‘Impostor Syndrome.’ "The seven generations of women who carry me every day."

On National Black Theatre: “I’m ambitious in my vision for what NBT must be: the premiere destination for black theater in the country.” The majority of black theater is being produced in white spaces with artistic directors and producers for white audiences. Feels the honor and the pressure of preserving black culture and history.

On NYC: "There was a heartbeat to New York. No matter where you came from, we belonged to each other."

What Else: “I’m not in the business of theater, I’m in the business of freedom.”

Obsixed: A collection of Sade's lifestyle obsessions.

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National Black Theatre 

J. Crew slipdresses

J. Crew cashmere 

J. Crew loafers

Pattern Beauty haircare

Honey Pot personal care items

The work of artist Amy Sherald

The Stories: They are the new generation of whiskey makers, making their brand pop on shelves to appeal to a consumer who cares about what they’re eating and drinking. “You never shut off:” there’s always something to do when you live where you work. Bourbon in coffee on Christmas morning is a tradition. Frey tests new products all the time.

The Backstory: Colby Frey comes generations and generations – 170 years – of farmers. Colby and Ashley met in college in Nevada. Colby woke up one day and thought, why aren’t we making whiskey with all that we grow on the farm? Once Ashley was introduced to farm life, she never wanted to go back to city life.

Words Of Wisdom: “Be good to the land, and the land will be good to you.” “Whenever you do something, you always have to give something back.” Farming requires optimism. “When I die I can’t take it with me; I have to take really good care of the land in order to pass it on.”

On Inspo: “We consider ourselves temporary caretakers, custodians, and stewards of the land.” Frey Ranch’s branding, packaging, and visuals are packed with meaning.

What Else: Colby Frey wants to be at the industry’s forefront for where the grains for spirits come from. Frey Ranch tours are complimentary. Frey Ranch hosts food + drink events, and creates exclusive cocktail recipes. Discover more:

freyranch.com

The Stories:

“Seeing people cope  through my songs and be able to let themselves feel with them, has been so beautiful and has also made me feel less alone.”

“I'm so deeply empathetic. I feel everything around me, tenfold.”

“The hard part of touring is when you get off the tour, because you've gone from one hundred miles an hour to zero.”

“As an artist, you have to constantly evolve, you have to be ever-changing. You're almost a new character every year. It's weird, but also cool to figure out. “

The Backstory: Her first video posted to TikTok was created at age 11 using her grandparents old old keyboard.

Wisdom Rains: 

“The more you share, the more can be used against you.”

“Something that has surprised me is how expansive my mind can be and how expansive creativity is.”

On Inspo: “I have to feel some type of way for idea to come out of me. It's a way of getting things out of my brain, because if I don't, I suffer.”

Singer-Songwriter Soundoff: Jelly Roll, Maren Morris, Teddy Swims, Diplo.

On Coachella: “I'm coming into a new character and a new part of myself. Musically, I'll be leaning into my rap side of things.”

Obsixed: A collection of Jessie's lifestyle obsessions.

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jessiemurph.com

Jessie Murph Ain't No Man Thats The Devil on vinyl

Sundae Whipped Shower Foam Body Wash in Very Vanilla

Loving Tan 2 Hr Express Self Tanning Mousse

La Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream

Stanley Stainless Steel Valentine's Day Tumbler

Victrola Empire Bluetooth Record Player

The Stories: Famously took the ‘Farrah’ out of Farrah Fawcett by giving her a bob. Took Madonna’s hair from club kid to everyone wanting to look like her. Responsible for Karlie Kloss' short hair transformation. Glory days at Studio 54. Making news in the 1990’s with celebrity clients.

The Backstory: Started doing hair at age 13, and declaring it at school. His time at Bergdorf Goodman left a lasting impression, where Suga was his mentor.

Wisdom Rains: Don’t get too chummy or personal with clients. You are there to serve them and make them feel taken care of.

Hot Heads: Farah Fawcett, Madonna, Karlie Kloss, Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga

On Inspo: “I’ve learned how to collaborate; it’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned, and one of the biggest things I've always been inspired by.”

On R + Co:  “I reflected on my first couture show in Paris with Polly Mellen, Irving Penn, and his wife. We were at YSL, I saw the girls come out in all these colors. I was knocked away and it never left me. That color storyboard was so in my head that when we were able to do the R + Co Bleu line and we didn’t know what to call it, I said, ‘Bleu’.”

What Else: Taking leaps and getting to the next level. Living well and in style.

Obsixed: A collection of Garren’s lifestyle obsessions.

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R+Co Bleu Reparative Shampoo

R+Co Bleu Essential Shampoo⁠ 

R+Co Badlands Dry Shampoo 
R+Co Bleu Essentials Hair Tonic 
R+Co Bleu Root Booster Volume Spray 
Sisley Paris Supremya At Night Anti Aging Skin Care 
Sisley Paris Supremya At Night Anti Aging Eye Cream 

Sisley Paris Sisleÿa L'integral Anti-Age Hand Care Concentrate⁠ 
Dustin Pittman New York After Dark 
Helmet Newton Legacy
Tod's Loafers in Blue Suede 
AYR The Normie Straight Leg in Oyster