On this hot-take episode with Philippe Pourhashemi we discuss the recent firings of Ludovic de Saint Sernin from Ann Demeulemeester and Rhuigi Villasenor from Bally and their implications. We speak about hype versus talent, what makes the right fit between a creative director and a brand, the relationship between management and creative, brand building and reputational risk, and much more.

Support the show

We reconnect with the journalist Amy Odell to discuss the problematic legacy of Karl Lagerfeld, the late designer of Chanel, and the new exhibit devoted to his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. We try to answer one of the central questions of creativity - can you separate the art from the artist? - and dive into other aspects of Lagerfeld's life and work.

Support the show

Our guest is Lauren Sherman, former senior correspondent at the Business of Fashion, a top-notch reporter whose no-nonsense writing cuts through much of the industry noise. We discuss why fashion journalism used to be a much richer field, why honest reporting is beneficial to fashion, why it’s imperative for a brand to develop a core audience, why LVMH excels at retaining talent, why brick and mortar retail matters, and talk about her new and exciting role at Puck News.

Support the show

We speak with the casting director James Scully about his trajectory of working in fashion, from his days at the iconic New York boutique Charivari in the ‘80s to his days at Harper’s Bazaar and the changes he witnessed while being there, to becoming one of the best casting agents in the fashion industry; his whistle blowing on the rampant abuse of models and the changes it engendered. James’s is a brilliant story of working his way up in fashion through sheer love of it and his talent. It is also an important one because it provides a rare glimpse of what goes on under the hood of the fashion industry. 

Support the show

We are back with Philippe to review this past Fall / Winter 2023 Women's fashion show season. We dive into many shows, concentrating on the many debuts, of Daniel Lee at Burberry, Ludovic de Saint-Sernin at Ann Demeulemeester, and Harris Reed at Nina Ricci.

Support the show

We are back with fashion journalist and author Amy Odell to discuss Pharrell's appointment as the creative director of Louis Vuitton Menswear and what it means for fashion, what it says about the power of celebrity, Louis Vuitton's business model, and the fashion media.

Check out Amy's Back Row Substack, amyodell.substack.com

Support the show

We dissect Demna's first post-Balenciaga scandal interview in Vogue with the journalist Amy Odell. We discuss Demna's mea culpas and the various statements he makes, dive into the mechanics of the interview, its possible causes and effects, Kering's corporate strategy, and Vogue's journalistic integrity. We also try to guess who actually conducted the interview. Odell is a seasoned fashion journalist, and together with Eugene, based on their extensive experience they give a glimpse of what probably went on behind the scenes. You can read Demna's interview here.

Support the show

On this episode we reunite with our regular guest, fashion editor and critic Philippe Pourhashemi, to reflect on the Fall / Winter '23 Men's season. We discuss Pitti Uomo, Milan, and Paris shows, from Jan-Jan Van Essche to Rick Owens to Yohji Yamamoto to Sacai, the debacle that was the Gucci show without Alessandro Michele, and more!

Support the show

We speak with Peter Ettedgui of Misfits Entertainment, a co-producer of the new docu-series Kingdom of Dreams, out in the UK on Sky and coming to the US market soon. The 4-part documentary traces the rise of Bernard Arnault's LVMH and François Pinault's Kering on the backs of John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, and Tom Ford. The documentary is full of insight and rare footage, and we speak with Peter about the making of it and what he learned along the way.

Support the show

We speak with the author W. David Marx about his new book “Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change.” We dive deep into the book and explore its basic premise that our cultural and consumption tendencies, especially when it comes to fashion, have to do more with the desire for status than we let on, how conspicuous consumption works, how the old and the new money signals their wealth, why logomania is in full swing today, and more.

Support the show