The Charisse Report

Imagine going through your mum’s closet and finding out she wears Tom Ford for Gucci?

That’s just part of Justin Friedman’s undying love for everything Tom Ford and one of the reasons he started his fashion archive account @tomfordforgucci.

I’m so excited to share Justin’s episode with you; he’s a New York-based stylist and creative director who fell in love with fashion from an early age and early on in this conversation we connect over that love and share on how it got us into not only collecting magazines but also trying to recreate what we saw in those magazines through drawing.

As you can imagine the conversation also touches upon some of our most favourite ad campaigns ever which then leads us to discuss the state of the fashion industry right now and into the concept of aspirational advertising.

Follow Justin at https://www.instagram.com/tomfordforgucci/

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

This week I'm mostly talking about the most beautiful shows at Paris Fashion Week but I'm also popping over to Milan to discuss the Prada AW25 show because it needs to be discussed.

As well as talking you through some of my favourite hair and beauty moments from the shows, I'm also taking you through some of the best bits from my recent visit to Paris, from checking out some stunning exhibitions at Dior, Saint Laurent and Alaïa to eating some of the best coffee and pastries Paris has to offer!

Artwork images via @instagram/lucyjbridge

Links

Phyllis Cohen episode 292: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7aKjIEvaNphCPJgHclIHRV?si=b60a83cb70a04260

Haider Ackermann on Fashion Neurosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rpAVTWXBUo

Hotel Panache: https://hotelpanache.com/en/

Noir Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/parallel.coffee

Parallel Coffee: https://www.instagram.com/parallel.coffee

The French Bastards: https://www.instagram.com/the_french_bastards

Musee Yves Saint Laurent: https://museeyslparis.com/en/

Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: https://fondationazzedinealaia.org/

Peter Lindbergh at La Galerie Dior: https://www.galeriedior.com/en

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

This week my guest is New York-based makeup artist and content creator Lila Childs. I’ve been following Lila for a few months because she really stands out for having this amazing ability to recreate some of the most beautiful makeup looks while also making her followers feel like they can do it too.

In this episode we discuss celebrity glam squads and why it’s time the media caught up with the importance of the teams involved behind the scenes, especially when it comes to those iconic red carpet beauty moments, because it’s not just about fashion.

Lila also shares on how it felt to become one of Pat McGrath’s porcelain dolls when the makeup icon released Skin Fetish Glass 001 Artistry Mask recently. I loved listening to her share on how it felt to meet Queen Pat and she also gives us the breakdown on how to use the mask – although last time I checked it was still sold out online.

Let me know if you know Lila’s work already  – you can send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on Threads @charisse_kenion and if you’re listening on Spotify you can tell me your thoughts direct as we can now chat to each other over there!

If you’re listening elsewhere please leave a rating or review for the show and remember there’s also a newsletter that’s free to read at beautymenotes.substack.com and I’m also over on YouTube too now.

Links

Pat McGrath on Desert Island Discs: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6fxVUzVULX88n4RWv28ntT?si=c12bb957c2944b83

Follow Lila on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilainc/

Follow Lila on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lilachilds

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

This week it’s an intimate look backstage at tworecent shows for London Fashion Week. Dilara Findikoglu and Huishan Zhang.

As well as sharing my time backstage I'm also discussing a trend I'm calling 'happy exhaustion' as a kind of precursor to the Great Exhaustion, forecast for 2026.

Let me know your thoughts over in the DMs on Instagram or chat with me on Threads @charisse_kenion and if you’re listening on Spotify you can tell me your thoughts direct as we can now chat to each other over there!

If you’re listening elsewhere do please leave a rating or review for the show and most importantly, please follow the show or subscribe so you never miss another episode.

Remember there’s also a newsletter that’s free to read at beautymenotes.substack.com - I've spoken about the Great Exhaustion there too and shared some of my backstage imagery. You can also find me over on YouTube too now.

Artwork: Charisse Kenion

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

Today's guest is the brilliant makeup artist, illustrator and creator of Face Lace, Phyllis Cohen.

For anyone who doesn't know, Phyllis has been working in beauty for four decades and during that time she has likely inspired many of the beauty 'trends' we see today.

Her career as an illustrator and self-taught makeup artist has seen her working through some truly innovative decades - the 80s and 90s in particular - and you can imagine the stories she has to tell!

Over the years Phyllis has worked with everyone from David Bowie and Tina Turner to Janet Jackson and Lady Gaga. It's actually impossible to cover everything Phyllis has done in 90 minutes, but I guarantee you've got a real treat in store.

In this episode Phyllis shares some amazing insights on growing up in Vancouver in the 1960s as well as being adopted as a baby, and moves on to share her wild ride of a career which began with her studying illustration.

Throughout the conversation we zigzag from era to era and honestly, this easily could have been a 5-hour interview.

Phyllis also shares on her ideas on female beauty, why she started her insightful Perceptual Makeup Instagram account and how she created the truly innovative beauty brand Face Lace, in 2012.

Be sure to let me know if you know Phyllis’ work or if you’re a fan of Face Lace – you can send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on Threads @charisse_kenion and if you’re listening on Spotify you can tell me your thoughts direct as we can now chat to each other over there!

If you’re listening elsewhere please take a minute to leave a rating or review for the show; it really helps.

Remember there’s also a newsletter that’s free to read at beautymenotes.substack.com and I’m also over on YouTube too now.

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

Today it’s a week in beauty episode sharing my thoughts on themonumental minimalism of Calvin Klein’s return to NYFW after a 6-year hiatus, and I’m also sharing an important conversation with the lovely Yumiko Hikage, a Japanese stylist based in Paris who is changing the face of medical wigs for women experiencing cancer treatment-related hairloss.

Finally I’m also sharing the first meet the founder interview of 2025, with founding partner of the truly innovative skincare brand Medik8, Daniel Isaacs.

I'd love to know your thoughts, on medical wigs, minimalism or Vitamin C! So send me a DM on Instagram or chat with me on Threads @charisse_kenion and if you’re listening on Spotify you can tell me your thoughts direct as we can now chat with each other now!

Wherever you’re listening please leave a rating or review for the show - it really makes a difference.

Remember there’s also a newsletter that’s free to read at beautymenotes.substack.com and I’m also over on YouTube too now.

LINKS

Courting controversy; how Calvin Klein uses provocation: https://open.spotify.com/episode/32uFwO7vKlN3K5WO0xiJ2w?si=rF3g5CSUSNmGAlK39zrykQ

Find Yumiko Hikage at https://www.instagram.com/hikageyumiko

Yumiko Hikage for Beauty Papers: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DE2CdTpq6R5/?igsh=bTZ5d2F2ZGVqY2x6

Shop Medik8 at: https://www.medik8.com/

Follow Medik8 at: https://www.instagram.com/officialmedik8/

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

Willy Chavarria is one of the most important, if notthe most important designer to come out of the United States since launching his first runway collection in 2017.

In 2023and 2024 Willy was named CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year and in 2024 Vogue Business said that getting a invite to a Chavarria show was like winning a golden ticket.

So in this episode you will get a mini bio of who Willy Chavarria is and what his enduring themes are when it comes to his collections, leading up to his recent Paris debut.

Then I’ll break down the key themes of the Tarantula show  - which for me were: Emotion, Resistance and Romance, and finally I’ll be going into the hair and makeup, because there’s no way I can talk about this show without talking about those two key components.

I’m so glad to share an interview with the wonderful Yadim, who keyed the makeup for the show, as well as Ela Casati, fashion commentator and also Christiano Wennmann, one of the models who walked the runway.

I would love to know your thoughts; what does Willy’s work mean to you? If you're watching on Spotify leave a comment and I can actually reply! If you're listening elsewhere then do please the show a rating or review, it really makes a difference.

WHERE TO FIND ME

Substack:https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charisse_kenion/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

Check me out on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Business inquiries: [email protected]

LINKS

Follow Christiano Wennmann on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christiano.kei/

Read Ela Casati’s blog on Willy Chavarria: https://www.elacasati.com/post/the-importance-of-being-willy-chavarria-everything-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-his-parisian-debut

Follow Ela Casati on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elacasati

Follow Yadim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yad1m/

Article on Pachuchos:https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/artbound/pachucos-not-just-mexican-american-males-or-juvenile-delinquents

Article on the French Resistance:https://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2017/01/fashion-resistance-wwii-france.html

Article on Willy X Kendrick Lamar:  https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/kendrick-lamar-super-bowl-collection-1235249635/

Willy Chavarria winning CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year:  https://hypebeast.com/2024/10/willy-chavarria-american-menswear-designer-of-the-year-2024-cfda-fashion-awards-winner-list

Hypebeast Radio interview with Willy Chavarria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcSfKne1rlk&t=452s

Today’s guest is Celeste Bell, daughter of the one and only Poly Styrene, a woman who was an absolute punk icon.

If you know that name, then you’ll definitely know songs like Art-I-Ficial, Junk Food Junkie and Identity which Poly sang as the frontwoman of X-Ray Spex in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Through her music Poly Styrene inspired the likes of Neneh Cherry, FKA Twigs and many more, but it wasn't just her music, it was her attitude.

Sadly Poly passed in 2011 from breast cancer, but I reached out to her daughter Celeste after seeing the brilliant documentary she directed, entitled Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche.

In this episode Celeste shares on her mother's mental health - and how being misdiagnosed made things worse - as well as the things that made Poly happy, such as makeup, dressing up, reading magazines and enjoying a spa day.

Celeste also shares her own experiences of motherhood, which inevitably draw comparisons with how she was raised by a mother who was often overwhelmed by life.

By the way, right near the end Celeste shares a hilarious story about women in punk, so be sure to keep listening!

TW: themes of religion, cults, mental health.

By the way, look out for my video on Poly, especially if this is the first time you're learning about her.

I’d love to know what you thought of this one, so if you’re listening on Spotify be sure to drop a comment, as I can actually respond now!

Also, please don’t forget to follow the show if you’re a Spotify listener, it really helps others to find it and let’s me know how this community is growing.

If you’re listening elsewhere on Apple Podcasts or anywhere else you get your podcasts, please do subscribe to the show and leave a rating or a review, so others know if they should listen.

You can also share feedback over in the DMs over on Instagram

Finally, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss the next deep dive!

Artwork via Instagram/@celestabella

Links

Weleda Skin Food: https://www.weleda.co.uk/skinfood

Watch Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche: https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/poly-styrene-i-am-a-cliche/umc.cmc.50ofwo8uxwqzp1lcefvrlvvi4

Find me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CharisseKenionYT

Find me on Threads:

BeautyMe newsletter: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

BeautyMe on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Today I’ve got the wonderful Vilde Feste, MAC Cosmetics Nordic Senior Artist as my guest.

Vilde lives in Copenhagen and through her work as a makeup artist she covers Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway as well as working backstage at some of the most exciting shows at the international fashion weeks.

For me Vilde is the queen of the lip combo so I really wanted to find out more about her inspirations.

In this episode Vilde shares on how growing up in a small city in Norway and constantly playing with her image meant that she always stood out.

I love how Vilde's story takes us from the time she bought her very first MAC Lipglass, to how she ended up being a Senior Artist for the brand.

Along the way she shares on the benefits of living in Copenhagen and why she could never give it up for a  move to New York or London.

I’d love to know what you thought of this one, so if you’re listening on Spotify be sure to drop a comment, as we can actually talk now! Also, please don’t forget to follow the show if you’re a Spotify listener, it really helps others to find it and let’s me know how this community is growing.

If you’re listening elsewhere on Apple Podcasts or anywhere else you get your podcasts, please do subscribe to the show and leave a rating or a review, so others know if they should listen and I know if I’m doing a good job! You can also share feedback over in the DMs over on Instagram @charisse_kenion, or find me on Threads at @charisse_kenion.

Links

Weleda Skin Food: https://go.shopmy.us/p-12364175

MAC Strobe Cream: https://go.shopmy.us/p-12364180

MAC Strobe Dewy Skin Tinted Moisturiser: https://go.shopmy.us/p-12364185

MAC Face and Body Foundation: https://go.shopmy.us/p-12364189

MAC Lip Pencil in Chestnut: https://go.shopmy.us/p-12364197

MAC Clear Lip Glass: https://go.shopmy.us/p-12364211

MAC Lip Pencil in Root For Me: https://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/13852/340/products/makeup/lips/lip-pencil/lip-pencil?shade=Root_For_Me%21_

Find me on YouTube:

Find me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@charisse_kenion/

BeautyMe newsletter: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

BeautyMe on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme 

Tefi Pessoa is the queen of pop culture because she eats, sleeps and breathes it!

I knew I wanted to start 2025 with Tefi on the BeautyMe Podcast, because if anyone can bring light relief and laughter to your day, she’s the one.

Her deep dives on everyone from Richard Gere dating Cindy Crawford, to the weird and wonderful past of the members of rock group Fleetwood Mac have kept Tefi’s 1.9million TikTok followers engaged with a blend of nostalgia and comedy, but she also serves up laughs on the daily by sharing her own takes on current affairs as well as her dating life.

Today Tefi not only keeps her followers laughing; she’s also featured in fashion and beauty campaigns and she is the go-to when it comes to genuine, engaging red carpet coverage.

But Tefi isn’t just all about the laughs; she’s a ride or die for her follower friends when they’re looking for life advice and is an advocate for mental health and being confident in your skin.

In this video episode Tefi shares her thoughts on everything on the morning bloat to why she’s always down to clapback in the comments and the first time she felt like she was the star of the show.

I guarantee you’re going to laugh out LOUD.

Don’t forget to hit the like and subscribe buttons if you’ve been watching on Youtube and if you’re listening or watching on Spotify please leave a review or a rating – we can even talk on Spotify now so feel free to drop a comment there and do please follow the show.

If you have something you want to share, find me in the DMs on Instagram @charisse_kenion or  tag me on Threads @charisse_kenion.

Follow Tefi on TikTok – if it still exists in the US at: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellotefi

Follow Tefi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellotefi/

Find me on YouTube:

Find me on Threads:

BeautyMe newsletter: https://beautymenotes.substack.com

Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charissekenion

BeautyMe on ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/beautyme