The Conversations

Is Ye & Julia Fox’s Relationship the Next Level of Brand Marketing?

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:16:50 -0500

It sounds like an odd question... However, in this episode, we flow through streams of thought about the dynamics of the famous/infamous relationship between multi-hyphenate Ye and actress Julia Fox - and how this could be mapped against a new and much larger approach to marketing and PR, ultimately fueling his multi-billion dollar enterprise.

As always we would love to hear from you about this and any of our other topics - feel free to reach out to us via Instagram @TheConversations.podcast. Please also subscribe and rate us (*****) - we always appreciate your support :)

What Can We Learn From André Leon Talley’s Legacy?

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 20:07:44 -0500

Andre Leon Talley was a unique and giant figure in fashion. Subsisting on Vogues from a tender age, armed with an Ivy League education, Talley became a chronicler and arbiter of style and culture. And he navigated these two worlds more skilled and informed than most - landing positions at WWD, Ebony, and (most notably) Vogue magazines.

As a writer, creative director, mentor, bon vivant, Talley occupied a singular space as a well-versed, towering Black figure prone to fantastical prognostications steeped in erudite references. He knew his stuff and centered his world in one of pomp and circumstance as detailed in his recent memoir, The Chiffon Trenches. But Talley was a complicated figure whose legacy is rife with complexities. He championed many Black talents over decades but categorically ignored others, building his inner circle with white socialites, power brokers, and designers.

He indulged in the excesses and riches of luxury but kept rooted in the humility of his faith. And in the end, while willing to expose the ills of the fashion world, one could say Talley was wholly defined by it.

In this episode we discuss the many layers to Talley’s legacy, challenges being the only one, when your excellence outshines everyone else in the room, and again, why this is a cautionary tale.

We would love to hear from you - contact us via @theccoversations.podcast on Instagram and as always, we ask that you support by subscribing and rating (*****) to our podcast x

Is Black Influence Defining the Current Fashion Zeitgeist?

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 16:53:53 -0500

Welcome back to our second episode this season!

The on-trend dress sense for influencers, celebrities, millionaires, and the average consumer of fashion comprises a head-to-toe arsenal of high fashion labels with a preference for prominently displayed logos on all categories of products: caps, t-shirts, sweatshirts, shoes, even socks. The trend is largely driven by Black youth culture and has permeated fashion to the extent that it’s defining the current style zeitgeist.

In this episode, we unpack the cultural significance of conspicuous consumption and its steep history in Black identity and belonging. We interrogate Black spending power and how it shapes our sense of worth and social mobility. Questions are asked, including; is consumption a form of defying racism for this flex generation? And have the values in the Black community shifted from the church to money?

We want to hear from you on this! Feel free to reach out to us or comment via our Instagram @the.conversations.podcast. We hope you enjoy the episode and as always subscribe and rate us (*****) if you can :)

We’re Back Back Back Again!

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 14:15:06 -0500

To start our new season and to mark our return to the the airwaves, in this episode, we first look back at what’s transpired in our personal and professional lives while on hiatus for the last a year and a half.

Henrietta talks about her personal journey with a serious illness, meanwhile Jason breaks down the subjects covered in his new Race Relations column for The Business of Fashion and the response to his The Cut feature, “They invented the Supermodel,” an anthology of Black American models.

We touch on the state of Black organizations in fashion and the work they’ve shown with endowment support, and ask, ‘where is the money?’ We eulogized Virgil’ Abloh's wide-ranging, far reaching contributions to the industry and the chasm of hope he left behind for Black professionals. And finally we provide a general overview of how the industry is unfolding and what’s next.

We're so glad to be back - a massive thank you to all of you for your support over the last 4 years and we hope you enjoy this episode and season! As always, please rate and subscribe, follow us and keep in touch via @theconversations.podcast :)

Veteran Talent Series: A Conversation With Natasha Slater

Tue, 11 May 2021 12:51:48 -0400

PR and nightlife entrepreneur Natasha Slater is best known for producing Punks Wear Prada (PWP), the iconic weekly club night (that, along with Marcelo Burlon’s Pink is Punk), helped to define the early-mid aughts Milanese fashion party scene. Under the PWP umbrella, Slater drew on her British hipsters and international influencer network to collaborate with top-shelf brands, including Gucci, Prada, and Dolce & Gabbana, to kick-off fashion week events, promote product launches and to generally bring the cult of cool to these Italian fashion houses.

But as much as this era was marked by celebration and fabulosity, this period was also rife with abuse of power, substance abuse, and toxic work culture. In this episode of our veteran talent series, Slater (who is five years sober as a result of this chaotic and painful period) joins Jason to discuss how it was for an outspoken English single mother to navigate the strong patriarchy in Italian culture, her complicity in promoting toxicity in the workplace, how she weathered the controversy of being called out and what life looks like now that her priorities are different.

We hope you enjoy this conversation! Follow and DM us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast and let us know what you think. Please also subscribe and rate this podcast (*****), we love and appreciate all your support :)

Veteran Talent Series: A Conversation With Susie Lau

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 08:29:57 -0500

Susie Lau’s Style Bubble blog is one of the pioneering voices in the digital fashion space. Since 2006, the fashion journalist has remained a fixture on the global scene seemingly effortlessly adjusting roles from post collegiate digital marketer to blogging to commissioning editor at Dazed to independently publishing Style Bubble (pre-dating the social media space with a number of brand collaborations and special projects: Gap, Google and Selfridges) to emerging as one of today’s most visible influencers.

In this episode, in addition to discussing Lau’s evolving profile over nearly two decades in the industry, we also dive into how for some her personal cutting edge style conflicted with a strong command of the written word, when was she afraid to pivot, journalism vs influencing, and the state of Asian influence in fashion. And with a degree in history, why her sights are firmly steered ahead, not looking in the rear view mirror to what this industry once was.

Veteran Talent Series: A Conversation With Giannie Couji

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:22:37 -0500

Years in advance of the 2020 racial reckoning in fashion, Giannie Couji was an already established and consistent voice in anti-racism advocacy in fashion on social media.

Model, long time iD Magazine stylist, and editor of Ubikwist Magazine, Couji cut her teeth in Europe working on editorials and campaigns with the likes of Jean Baptiste Mondino and Jean Paul Goude, but it’s her move stateside over a decade ago that has shaped her current profile as activist - spotlighting racist practices and generally intolerable behavior across the fashion industry. Couji is an outlier whose view on the industry has placed her squarely at the intersection of the tired old school practices and the deafening demand for change. In this episode Couji details her journey from Martinique to Paris, London and New York chronicling the discovery of the world of styling as career, Judy Blame as collaborator and mentor and her amplified voice in the age of Covid.

Veteran Talent Series: A Conversation With Karen Binns

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 08:35:51 -0500

London-based creative director and stylist Karen Binns is also an uncredited historian, muse, and collaborator. In this 3rd installment of our veteran talent series, the multi-hyphenated fashion original takes us on a bi-continental journey from New York nightlife and the downtown art scene, to the indie workspaces of Europe’s visionary and up and coming talents. Names from Jean Michel Basquait and Warhol to Andre walker, Bianca Saunders and Wizkid pepper Binns’ resume but it’s her role as creative director to style queen Tori Amos for over 25 years that's arguably secured her place in the canon of style architects. But why is so little known about this creative maverick? Listen up on why Karen Binns just might be the Viola Davis of fashion.

We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we enjoyed having it! Follow and DM us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast and let us know what you think. Please also subscribe and rate this podcast (*****), we appreciate all your support :)

Veteran Talent Series: A Conversation With Lysa Cooper

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 21:59:21 -0500

Lysa Cooper is a fashion OG.

Her rise from nightlife impresario to fashion stylist detail a long and storied resume bookended by influential cultural figures from Keith Haring, Basquiat and Beyonce, to Rihanna and Ashton Kutcher. Cooper’s influence runs deep but she is not to be mistaken for an “influencer,” a title of cultural critic is more suited to her. Long before Fashion was forced to confront a racial reckoning, Cooper was sounding the alarm on the industry’s transgressions. When stylists only stan-ed for their clients, Cooper spoke honestly of the behind the scenes shenanigans. Now that speaking out is en vogue, for the second installment of our veteran talent series, we went to the original outspoken voice to hear about her journey through the ranks of fashion, Black people, then and now and why is she so optimistic?

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do! Follow and DM us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast and let us know what you think. Please also subscribe and rate this podcast (*****), we appreciate all your support :)

Veteran Talent Series: A Conversation With Memsor Kamarake

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 21:03:03 -0500

Stylist Memsor Kamarake kicks off our end of year talent series where Jason talks to fashion professionals to discuss their history and gather their take on the current, unprecedented state of affairs in the industry.

Kamarake details his rise from retail at Ralph Lauren to fashion director at Vibe Magazine to stylist to Wendy Williams, journeying through the halcyon days in the late nineties and early naughts across the fashion capitals to the current racial uprising that’s shaking all corridors of the industry. In addition to his contribution, Kamarake speaks to Blacks’ long and often, unattributed contribution to the industry and in response to the racial reckoning, he weighs in on the Black community’s response in addressing the magnitude of the moment that demands us being seen and heard. Kamarake also break down his role in styling and co-producing a series of films for the organization INTHEBLK, a timely response showing Black creatives working in collaborating.

We hope you enjoy this kick off episode, continue to support by subscribing, rating us ***** and following us on @TheConversations.Podcast.

What's Happening in Fashion Right Now?

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 11:01:05 -0400

In keeping with the big-issues theme of our season opening episodes, to kick off season 4, we pan out to take a broad look at the hot button issues in fashion. Covid 19’s economic impact on the industry has dominated the headlines for months but time has shown that the pandemic has only ruptured the structural cracks that were already there in the system.

In this episode, we delve into economic hit from shifting consumer shopping habits and its influence on the declination of the department store. And if engineering an unprecedented economic recovery wasn’t enough, fashion is doubly tasked with the serious demand of representing better social and cultural practices as it relates to racial equity and sustainability. Even the functions of marketing and communication in fashion demand a reset. The industry just finished its fashion month showing a mix of virtual presentations and fashion shows and one thing is clear is that the path forward is anything but clear. And while our multi-billion dollar industry in a state of flux, there’s a dearth of media to try to make sense of the chaos.

The big issues in fashion are big indeed, welcome to Season 4! We'll be discussing multiple elements in and around these shifts and more, along with some great esteemed guests!

We hope you enjoy this kick off episode, continue to support by subscribing, rating us ***** and following us on @TheConversations.Podcast.

A Conversation With Leandra Medine Cohen: On Introspection

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 10:21:08 -0400

The racial unrest swept across the fashion industry like a tsunami, blindsiding and swiftly sidelining many, primarily female, executives in its wake. Leandra Medine Cohen founder of the popular fashion and lifestyle website Man Repeller is one such executive who “step(ed) back” from her CEO role, leaving the reigns in the hands of her team, announcing at the time that “the team deserves a chance to show you what Man Repeller can be with me on the sidelines.” Since her announcement in early June, Cohen has remained silent on just what happened to induce her sudden departure until this month with the launch of her newsletter - the first letter announcing her come back.

We invited Leandra to speak to us this episode to discuss the topic of introspection - what that looks like for her, the process that got her to this point and the elements that helped her along this path.

We hope you enjoy this episode! DM us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast and let us know what you think. Please also subscribe and rate this podcast (*****), we appreciate all your support :)

WAP - WTF or Female Empowerment?

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 12:25:45 -0400

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's hyper-sexualized single and video WAP (Wet Ass Pussy) has been the main topic of cultural conversation this week.

Raw and definitely unapologetic, these female superstars rap of their honeytrap sexual prowess and the ensuing wet rewards. Reminiscent of the raunchy tracks from Lil Kim’s 90s heyday, nothing is left to the imagination in lyrics that demands not suggests, “bring(ing) a bucket and a mop for this wet pussy.” The sexualized narrative in WAP’s lyrics and video paints the woman having agency over her body and sexual pleasure. But the discourse in the Culture posits, is this display vulgar, sending the wrong message and thus culturally damaging or is it simply the embodiment of female expression and empowerment? We discuss this and ask the broader question in this episode, does WAP represent a positive or negative reflection on the Culture?

We would love to hear what you think about this very charged conversation - DM us on Instagram @TheConversations. Podcast. Please also subscribe and rate this podcast (*****), we appreciate all your support :)

A Conversation With Bandana Tewari: Will There Be a Mass Exodus From Fashion?

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 09:28:57 -0400

It didn’t take a global pandemic for Bandana Tewari to rethink her future role in fashion. Four years ago, the former Vogue India Fashion Director, left the glamour and excess of that title behind, and moved from Bombay to Bali to work independently as a fashion journalist and sustainability activist. Tewari calculated to stay in fashion in a more beneficent role, still showing support for creativity while promoting slowed production.

But for so many other fashion professionals, the reality of whether they can remain a part of a profits-over-product, profits by-any-means-necessary industry, is a moral question and for a contingent may no longer be a choice, but an inevitable outcome — in no small parts deepened by the pandemic, economic downturn, racial fallout, harmful environmental impact, constant exposure of unethical labor, wage and manufacturing processes, toxic work cultures and technological takeover.

On this episode, Bandana Tewari joins us to discuss how the industry values have changed in the last 20 years, her journey advocating for sustainability and why we should expect a mass exodus from fashion.

We hope you enjoy this conversation! Please let us know what you think and also subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

Has Fashion Lost Its Center?

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 18:09:46 -0400

The current call to address the systemic and structural ills across fashion has exposed an already broken industry that was undergoing significant disruption to its purpose and values. But the sheer breath and scope of the demands for deep industry-wide clean up due to issues ranging from rampant sexual assault to toxic work culture, nepotism to racism, begs the question, how does the industry plan to go about instituting these much needed changes?

Discussing issues of leadership and secession, journalism, critical thought and system vs segment or democracy, in this episode we ask, has fashion lost its center?

We hope you enjoy this conversation! Please let us know what you think and also subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

What Did You Think of 'The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion' Documentary?

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 08:59:17 -0400

In this episode, we talk about the new Netflix documentary 'The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion'. We discuss our immediate reactions and the main themes we thought about within it, as the film works to capture the influence of Black culture and specifically Hip Hop culture on global fashion, the making of the multi-billion dollar streetwear category and celebrate the stories of unsung icons including Misa Hylton and April Walker.

We hope you enjoy this conversation! Please let us know what you think and also subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

To Cancel or Not to Cancel: Cancel Culture?

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 15:33:23 -0400

In general terms, the emergent cancel culture movement targets to empower the voice of the marginalized to hold oppressors and abusers accountable to their myriad offenses. But as quickly as the movement is taking hold, so has the pushback. “Has to cancel culture gone too far?”, “It’s getting out of hand if it hasn’t already,” are some effective headlines aiming to discredit the calling out and actions demanded for all things from genuine human rights injustices (including toxic work environment, racism, sexual harassment) to subjective behavior across fashion and culture.

Upholders of the status quo are having a field day leaning on the annihilative implications in the word “cancel” to delegitimize this movement. With the threat of reducing this culture war to arguing semantics and distracting from the important work to be done, we revisit our 2018 “Call-Out Culture,” episode, with "To Cancel or Not to Cancel", that is the question.

We hope you enjoy this conversation! Please let us know what you think and also subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

A Conversation With Qianna Smith Bruneteau & Chrissy Rutherford: The American Influencer Council

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 15:06:59 -0400

For millions of influencers, the rapid rise of the largely unregulated $8 billion influencer marketing economy has resulted in little to zero labor rights protection, disproportionate endorsement rates, multiple practices of racial bias (including visibility and pay inequities), as well as the easy trap of falling foul of community guidelines. This is all compounded by the current demand for authentic, purpose driven, messaging — while maintaining a stellar, inoffensive online footprint, among other minefields to navigate in the content creating space — influencers are often left to simply figure it out for themselves. And with no shortage of critics of their perceived undeserved success, it’s not surprising influencers would organize to bring some regulation to their livelihood.

The American Influencer Council, a newly formed trade organization has stepped in to replace the current trial and error approach to influencer marketing with policy and protection written “by creators for creators.” The AIC's founder Qianna Smith Bruneteau and influencer and council member Chrissy Rutherford join us on this episode to breakdown the little understood influencer landscape that’s full of gray areas... the relationship between brand, influencer and policy, creator rights and responsibilities and how AIC will help to navigate the culture of fear and uncertainty with no central nervous system or clear rules in an economy that’s proving to be working. And about that massive Times Square billboard when AIC launched and other elements Diet Prada have taken issue with in their recent post - we address that too.

We hope you enjoy this substantive conversation, it certainly gave us a lot to think about. Please let us know what you think and also subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

With the Race Issue in Fashion, Is There an Element Where We as Black People Are Doing It to Ourselves?

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 10:03:03 -0400

A damning Medium essay, titled 'The Truth About Essence', was published last week detailing a toxic culture of abuse, intimidation and underpayment at Black-owned, Black run Essence Magazine. Authored by a group of employees named Black Female Anonymous - this stunning unfolding in the midst of the rise of several Black-led professional groups demanding equity across the fashion industry - inspired us revisit our Black leadership episode from last year.

Additionally, during this time, a recent New York Times article, 'It's Time to End Racism in the Fashion Industry. But How?' detailed several Black groups and their varying, not yet unified initiatives, aimed at changing the current oppressive structure of racial inequality in fashion. The article insinuates that the disparate Black voices lack a collective game plan or more salaciously, are in competition.

Journalistic devise notwithstanding, the journey to dismantling white supremacy in fashion is froth with some issues within the Black community also, including the desire to uphold toxic and elitist systems, Black oppressors, and in parts the ruthless advancement of personal and territorial agendas. In this episode, we ask as it pertains to the race issue in fashion; is there an element where we as Black people are doing it to ourselves?

This is a very delicate topic, but as always, we hope you get involved and let us know your thoughts - a conversation is key! Please also subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

A Conversation With A Current Affair: Discussing Current Affairs in Fashion

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 10:23:31 -0400

To kick off their virtual, vintage shopping weekend (#avirtualaffair), vintage platform A Current Affair, invited us to an Instagram Live conversation tailored to this influential and growing fashion community. We touch on the genesis and near three year history of this podcast, our roles in fashion and discuss the current events, bringing context and summary to the racial climate that’s led to the disruption and fallout across our industry. And finally we talk about the vintage community; the joy and sustainability they bring to the fashion business.

Join Jason at 2.30 EST today (June 27th) for his Instagram Live show @jasoncampbellstudios where he’ll be selling a selection of vintage clothing and accessories.

**PLEASE EXCUSE THE AUDIO QUALITY FROM THIS LIVE SESSION, WE HAD A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL ISSUES - WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CONVERSATION NONETHELESS**

A Conversation With Mory Fontanez: A Fashion Solution - Revolution or Reform?

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 08:18:08 -0400

As companies are starting to seriously examine the damaging issues of racial inequality, micro-aggression, toxic work culture and unjust systems, a more sustainable, compassionate approach to conducting business is demanded of our C-suite leaders.

And while the revolution in the streets is the agency for much needed social changes taking place across industries, how are companies to go about transforming from a shareholder interested, profits-led business to one of connectedness, compassion and diversity? And are the steps to change one of gradual reform or should business leaders bring the radical energy from the streets to the corporate suites?

In this episode, we’re joined by values-based strategist, transformation consultant and founder, CEO of 822 Group, Mory Fontanez to discuss her methodology that involves quieting the “chaos” that consume work environments, while rooting out systemic issues and working with businesses leaders on a “cellular” level “to create purpose-driven brands that connect with customers”.

As always, we hope you get involved and let us know your thoughts, comment, subscribe, rate this podcast (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast for more.

A Conversation With Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia: Can We Talk More About Black Trauma in Fashion?⠀

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 03:43:27 -0400

In our third week of civil unrest, in parallel, the racial fallout continues in fashion. As audiences, the Black fashion community and allies grow more suspicious and frustrated with brands, their missteps, formulaic messaging and a general lack of tangible action. Additionally, a number of executive exits due to claims of racism and toxic work environments (including the founders of Reformation, Man Repeller, Refinery29 and The Wing this week alone), expose in greater detail how problematic the fashion system is. Within all of that and more, many Black fashion professionals are also unpacking the trauma induced by the continued systemic racism in the workplace, fashion generally and beyond. ⠀
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In this episode, we talk to psychiatrist (who will be joining faculty at McLean-Harvard) and author, Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, about Black trauma in fashion, it’s impact, implications, strategies to foster understanding, tools for healing and advice for protection. This is one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had thus far, we implore you to listen and continue the conversations in your homes, work spaces and communities. Please also keep in touch with us via Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast, subscribe and rate this podcast (***** :)⠀
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Lastly, make sure you pick up a copy of Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia’s book, Training for Change: Transforming Systems to be Trauma-Informed, Culturally Responsive, and Neuroscientifically Focused, which you can find via the link here. You can also follow her on Twitter (@DralishaMD) for regular goodness!! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

A Week in Review - Is This a Moment of True Change in Fashion?

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 02:25:18 -0400

This week has been a mess for fashion.

In the second week after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent civil unrest, brands, companies, influencers, corporations and fashion personalities came out en masse to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. With that, in too many cases, the veil of inclusion, diversity, representation, empathy and transparency that has been carefully curated over the past few years, has been removed to expose fashion's deepest rooted problems: systemic racism, toxic work environments, a general culture of silencing and complicity and co-opting.⠀
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On the flip side, the most positive and progressive moves have been made towards the fight for racial equity thus far. More Black people and people of all races are speaking up and speaking out. People are owning their part in this and taking real, meaningful steps to reconcile. People are connecting, mobilizing and strategizing to dismantle the parts of our industry that do not serve all of us. More conversations are being had and connections made, than ever before, between people, brands and organizations who want to put their resources to work. ⠀
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We recognized that this is a watershed movement. In this conversation we recap the past week, review our hopes for the future and also discuss the feedback from our trending Business of Fashion Op-Ed: 'Fashion Is Part of The Race Problem'. ⠀
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As always, we hope you get involved in this very important conversation and let us know your thoughts, comment, subscribe, rate this episode (*****) and follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast.⠀
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Article reference: ⠀
In this episode Jason reference's Vikram Alexei Kansara's BoF article: 'Luxury's Inequality Problem'

A Conversation With Imran Amed: About Race & Fashion

Sun, 31 May 2020 23:37:06 -0400

Over the past few days, again, the world has been reckoning with the unconscionable police brutality after yet another unarmed black man, George Floyd, was murdered in the US. With consequential civil and racial unrest, and an overwhelming rallying cry for allyship and systemic change, social media has been policing the fashion industry tracking who in fashion is being vocal and who is remaining silent, what valuable action is being taken, as well as who is getting it wrong, what can we do more of, how can we do better, what this all means in the context of fashion.

In this episode, we have a candid conversation on race and fashion with Imran Amed, Editor in Chief and CEO of The Business of Fashion (BoF). We discuss the role of fashion at a time like this, the varied responses from brands across the globe and his approach re: BoF to taking a position on these issues.

This is a tough issue and a challenging but much needed conversation to have! We will continue to have it. We ask that you keep in touch, let us know what you think as well as subscribe, rate this episode (*****) and follow us @TheConversations.Podcast for more!

**THIS EPISODE IS PART OF OUR SERIES RECORDED REMOTELY WHILE IN QUARANTINE, SO PLEASE EXCUSE ANY AUDIO DISRUPTIONS / AUDIO QUALITY, PARTICULARLY AS THIS WAS RECORED ACROSS A COUPLE OF CONTINENTS :) **

A Conversation With Ruba Abu-Nimah: If We’re to Accept "Warhol’s" Statement of "Art Is What You Can Get Away With," What Does This Say About Image-Making in the Digital Age?

Sun, 24 May 2020 09:39:57 -0400

Image-making has never been so democratic. A visual curation of our lives is the order of the day, with millions counting themselves as image-makers. But can brands still discern quality from attainable or the amateurs from the professionals and does it matter? And in the mist of the pandemic and beyond, where budgets are dwindling, teams are being downsized and digital platforms are key and met with very meaty KPIs, what is the place and value of strong, quality or high-end imagery? ”Art is what you can get away with,” is a disputed quote attributed to Andy Warhol and the starting point of this week’s conversation, where we're joined by one of our industry's most distinguished creative directors - Ruba Abu-Nimah.

Ruba's impressive background as a graphic designer and image-maker, makes her a great voice to add to this conversation with us, having worked for over 30 years across global brands including Nike, Tiffany & Co, Marc Jacobs, Bobbi Brown, Pat McGrath and Shisheido. She was the first ever female creative director of American Elle Magazine, a founding designer at French Glamour and works with the iconic culture publication iD. She’s worked with the biggest names in image-making and currently leads creative as SVP Creative Director at Revlon. ⠀
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We have an insightful conversation with Ruba about art, the shifts re: image-making in a digital age, the ongoing power and relevance of strong brand imagery, her expectations for image-making in a post Covid landscape, her thoughts on process and non-creatives making creative decisions.

As always, we hope you enjoy this conversation, that you keep in touch, subscribe, rate this episode (*****) and follow us @TheConversations.Podcast for more!

What Can We Expect From a Fashion Reset? Pt. 1

Sun, 17 May 2020 13:24:14 -0400

In the last week, a cross-section of globally placed designers got together to mandate a reset of the fashion system. Most agree on a post-Covid shift to in-season retail—essentially syncing deliveries and the global fashion weeks to natural weather patterns—to better reflect modern consumers‘ shopping habits. Change to the rampant mid-season, deep discounting is the other top priority for designers including Dries Van Noten, Alyx, Tory Burch and Altuzarra who agree is an industry killing culture. Other operating model changes from de-gendering fashion weeks, lessening the demand for travel and other belt tightening reforms also emerged from these resetting conversations. But for an industry that speaks to coalition and collaboration more than it actually acts on it, is this yet another one of fashion’s smokes and mirrors, hollow talk of a community? Or now that its clear the system is truly broken, is it now that we need “our community” to fix it? In this episode we discuss what a fashion reset may actually look like.

As always, we hope you enjoy this conversation and that you keep in touch, subscribe, rate this episode (*****) and follow us @TheConversations.Podcast for more!

Is André Leon Talley’s Fashion Journey a Cautionary Tale?

Sat, 09 May 2020 08:52:41 -0400

Fashion is buzzing about former Vogue Magazine creative director and writer Andre Leon Talley’s soon to be released memoir, 'Chiffon Trenches'. Leaked excerpts from the book details key events (some salacious, racist, and hurtful) from this bon vivant’s 50 years working at the top echelon of fashion. He writes of being exiled and left emotional scarred by the industry in recent years, most notable by his former champion and employer Anna Wintour who he claims has come to find him too fat, old and uncool. No doubt fashion is a brutal business but those who operate at the very top where Talley satellite'd, tend to protect each other with plum employment and professional homage to the very end. Talley's distinction, however, is as the lone black professional who’s worked at this level in the industry.

In this episode, we discuss Talley’s career. Was he building community or pre-occupied with his own profile? Does he represent a cautionary tale especially for blacks in the business. And why it's important that he has claimed his legacy.

We hope you enjoy this conversation and as always we ask that you keep in touch, subscribe, rate this episode and follow us @TheConversations.Podcast for more!

A Conversation With: Edward Buchanan & Gloria María Cappelletti: What of Independent Design in the Age of COVID-19?

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:46:15 -0400

Independent designers, unlike the cash-flushed, fast fashion, DTC and multi-national luxury sectors, are most under threat of insolvency in this pandemic shutdown. Short on resources, independents are facing serious challenges including unpaid vendor invoices, stalled production runs (and the outstanding bills), compounded by near zero consumer demand, to name only some of the difficulties. Yet if there are to be future businesses, independents will have to imagine beyond the immediate obstacles and current structures and envision how things may look and operate differently.

In this episode we are joined by Milan-based independent fashion designer Edward Buchanan of Sansovino 6 and ID Magazine and VICE MEDIA Editor-At-Large Gloria María Cappelletti to discuss what it means to be a true independent working in fashion, how COVID-19 has complicated an already thorny landscape for independents, and their thoughts on collaboration and Amazon...

We hope you enjoy this conversation and as always we ask that you keep in touch, subscribe, rate this episode and follow us @TheConversations.Podcast for more!

A Conversation With Kimberly M. Jenkins: How Deep is the Illusion of Inclusion in Fashion?

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 22:17:12 -0400

In this episode, we are joined by fashion educator and independent researcher, Kimberly M. Jenkins. Here we dive into many topics framed around the illusion of inclusion in the fashion industry; why the current fashion structures look the way they do, the issues faced by people of color (POC) in pre and post Covid-19 landscape and how POC can build systems for greater equity moving forward.

Kimberly is uniquely positioned to engage this much needed dialogue around the intersection of race and fashion. In 2016, she introduced the 'Fashion and Race' course at Parsons School of Design, in 2018 received the award for ‘Outstanding Achievements in Diversity and Social Justice Teaching’ from The New School. She has spent her career developing a suite of pedagogy that explores the intersection of fashion and race through three platforms: classroom lectures, a website and an exhibition. She is also the founder of the digital humanities project: The Fashion and Race Database, the goal of which is to provide a dedicated platform with open-source tools that address the intersection of power, privilege, representation and aesthetics within the fashion system. She also worked with Gucci as an educator in the wake of their public racial gaff in 2018.

We hope you find this conversation as illuminating as we did! Please continue to support, subscribe and rate this podcast and remember you can now follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast and also check out Kimberly @KimberlyMJenkins. Thank you for listening - we appreciate you!

** Please excuse any sound disruptions, patchy service or background noise - because quarantine.

A Conversation With Ronan Mckenzie & Gabriella Karefa-Johnson: What is the Role of Strong Image Making in a Post Pandemic Fashion Landscape?

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 14:50:52 -0400

In this episode we have a compelling cultural conversation with our great guests - photographer and film maker Ronan Mckenzie and stylist and Garage Magazine Fashion Director Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.

During this global lock down, where furloughs, layoffs, cut budgets, low sales and potential bankruptcies loom, in fashion, there is little to no focus on anything other than business survival. With that we wanted to get together to discuss the role of strong image making in a post pandemic fashion landscape and how that impacts themes of inclusion and representation along the way.

We'd absolutely love to hear all your thoughts on this one - please DM us at our newly formed Instagram account @TheConversations.Podcast and be sure to follow us there also. As usual we hugely appreciate your support in listening, please subscribe, comment and rate this podcast :)

What is the Best Approach to Marketing at a Time Like This?

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 17:15:16 -0400

Right now marketing is a creative minefield rife with sudden challenges — that if executed ineffectively — can render a brand tone-deaf and out of touch. Marketing in the age of Covid-19 demands razor sharp messaging that balance art and a pitch perfect proposition (if any) to buy. Still during this crisis, brands, especially those in fashion, must stand for something, now more than ever. But how are they to focus on brand message to sell product when demand is dead, bank accounts are evaporating and in some cases, bankruptcy looms?

In this episode we talk through the panic to identify marketing approaches to consider in the fight for survival during this unprecedented economic crisis. However, with this level of uncertainty, everything is still inconclusive, but well worth the conversation we think.

Thanks for joining the conversation, please continue to support by commenting, subscribing, rating this episode AND now you can follow us on Instagram @TheConversations.Podcast! We so much appreciate all your support :)

COVID-19 & Unemployment

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 23:17:53 -0400

The COVID-19 pandemic has mostly shut down the fashion industry, causing a shockwave of record unemployment in roles up and down the supply chain. From independent brands to mega-retailers, companies of all sizes have been forced to lay off, furlough, and fire staff in staggering numbers - and it's only the beginning. So while the the economic impact grows more grave each day, out-of-workers are left to ponder the sudden disruption of their income, and the still-employed are wondering for how much longer. In this episode, we discuss the different approaches brands are taking to cutting staff and COVID-19's colossus impact on industry unemployment.

We appreciate you taking the time to listen - let us know what you think, rate and subscribe :)

COVID-19 & Fashion

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 10:48:28 -0400

The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic has shut down the fashion industry. Aprox. two hundred million of us worldwide are confined to our homes. Over 30,000 retail store fronts are closed, and all fashion events scheduled through May are canceled. Meanwhile, still in the early stages of this unprecedented world event - with no clears signs of when the quarantine will let up - the negative economic impact on the industry is forecasted to reverberate for years to come. With the whole supply chain at a standstill, companies have started layoffs and home confinement and ban on group gatherings has largely rendered fashion a non-essential on the demand side. So to start to wrap our heads around the unimaginable but potentially very real repercussions, a world event of this magnitude can have on our livelihood, mental state and an entire industry; in this episode, we start the conversation on, what the Coronavirus will mean to the future of The fashion industry?

We're recording this from our respective homes, on a new app, so please excuse any sound interruptions, we promise we'll get a handle on it and it'll improve.

Please let us know what you think about what's currently happening and also what you'd like to hear from us, any topics that are most relevant for you and we'll discuss!

A Conversation With Vanessa Hong: Is Our Changing Relationship With Fashion Changing Fashion?

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 22:22:39 -0400

In this episode we chat with Vanessa Hong, influencer and fellow podcaster, about if our changing relationships with fashion has the power to really change the larger industry. We asked Vanessa to join this conversation specifically after she posted a very candid and honest account of how her relationship with fashion has become increasingly challenged, during what she describes as her breakdown and existential crisis during this recent Paris Fashion Week. This conversation perfectly dovetails from our previous episode about the state of influencer culture, with many key takeaways that offer both inspiration and a lot food for thought.

This is the beginning of what we hope will be a series of meaningful discussions, dissecting where we go from here as the industry and the people who make it work continues to evolve.

We hope you enjoy the conversation and let us know your thoughts. If you could rate, comment and subscribe, that would be a gift we'd very much appreciate :)

Is Prada Too Big to Fail?

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 18:22:06 -0400

When it was reported a couple of weeks ago that the New York City Commission on Human Rights entered into a multi-year diversity resolution agreement with Prada outlined in clear goals to hire more people of color, it signaled a new age of accountability. But it also put a spotlight on companies like Prada, with a checkered history on race, desperately trying to reinvent itself without atoning for its legacy—and it's working. Prada has dragged along a new generation of black influencers, short on recent industry knowledge, to cheerlead their sudden anointment of black people. We welcome the evolving stance yet still we must ask, what was going on in those two decades when Prada largely ignored, if not suppressed the influence of black people? And, can Prada do no wrong, is it too big to fail?

Where is the Black Leadership in Fashion?

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 07:42:04 -0500

For this episode, we conclude 2019 discussing a big topic that has had Jason riled up for a while re: black leadership in fashion.

Black is in. The visibility of blacks in fashion as models, stylists and influencers is at a high. The influence of black culture from the dominant streetwear trend to the current curvy ruling body standard are setting the fashion trends. Loose organization surrounding the return to Ghana has well up among the black creative elite and an overall reverence for the Renaissance of the African motherland is afoot, but worryingly this black “uprising” lacks leadership. What looks like an opportunity to make some corrections and reparations as it relates to representation and recognition in fashion, is being Shanghai-ed by self-interested players plotting their own payday. Here, we talk about the advancements and the challenges, and address the question, where is the black leadership in fashion?

We're incredibly grateful for all the love and support in 2019 and since we started the podcast! We will be back in Feb 2020 with all new episodes. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy, engage and rate (*****) this Conversation and we'll be back soon!

What Happened to Fashion Journalism?

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 19:43:04 -0500

With the ever evolving landscape of fashion media - from people buying fewer newspapers and magazines, to the changing role of advertising and reviews, to editors becoming influencers and vice versa, we discuss the direction that fashion journalism is taking in the age of digital and social media.

In addition to writers Robin Givhan, Vanessa Friedman and Cathy Horyn mentioned in this episode, other personal favorites I (Henrietta) forgot to mention in the early morning moment is: Alexander Fury, Tim Blanks and Pam Boy - check them all out!

As always we hope you enjoy the episode, subscribe, comment, rate (*****) and continue to DM us, we always love hearing what you have to say and very much appreciate your support :)

Is Creativity Now Diametrically Opposed to Profitability (Greed)?

Sun, 22 Dec 2019 17:18:58 -0500

Increasingly over the last three seasons of our podcast, it seems evident that the solutions to many of fashion's problems are actionable creative solves, that are often not implemented. We've also seen that the fashion landscape for the most part, is merging into a more homogeneous marketplace with fairly little to separate one from the pack - from brand identities and content across platforms (think DTC brands sharing the same look and feel for performance purposes), to trends being applied almost identically across designer, contemporary and fast fashion brands, to the importance of profits by any means necessary - regardless of the human and / or environmental impact. Could this be because money is becoming the ultimate objective, over a founding principle of our industry - creativity? In this episode we discuss the merits and our opinions on this very topic.

We hope you enjoy and participate in this conversation - we'd love to hear what you think! DM us: @jasoncampbelstudioisback and @henriettagallina. Also, please subscribe, comment and rate (*****) our podcast - we greatly appreciate all the support!

A Conversation With Alok Vaid-Menon: Is Degendering Fashion One of the Biggest Issues in Our Industry?

Sat, 14 Dec 2019 22:39:35 -0500

Performance artist, poet, and speaker Alok Vaid-Menon is a tireless crusader, an unapologetic presenter, and a beacon in the fight for degendering fashion — while simultaneously decrying half measures, meaningless platitudes, and tokenism — in the battle to getting there. In this episode, this change agent joins us to discuss their not so radical roadmap to genderless fashion and why it's important to accelerate and elevate this topic as one of the most important issues in our industry today.

We highly recommend - if you're not already - to follow Alok's work on Instagram (@alokvmenon) and wherever they is performing, speaking, etc, for more game-changing ideas, conversation and solutions.

We'd love to know what you think also, so please comment, subscribe, rate, DM us via Instagram (@jasoncampbellstudioisback and @henriettagallina) and continue to join and elevate the conversation!

Why Was This BoF Voices Talk a Big Moment?

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 09:20:50 -0500

This week's episode follows on from Jason's experience at the BoF Voices conference in England, where we discuss one talk that was surprisingly one of the most talked about moments from the conference - the coverage of Garance Doré's take on why she 'Quit Fashion Week'.

How Was BoF Voices?

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 15:19:27 -0500

In this episode Jason fills us in on his experience - upon his return from the Business of Fashion Voices conference in England. He breaks down the key themes, his highlights and the main takeaways.

We hope you enjoy, subscribe and rate this episode and as usual join the conversation!

What Happened to Zac Posen and a Generation of American Fashion Designers?

Sat, 23 Nov 2019 14:47:56 -0500

American fashion designers have been riding the hype machine for over two decades. The playbook often involves Anna Wintour's anointment closely followed by Vogue, the CFDA and few other retailers and gate keepers as 'one to watch'. Hollywood is courted, then muses and clients, with the public expected to follow suit, leading a designer to great long term success. As evidenced by the closure of a host of American labels in recent years — most recently the well-liked Zac Posen — is this formula is flawed?

What was once seen as a dream making recipe has proven otherwise, with the rise of digital, social media, direct to consumer practices and increasing consumer power. In this episode, we dissect the America fashion scene.

We hope you enjoy, subscribe, comment and continue to support and join the conversation!

What Do We Think About the Current State of Influencer Culture?

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 11:59:39 -0500

Social media influencers are the arguably the most powerful tastemakers and trendsetters in fashion today. Their influence extends beyond how we dress and beyond our beauty routines to impacting the very way we consume and think in the rise of the direct-to-consumer sales model. Anchoring our conversation in Instagram’s move this week to stop publishing 'Likes' as a measure of a post’s success (in the US), we deep dive into the influencer landscape discussing from our perspective what we have found both challenging and optimistic about it overall.

We hope you continue to weigh in on the conversation, support, like and subscribe this episode!

A Conversation With Céline Semaan: Can Fashion Truly Tackle Sustainability?

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 18:00:09 -0500

In this episode, we circle back on our sustainability conversation from S2 E11, and this time we're joined by Céline Semaan - writer, advocate, founder of The Slow Factory, Study Hall and one of our industry's leading voices in this issue.

With fashion's environmental impact being brought to the forefront as an issue of our time, solutions and greenwash marketing are being added to the mix in equal measure. The answers to solve our industries waste, climate change contributions and human rights violations are layered and complicated - requiring but not limited to; legislative action, major financial investment, addressing our relationship with selling and consumption, innovation, business and manufacturing restructuring, radical executive updates and complete participation from all industry players. With so much at stake it’s a challenge we can’t afford to ignore, but with the aforementioned requirements for reconciliation before it’s too late, can fashion truly tackle sustainability? We take a second look at these topics with Cèline and cover much more.

We hope you enjoy this episode, participate in the conversation, rate and subscribe! Thanks for all the continued support :)

Who Are Our Fashion Heroes?

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 14:49:29 -0400

In this episode we ask, who are our fashion heroes? With fewer barriers to entry in fashion right now, one can catapult to the highest ranks of the industry with a pretty face and a t-shirt concept. But when we seek out innovative leaders, unbridled creators, or razor sharp business strategists, it’s less clear who the real players are in today's crowded landscape, with so many variables to consider against new and undefined markers. What do you think?

We hope you continue to support, subscribe, rate and keep in touch!

What Does It Take to Be a Fashion Brand?

Sat, 26 Oct 2019 14:13:28 -0400

In this episode we attempt to tackle the ideas behind what it takes to be a brand in the current saturated fashion landscape. With so many variables pertaining to channel, distribution, HR and business strategies, paired with cultural themes including sustainability, inclusion and political correctness, folded in with growing economic pressures, and increasing customer power, fatigue and shorter attention spans - how is a brand to stand out and not just survive, but thrive? We discuss and ask you to join the conversation!

We hope you enjoy listening, subscribe and rate :)

BoF Op-Ed | Inclusivity Demands More Than a Show

Sat, 19 Oct 2019 11:05:44 -0400

"In the current culture of accountability, where activism is shaping the zeitgeist, the fashion industry has staged an extraordinary consumer-facing performance, checking the boxes on race, body, gender and other forms of inclusivity. In an industry that’s hardwired to embrace the new only to quickly move on to the next trend months later, is fashion’s current interest in inclusivity simply a fad?" - writes Jason in the introduction of his Business of Fashion op-ed for their current print and digital issue, the theme: Inclusivity.

In this episode we'll be breaking down the topics Jason covers here, as well as discussing the grievances made by Pyer Moss designer, Kerby Jean-Raymond in his own op-ed about BoF's founder and EIC, Imran Ahmed's handling of the making of this Inclusive issue and it's subsequent celebratory gala event.

Welcome to season 3 of The Conversations! We hope you enjoy, subscribe, rate and join the conversation.

CAMP: Notes on Fashion at The Met - Was It Actually Camp?

Sat, 11 May 2019 07:31:24 -0400

CAMP: Notes On Fashion is the highly polarizing theme of this year’s Costume Institute exhibition at The Met and the subject of this week’s podcast. We discuss the many different perceptions of camp and the campiest ones to own the attitude and help define “the movement,” since the invention of the contrapposto pose. Some subjects were soundly handled in the exhibit, but other influencers got barely a mention. If camp is in the eye of the beholder, was the exhibition an accurate representation of camp? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Has Call-Out Culture Become the Social Norm?

Sun, 05 May 2019 14:28:08 -0400

There’s no room to make a wrong move in your messaging, imaging and opinion-making in culture today. Traditional, nontraditional media, citizen reporters and straight up mean girls are there to call you out and there is no shortage of platforms from which to air ones’ grievances. Call-out culture is a powerful tool in bringing attention and action to issues, but when is it doing more harm than good, what are the dangers when we conflate issues and meanings and what are the responsibilities of the people doing the calling out? We debate this question, highlighting some of the most recent controversies brought on by to call-out culture.

How Much Do We Really Know About Sustainability & Fashion?

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 18:14:25 -0400

This week we discuss the increasingly hot topic of sustainability in fashion. What does it mean, what does that look like, what are some of the solutions, what are the advantages and disadvantages of marketing and what are some of the barriers that will need to be reconciled in order to shift towards a more sustainable industry? We don’t have all of the answers and it's clear this is a very complicated and involved subject, but in this episode we explore the multi-pronged discussion - in what will continue to be one of many layered conversations we have here on the podcast.

What's Inspiring Us in Fashion Right Now?

Sat, 20 Apr 2019 22:01:08 -0400

Ultimately us being in the fashion industry is underpinned by our love for it and staying in it requires being inspired constantly. In today's episode we discuss just a few entities that we're loving at the moment - from shape shifting stylist Ib Kamara (@ibkamara) to up and coming hybrid designer Mowalola (@mowalola), artist and musicians Desire Marea (@desiremarea) and Dev Hynes (@devhynes), incredible photographers Ronan McKenzie (@ronanksm) and Mar+Vin (@marvin) to fashion goddess Lulu Kennedy (@_lulukennedy) of Fashion East (@fashioneast), we breakdown what it is that they’re doing that has us feeling inspired.

What's Happened to a Whole Generation of Fashion Designers?

Sat, 13 Apr 2019 13:04:05 -0400

Suicide, substance abuse, transgressions and mental health issues have disproportionately claimed the bulk of fashion’s most celebrated and successful class of fashion designers to exist in the last two decades; era-defining talents including Alexander Mcqueen, John Galliano, Stefano Pilati, Milan Vukmirovic, Christophe Decarnin, Marc Jacobs and now Phoebe Philo. In this age of accountability, who is accountable for the health of the industry’s brightest talents?

Can Big Retail Succeed in This Age?

Sat, 06 Apr 2019 14:40:24 -0400

The Vessel, the multi-storied retail emporium nestled in the newly minted Hudson Yards complex in New York’s midtown west side, opened to optimism and fanfare last month, boldly proposing a new era in retail. But after a visit to the grand structure boasting a first ever Neiman Marcus and Forty Five Ten in NYC and a requisite mix of other luxury and high street stores, we question the need and the relevance of big brick and mortar retail spaces in this age. When customer experience are key buzzwords and online shopping is the new normal, just how glorious and needed is a mall in the middle of New York City?

Can Naomi Campbell Be an Authentic Part of Our Industry’s Diversity Solution, If She Was a Part of the Diversity Problem?

Sat, 23 Mar 2019 21:08:12 -0400

In this episode, we discuss supermodel Naomi Campbell and her place within fashion’s diversity and inclusion movement. Promoted by a portion of S02 E01, where Jason so passionately, but only partially expressed his issue with Ms Campbell, we sought to contextualize this point of view, particularly regarding the accusations that for over two decades, Naomi aggressively kept other models of color off the catwalks, out of big campaigns and hindered careers. Thus raising the question of atonement; given her platform is now largely based on promoting black issues, championing models of color and pushing for racially progressive industry wide change - we discuss whether atonement for her alleged past transgressions are needed, likely and if it even matters for an authentic move forward.

We hope you enjoy this episode and please do continue to let us know your thoughts! Please also support by subscribing and rating our podcast (*****).

Has Thierry Mugler Offered Us the Best Example of a More Creative Future with Resonance from His Past?

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 09:43:32 -0400

“There is no future without a past, so I hope that this exhibition will inspire in its visitors a new creative future” Thierry Mugler

The Thierry Mugler archive comprises some of fashion’s most fantastical, forward-looking creations from the late seventies to the early naughts. The designer’s place as a visionary showman in the annals of fashion is well-secured as evidenced by the recent opening of THIERRY Mugler: Couturissime, a retrospective of the designer’s body of work at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. In these banal creative times, we were struck by the flawless broadcast of designs from another time finding new life in this hyper digital age and on the bodies of today’s most powerful celebrities.

Has the Pursuit of Wealth and Success Brought Misery to Our Lives?

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 11:13:07 -0400

In our increasingly fast-paced, performative, oneupmanship culture, signs of personal success are more difficult to measure. As issues such as life balance and personal care increasingly take center stage, has the pursuit of wealth and success brought misery to our lives?

With Karl Lagerfeld’s Passing, What’s Next?

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 08:58:05 -0500

With the recent death of iconic fashion giant Karl Lagerfeld, we have a general conversation about what his passing might mean for Chanel, Fendi and the industry at large.

Let's Talk About Raf (Simons)?

Sat, 23 Feb 2019 14:51:51 -0500

This week, we get into Raf Simons’ abrupt departure from Calvin Klein, after and in light of the brand's absence during this month's Fall 2019 fashion week. We discuss topics behind his departure; was it timely, expected, what went wrong, what were the key takeaways, and more. We wonder what will be next for one of fashion’s biggest brands and one of the most revered designers working today.

While today's episode focuses on Raf, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the death of fashion giant Karl Lagerfeld, news that has eclipsed our industry this week. We’ll be discussing the significance of his passing in next week's episode, so stay tuned...

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this episode and support by subscribing and rating our podcast. Ps. We love getting your DMs re: your thoughts and feedback on these topics, so let us know what you think about Raf!

(FROM THE ARCHIVE) A Conversation With Designer Edward Buchanan: Is He Fashion’s Best Kept Secret?

Sun, 17 Feb 2019 20:11:54 -0500

Last year, during NYFW SS19, we caught up with Edward Buchanan (@sansovino6), the Milan-based fashion designer and industry veteran. Coming up in the ranks of Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and Riccardo Tisci, the former Bottega Veneta creative director is one of the very few black designers who has worked steadily between the US and Europe for 25 years, most of the last decade at the helm of his independent knitwear brand SANSOVINO 6. With such an extensive, storied and impressive resume, it’s a wonder Buchanan is not one of our industry’s household names.

Since recording this episode there have been fall outs with Italian luxury brands Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and most recently Gucci that has spurred much needed industry conversation(s). In this turbulent fashion climate where there’s no escaping the diversity conversation and venerable brands are taking a drumming for insensitive messaging, imaging and lack of representational hiring, we sought out Buchanan who’s been called “the best American label you’ve probably never heard about” by Vogue.com, to weigh in on these among other progressive issues in fashion.

What Are the Important Issues in Fashion?

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 08:49:35 -0500

Welcome back for season 2 of The Conversations! We’re so excited to be back! This week we dive straight into the big question of What Are The Important Issues in Fashion, discussing key themes including our thoughts on sustainability, race and representation, authenticity and power players. There’s a lot to unpack and expand on for future episodes, so stay tuned.

We hope you enjoy season 2 and continue to support us by giving us a 5 star rating and review - we really appreciate you

What Were the Highlights of NYFW SS19?

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 08:00:26 -0400

Please excuse the noise disturbance during the first 9 mins - it gets better, promise :)

Arbitrary Pricing - Why Do Things Cost Too Damn Much?

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:01:47 -0400

In this episode we discuss a trend Jason has been noticing a lot re: the revolt against the arbitrary pricing of clothing and accessories. Why are brands pricing the way in which they currently are, particularly when the quality of product is more often than not reflective of this mark up? We talk about and question branding, overhead and consumer power as it pertains to what things cost and also if it's even sustainable. Please continue to listen, subscribe, comment and give us a 5 star rating :)

Does New York Currently Have a Thriving Nightlife Scene Worth Talking About?

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 07:16:31 -0400

Up until the last decade, New York nightlife was the standard bearer of the global underground party scene. Studio 54 and The Sound Factory were era-defining clubs and ground zero for fashion and culture movements in New York. Then came members-only establishments and scene killing bottle service of the naughts and New York nightlife was declared dead. ‘It’s all moved to Brooklyn’ has been the refrain, but to where exactly - Does New York currently have a thriving nightlife scene worth talking about?

When Will Denim Cutoff Shorts Die?

Sun, 12 Aug 2018 00:43:46 -0400

Denim cutoff shorts have been immortalized by the sexed up Daisy Duke character in the uber camp TV show Dukes of Hazzard since the 80s. Over the years, 'racy' women from Cindy Crawford in a Pepsi commercial to Beyonce taking the stage at Coachella 2018 have helped to inch this once subversive DIY creation into a global style juggernaut. 'Basic Beckys' have seized upon this legs out summertime option to make it one of the most enduring trends of our time, but should we call foul? Why has denim cutoffs been such a lasting trend and what does it contribute to the larger style conversation?

Is Fashion the Catalyst for a Loss of Meaning?

Sun, 29 Jul 2018 08:00:14 -0400

This sounds like an incredibly lofty question, but in a recently flooded landscape of big rhetoric around big cultural themes such as inclusivity, diversity, representation, equality, et al. mapped against (very) slow changing social, business and cultural norms (within fashion), it begs the question of what these words really mean in fashion.

In this episode we discuss just that and while there are two sides or more to all conversations, when looking at it through a marketing, brand / organization / company best practices and other similar lens, are we just saying words and if not, what do we mean when we say them or how do we back them up? Moreover, is there truth in that when these terms enter the fashion area, they become so overused and commoditized that they loose all meaning?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this one, it’s definitely an open ended question that’s due to evolve and pivot in an age of such flux. Please reach out to us via Instagram - @jasoncampbellstudio and @henriettagallina to let us know what you think.

Also please remember to subscribe and give us 5 stars :)

Why Were We Sleeping on Pat McGrath?

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 17:25:33 -0400

Pat McGrath has been a powerhouse player in the fashion and beauty industry for the past two decades. She is recognized as a creative genius makeup artist, responsible for some of the most iconic images of our time with photographers including Herb Ritts, Steven Meisel and others. Across social media and the industry at large, Mcgrath has maintained her powerhouse positioning as the mother of all things beauty with legions of apprentices, influencers, models and followers hanging on her every prescription.

This week it was announced that McGrath sits atop a billion dollar business; in the two-year old beauty empire Pat McGrath Labs. The awesome valuation sent shockwaves through the industry, particularly because most of our attention in this space has been turned to brands like Kylie Cosmetics and Glossier. In this age of massive beauty fortunes being built on a single personality, McGrath would seem an obvious choice to ride this road to success. So why the surprise? Why has the industry been sleeping on Pat McGrath?

What Is the Role of Couture in the Current Fashion Climate?

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 17:50:24 -0400

A few years ago we were hearing cries of Couture’s demise. The aging clientele, the ailing markets, the laborious fitting protocol were only some of the reasons offered for the proclamation of a diminishing art form.

In this digital age however, Couture is showing signs of new life. A mandatory stop on the fashion circuit, influencers are ensuring the public sees more Couture than they knew existed, and details of the creative and production process are shared like never before. With the increased access and visibility, we ask, what is the role of couture in current fashion culture?

Please don't forget to subscribe and give us *****!

How Has the Digital Landscape Affected the Relationship Between Fashion and Design?

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 09:39:31 -0400

This epidsode, we discuss one of the Big Industry Questions.

In addition to the aesthetic propositions for transforming the body and environments, historically, design set forth to create useful solutions in our lives. Fashion and design have long co-existed ensuring that technical merit in the latter lead to critical success in the industry. In this digital age where the source of influence has been democratized, the lines between art and commerce blurred and public interest changing with the 24-hour news cycle; the role of fashion in today’s world is shifting.

Here we put forward our thoughts, but would also love to know what yout think too. Comment, subscribe and rate :)

Are Attitudes Changing Towards Homosexuality in Jamaica?

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:51:38 -0400

This episode we regroup after Jason's epic trip to Jamaica, where he reports back on what it was like to be home and the changing culture, attitudes and future as it pertains the LGBTQ communities.

We hope you emjoy and please subscribe, rate and comment below :)

Should We All Be Considering Our Legacy?

Sun, 20 May 2018 09:06:59 -0400

This episode we're taking through some thoughts on legacy - the issue of legacy, what does it mean today and does it even matter nowadays? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts, comment, subscribe and please support and give us a 5 star rating :)

Direct-to-Consumer?

Sun, 13 May 2018 06:56:19 -0400

While this is not a fully formed question, this episode, we discuss the considerations around direct-to-consumer, filtered through our experiences as fashion professionals. As much as one would think direct-to-consumer and the factors that make it work is a given… it’s surprisingly and often not.

We hope you enjoy, subscribe, give us a 5 star rating, but also let us know your thoughts!

Is Kanye Making Any Sense?

Sun, 06 May 2018 07:28:44 -0400

This episode, we briefly discuss the Kanye mess.

Please let us know what you think, comment, subscribe and give us a 5 star rating :)

Is There a Crisis of Purpose in Our Professional & Everyday Life?

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 09:00:32 -0400

In this episode, we talk about purpose. Something the two of us have been discussing and trying to navigate for some time now. This is just a snapshot of some of the thoughts we have and very much an ongoing Conversation to this very layered topic.

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** Please excuse the audio issue of the mic drop!

Is Fashion Nova the Biggest Fashion Story the Industry Refuses to Claim?

Sat, 14 Apr 2018 00:09:00 -0400

With the prevalence of brands like Revolve, ASOS, Boohoo, Missguided and formerly Nasty Gal, we’re wondering why the wildly successful Fashion Nova gets so little coverage and recognition amongst the fashion establishment and beyond? It's a formidable business with a social following that dwarfs the competition - and is one of the most searched fashion brands on Google in tandem with Chanel, Gucci and Supreme.

We want to know what you think, so please comment as well as subscribe and give us a 5 star rating :)

Have You Seen Wild Wild Country Yet?

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 22:18:54 -0400

This episode we discuss the intensely compelling Netflix documentary - Wild Wild Country.

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What Would Fashion Look Like Without Anna Wintour?

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 18:46:59 -0400

Happy April 1st!

As rain and winter comes to an end, we wonder what the end of Wintour’s reign over fashion might look like (some pun fun for you).

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A Conversation With James Scully: Will #MeToo Be the Catalyst to Uncover the Larger Abuse of Power Within Fashion?

Sat, 24 Mar 2018 13:01:40 -0400

This episode, we have the pleasure of speaking to James Scully (@JamesPScully), veteran casting director and one of the leading advocates for model rights in our industry’s Me Too movement. He joins us in a discussion about the abuse of power in fashion.

Finally, please remember to subscribe and rate (5 stars :)

** Please excuse the echo effect in this issue!

Will #MeToo Be the Catalyst to Uncover the Larger Abuse of Power Within Fashion? Part 1: A Conversation from the Archive (Oct 26th 2017).

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 18:14:46 -0400

In this episode, we dug out a (pre-launch) conversation we had in the beginning stages of the #MeToo movement, when fashion was focused on one man - Terry Richardson. We voiced our opinions - frustrations, hopes and optimism towards the industry's (then) reactions.

We thought this episode was an interesting capsule - to see how far we’ve come in some ways and not in others, but also to see how our view points have shifted and evolved over the last 5 months. Between then and now, we’ve seen models and advocates including Cameron Russell, Eddie Campbell and James Scully speak out and take a stand and more recently in 2018, photographers Bruce Webber, Mario Testino and stylist Karl Templer outed, Sara Ziff’s Model Allience finally get the attention it deserves and Kering, LVMH and Condé Nast all announce model protection policies. But about the wider industry?

This episode also sets us up for part 2 of this conversation, were we have a present day conversation with a special guest to discuss this movement further.

How Was Paris Fashion Week?

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 13:25:31 -0400

On this episode, we catch up on Paris fashion week, from big announcements at Céline and Burberry to personal observations and opinons on some of the current fashion influencer space (emphasis on some).

We hope you enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe and give us a 5 star rating :)

What's Oprah Really Like? And 17 Other Questions.

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 05:40:18 -0500

Having been dumbfounded about an intimate trip to South Africa that Jason went on with Oprah - and never revealed until just prior to recording (!!!) - we decided to play an impromptu game of 20 questions to reveal and expand on other nuggets we may not know about each other. We didn't quite make it to 20 questions, but this episode was fun to record and quite revealing.

We hope you enjoy, subscribe and give us a 5 star rating

How Much Did We Love Black Panther?

Sat, 24 Feb 2018 10:36:27 -0500

In this episode we have an impromptu conversation about Black Panther, including Henrietta’s very immediate reaction to the movie. There’s so much more to say and breakdown - but we were mindful of the fact that you don’t have all day!

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A Conversation With Tamu McPherson: On Motherhood + Fashion + Influence.

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 01:01:57 -0500

This episode we catch up with fashion influencer, photographer, founder / EIC of AllThePrettyBirds.com and all round digital talent, the ever smart and chic Tamu McPherson (@tamumcpherson). With all her aforementioned roles, mother is her most beloved and the theme we discuss here, along with a snapshot of what that means and looks like within the realms of fashion and influence.

We hope you enjoy and show us some love by subscribing and giving us a ***** rating!

A Conversation With Kibwe Chase-Marshall: Does Fashion Have a Black People Problem?

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 07:42:50 -0500

On this episode we’re happy to be joined by talented writer, designer Kibwe Chase-Marshall to talk about the race issues in fashion, namely the lack of black people in Creative / Design Directors and executive / decision making / gate-keeping roles. We also discuss some steps to reconciling them. The problems are so nuanced and complex and so are the solutions - but we all need to keep having the conversation and do the work.

It’s well worth reading Kibwe’s Business of Fashion op-ed that sparked our conversation and my piece that was partially inspired by it:

Why Aren't There More Black Designers?

Fashion Has a Black People Problem

Follow Kibwe on Instagram (@ByAnySeamsNecessary), his campaign #BreakSilenceBreakCeilings and take the time to sign his petition to - End Employment Discrimination Against Black Designers, here:

https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/breaksilencebreakceilings

We really hope you enjoy this episode - let’s be a part of the solution!

Don’t forget to give us 5 starts pleeeeeease :)

Will We Lose Jason to Patagonia, Vietnam or Ibiza?

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 10:29:19 -0500

On this episode, we're reunited in New York, finally after a few weeks of respective travel - just in time for Fashion Week and ahead of us gearing up for some exciting guests and episodes of The Conversations now that we're back and settled for 2018.

Today we're catching up on Jason's expansive travels to Patagonia, Vietnam and Ibiza, not to mention pitstops in London.

We hope you enjoy this episode - and if you can subscribe and give us 5 stars we'll be very happy too :)

Is There a New Beauty Movement?

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 09:28:14 -0500

This week’s episode comes from our summer ‘archive’ where we discuss beauty.

The question being ‘Is there a new beauty movement - or at least a new way beauty is being represented’?

We hope you enjoy this episode and again would appreciate a 5 star rating if you liked it

A Conversation With Rebecca Arnold: On Documenting Fashion.

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 13:55:54 -0500

Happy new year! We’re so excited about this week's episode of The Conversations, coming to you from London, where we had the pleasure of speaking to Rebecca Arnold - editor, author, curator and Senior Lecturer in History of Dress and Textiles and Documenting Fashion at the prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art.

Here we posed the question: It’s said that you can see the psychology of the times in and via fashion - so how is the psychology of this era defined?

We hope you enjoy our conversation with one of fashion’s brightest minds, so much so that you give us a 5 star raiting :)

Special thanks to Rebecca for joining us. If you’re not already, we highly recommend you follow her Instagram @documentingfashion_courtauld!

Have Men in Hip Hop Reached a New Level of Sartorial Influence?

Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:12:40 -0500

This question was not officially posed, however, that’s the general premise of this weeks episode of The Conversations. Back in July we discussed Jason’s enthusiasm over what he’s been observing and excited about in men’s dressing over the past 2-4 years within the genre. As usual, we agree on some, disagree on others and always pull from two ends.

Ps. If you’re enjoying our podcast and want to support, we’d so appreciate a 5 star rating :)

Is Fashion in a State of Disintegration?

Fri, 22 Dec 2017 07:42:37 -0500

Welcome to The Conversations and our inaugural podcast - with Jason Campbell and Henrietta Gallina. Over the summer, we started this podcast as a means to document our frequent conversations about fashion and culture. We're hoping to develop and evolve our outlook throughout this process and speak to others who can help to inform and push our conversations forward. We're just two friends with a lot opinions and we hope you enjoy and participate in The Conversations.

For our first podcast we attempt to tackle the heady question: Is Fashion In A State Of Disintegration? This is just one snapshot of our thoughts, we'll absolutely be revising this again. We did forget to mention to make sure you subscribe to our podcast and if you don't hate what you hear, a 5 star rating will be so much appreciated :)