What's Contemporary Now?

What's Contemporary
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Nov 13, 2023 • 53min

AI and Human Evolution: Nick Knight's Contemporary Approach

London-born photographer and SHOWstudio founder Nick Knight has remained at the forefront of what’s contemporary since his emergence into the fashion photography scene in the 1970s. Over the course of an illustrious career, Knight has worked closely with the likes of Alexander McQueen, Lady Gaga, Bjork and John Galliano, as well as with fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, and Yves Saint Laurent, among many others. Bringing an outsider’s insight into the fashion and art worlds, he began pushing boundaries in the ’80s in collaborations with i-D magazine and revolutionary designer Yohji Yamamoto. He has directed the trailblazing fashion film platform SHOWstudio for over two decades, pioneering new modes of artistic expression and audience connection. In a thoughtful conversation with Christopher Michael, Knight reflects on how he maintains a sense of artistic integrity and urgency—with or without the validation of commercial success. His hunger to continue to learn has driven not only a varied career spanning music, art, and fashion through the lens of the camera, but also kept him at the forefront of technological innovation, whether with SHOWstudio or a riveting perspective on AI—comparing it to the birth of photography and the internet—and how we will evolve.Episode Highlights: Trial and error: Coming to photography after a failed attempt at becoming a doctor, Knight found that following his natural talent led to success and a sense of fulfillment. Working with restrictions: For Knight, starting out with just a few rolls of film, natural curiosity, and “with your back to the wall” was the perfect learning opportunity. A creative upbringing: Growing up amidst the countercultural revolution of the 1960s, Knight produced early work that delved into provocation and followed his obsessions. Led by his fascinations: Knight used his photographic practice as a means for exploring unfamiliar subcultures, realizing that fashion wasn’t just the catwalk but coded into the social worlds of the clubs and dancehalls. “Music was my way in”: Working with stylist Simon Foxton, Knight found his introduction to the world of fashion through music and art. “Mind-blowing”: Taking cues from revolutionary designer Yohji Yamamoto’s 1980s collections, Knight was riveted by the idea that fashion—and photography—could be based on the soul rather than the sexuality of the body. Refusal to be referential: Knight rejected photography as a fascination with the body and articulating instead an obsession with the mind, producing an aesthetic paradigm fit for a new generation of artists “outside the system.” Innovation and newness: Knight continually modernized fashion and photography, guided by his talents and fascinations at critical technological junctures. Best of both worlds: Seeing fashion photography as lacking in the ability to capture the fundamental movement of clothing, Knight explored the invention of fashion film. Perspectives born of necessity: Knight saw fashion photography and filmmaking as two distinct practices that could be combined to inform one another. “An uplifting moment of freedom and experimentation”: With the rise of the internet, Knight was free to do the work he loved outside the system and in new mediums Commercialization of fashion: What had previously been an art form evolved into a lucrative form of business with the rise of Vogue and Anna Wintour. Guided by passions: Knight saw SHOWstudio as a rethinking of the magazine format at a critical moment when the internet allowed a reproposal of how we see—and who sees—fashion. “It wasn’t that we just wanted to do something differently. We just wanted to do something that was exciting.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 6, 2023 • 56sec

Season 3 Trailer

When we first asked the question, “What is contemporary now?” we thought it made sense to explore the makings of culture by tapping into the varied perspectives of creatives whose work has helped shape the contemporary landscape. This season sees that dream continue, having the chance to speak to a master on the intersection of technology and image making and a brilliant young artist on the recontextualization of queer black culture. We explore how creatives lead successful luxury brands and even tap into the important role of the critic as a lighthouse amidst oceans of information. Subscribe now for new episodes starting Monday, November 13 with Quil Lemons, Vanessa Friedman, Mel Ottenberg, Ruba Abu-Nimah, Brendon Babenzien, Willy Vanderperre, Amanda Harlech, Gordon von Steiner, Robin Galiegue, Thom Bettridge, Nick Knight, and many more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jun 26, 2023 • 27min

Creative Audacity: Isamaya Ffrench’s Unconventional Take on Beauty

British makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench has been challenging our perceptions of beauty and creativity for the past decade. She attributes her unconventional approach to beauty, one that escapes commonality and mainstream aesthetics and paves the way for bold innovation, to her family’s background in engineering and problem-solving. Spurred by a face painting side hustle, her nontraditional rise in the industry saw her take on pivotal creative roles—such as brand ambassador, creative director, and global beauty director—for luxury brands, such as Tom Ford, YSL, Christian Louboutin, Burberry Beauty, Byredo, and today, beauty curator for Off White. In 2022, she launched her makeup brand, ISAMAYA, an evolving line of progressive beauty products entrenched in the zeitgeist. In this episode, Isamaya shares with Christopher Michael her perspectives on cultivating creative audacity and innovation in beauty. Some may consider her work subversive, yet she sees it as contextual and impulse-driven—LIPS, the brand’s penis-shaped lipstick, was influenced by conversations around gender and sexuality. What’s contemporary now? Isamaya believes it’s time for people to acknowledge and accept that having a different opinion, preference, or approach is okay. “Just leave people alone and let them get on with their lives.”Episode Highlights: Creative audacity: Isamaya attributes her creative edge and audacity to her upbringing—having grown up in a family of engineers and creatives. Penis-shaped lipstick: Isamaya is often driven by impulse; she’s very receptive to what’s happening around her, so it’s no surprise the discussions around gender, nudity, and sexuality have indirectly influenced her work. However, more than anything, LIPS was a logical decision. Global beauty director: Is it challenging working for brands? “It’s about having different experiences,” Isamaya says. Although she values the creative freedom of having her own brand, she enjoys the collaborative aspect and various parameters of working with other brands. Side hustle: She worked her way up from face painting to semiprofessional body painting to makeup artistry. Product design: Isamaya describes her love/hate relationship with product design and how it is a part of her path to success. Favorite clients? Junya Watanabe and Tom Brown—to name a few. Isamaya looks for a strong sense of self and a willingness to push creative boundaries when partnering with designers or brands; to find new territory while maintaining a concise brand aesthetic and philosophy. Advice: “If you’re passionate about something and you want to do it, do it. You only live once!” What’s next? Collaborations, new makeup collections, and a documentary about global beauty aesthetics and ideals. What’s contemporary now? “Just leave people alone and let them get on with their lives.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jun 19, 2023 • 38min

The Longevity of Tim Blanks: A Beacon in Fashion

Fashion journalist, writer, and broadcaster Tim Blanks has had a front-row seat to many defining, pivotal moments in the fashion industry since 1985. Throughout his prolific career, he has witnessed countless transformational trends, with his byline appearing in international magazines and newspapers, including Vogue, GQ, Financial Times, Fantastic Man, and Interview. Previously, host of the globally syndicated television show Fashion File for a 20-year stint, he was as well editor-at-large at style.com. Today, he is editor-at-large of Business of Fashion and a celebrated author and contributor to various monographs and volumes on fashion royalty, such as Anna Sui, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, and Michael Roberts. In this lively conversation with Christopher Michael, he contextualizes trends related to everything from branding and sustainability to creative talents and human needs, which attract people to the art of fashion. Tim's insights reflect a unique perspective on the industry's evolution and a deep, intuitive understanding of the vulnerabilities and desire for validation that drive even the most successful industry icons. Although Tim celebrates the fault lines he sees redefining today's fashion landscape with new inclusive language and geographic diversity, he also spotlights global issues such as social and environmental justice, prompting a reckoning of sorts within the fashion industry—and the world at large. Ultimately, it's all about keeping creatives relevant in an era of turbocharged change and adaptation. Episode Highlights: Starting out: Starting university at age 15 helped him evade bullying and launched his experience of making “all those mistakes that change your life.” Connecting with fashion: Tim’s limited exposure to fashion while coming into adulthood in New Zealand when he realized images had the power to shock or amaze. First rung: A detour into filmmaking in Canada eventually morphed into freelance writing and, ultimately, a full-time gig at a fashion magazine and a high-visibility role hosting the global TV show Fashion File. Staying fresh: Keeping something of an outsider’s perspective has helped blunt any cynicism about the fashion industry. Inside-outsider: The curiosity—and an eye inspired by filmmaking—has defined Tim’s unique approach to fashion’s personalities and untold stories. Reflecting and projecting: Fashion has a dual role as a mirror of culture and a harbinger of social trends on the horizon. Community of misfits: Tim believes fashion has historically drawn outsiders, agitators, and visionaries into a tribe bound by creative energy. A circus. A roving family! Human longing: The “hole in our soul” Tim believes we are constantly trying to fill or offset with validation from our peers—an impulse at odds with how social media actually makes us feel. Stand-out moments: Witnessing an interview in which LouLou de la Falaise was the translator for a reluctant Yves St. Laurent; 90s runway shows that were cultural high points, including spectacular shows featuring Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Christian Lacroix; and getting the opportunity to talk to Helmut Lang for the first time. Assessing AI: Tim believes that ChatGPT and other machine learning could create informational bridges and—with good intent—positive, beneficial results. At odds: The challenge to reconcile environmentally wasteful “gigantism” and corporate sustainability in the billion-dollar corporate branding and production world. What’s contemporary now? Simmering rage, confusion, chaos, fear, an urge to fight, and a puzzlingly benign (rather than punk) attitude in fashion in contrast to the climate crisis, political unrest, and pandemic fallout. What should be contemporary now? A revolutionary spirit to fuel change, even at great lengths. It’s time for idealism coupled with pragmatism, expressing itself in action—with fashion playing a part. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jun 12, 2023 • 22min

Gabby Bernstein on the Miraculous Mental Shift: Changing Our Experience of the World

Bestselling author and podcast host Gabby Bernstein believes unresolved trauma negatively impacts our lives and deprives us of the ability to connect. Gabby, one of the "soulful thinkers" featured on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, explores the importance of doing the work to be present to each other—and foremost ourselves—amidst the noise and alienation found everywhere in today's world. In this episode, she explains to Christopher Michael wounding left untended is at the root of toxic emotions like alienation, anger, and judgment. She shares her own experiences with traumatic dissociation and drug addiction and her practices and path to wholeness. Highlighting ways to combat hypervigilance, diffuse "impostor syndrome," and lean into reconnection with our bodies, she stresses that even the most mindful among us will always be a work in progress. What's contemporary now? "A trend toward well-being and a concerted effort to get out of our bubbles, seeking stability through connection."Episode Highlights: Friendly vs. hostile: Gabby believes that the problems in the world arise from poor choices made from a place of unresolved childhood trauma. Common ground: Shared core beliefs founded in love and compassion enable us to work and live with people with different views. Objective reality: Unresolved childhood wounding often appears in projection forms that invite our curiosity and self-compassion (along with boundaries). See it, be it: Manifestation is about clearing beliefs, fears, or insecurities that hold us back from assuming the energy of what we truly desire. Analysis paralysis: A closer look at Gabby's journey to transparency, vulnerability, and authentic truth as a vehicle for connection.  Gabby's path: She turned away from a life as a nightlife publicist, numbed her painful trauma with drugs and alcohol, and went on to embrace sobriety and honesty. Walking the talk: Holding space for and witnessing the transformation of others—particularly women she has sponsored— has been healing for Gabby.  Doing the work: Gabby uses therapy and other tools to combat impostor syndrome or feelings of emptiness that crop up—no matter how successful we are. The control trap: Living in safety is the best way to heal hypervigilant nervous systems, including through modalities. Being present: Gabby finally feels fully alive and attuned to her body and is no longer shut off to mental and physical connection. Creating connection: For those who have experienced complex trauma, creating connection is a long, slow process of gently thawing dissociative reflexes without triggering panic. (recommended reading: "Happy Days: The Guided Path from Trauma to Profound Freedom and Inner Peace.") ; For those struggling with everyday life's stresses, grounding practices, movement practices, and meditation to center, calm, and help visualize healing and well-being. Words of wisdom: "When we learn how to explore and change our minds about the world we see, then our experience (and our experience of our experience) of the world changes accordingly. And that mental shift is miraculous!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jun 5, 2023 • 23min

Revisiting Cultural Spaces: Ethan James Green Reflects on Growing Up

New York–based photographer Ethan James Green is renowned for his distinct eye and the intimacy and openness portrayed in his work. An early career in modeling and exposure to some of the great photography visionaries of the times paved the path to a whirlwind career in fashion. Today his work, which has appeared in prominent publications and campaigns—including Dazed, i-D, M le Monde, Perfect, Vogue Italia, Vogue, and W, as well as Alexander McQueen, Dior, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton—spotlights elemental themes, such as contemporary identity, sexuality, and style. A published author, his books reflect on and display the scope of queer identity of the past decade, feminine performance, erotic costume, and beauty. Hailing from Michigan and raised in a religious household, he chats about his spiritual journey, as well as discovering and integrating with the queer community. In this episode, he relays to Christopher Michael how he shifts between his two worlds, of fashion as a photographer and art as a gallerist, highlighting the need to create bridges among generational aesthetics and perspectives. What's Contemporary Now? Being authentic, breaking rules, and moving forward even when it’s uncomfortable. Episode Highlights: Point of entry: New York (via Tokyo) was the initial inspiration for the 17-year-old model. Working with the greats: Ethan learned a lot while modeling for some of the preeminent fashion photographers of the time, such as Steven Meisel (how to communicate a commanding, confident voice without aggression), Mikael Jansson, and David Sims (how to streamline the process of capturing iconic images and the tricks that facilitate success). Out of Michigan: Ethan staked his claim as a model—and ultimately a photographer—by leveraging determination and a homegrown portfolio that attracted notice. Turning point: Ethan's mentor is the artist and photographer behind the 2011 book "David Armstrong: 615 Jefferson Avenue"—he embodied and modeled integrity. Moving beyond: Ethan's fundamentalist upbringing proved a beautiful challenge, allowing a personal spiritual journey that led him to understand what was true for him. Doing the work: Integrating with the queer community opened Ethan to an entirely new community that replaced his childhood church community. Trans awareness: Understanding his struggle as a gay man in a broader context. Making it: The moment Ethan knew he'd made it: covers for Vanity Fair, Vogue, and an Alexander McQueen campaign. Then Rihanna! That was a moment. A perfect superstorm: Ethan became sober just before the pandemic and found himself subsequently challenged in his ability to connect as an artist and individual. Gravitating towards art: Ethan embraced an artistic ethic that opened up a transgenerational conversation across artists, galleries, and social media. Bridging spaces: To span modeling, photography, and now gallery art seamlessly, Ethan had to find brilliant collaborators; pursue other work before focusing on fashion photography; assist where he could; find a mentor; and break some rules! What's Contemporary Now? What's authentic to the moment, but also what's synthetic to the moment? It is mixing collaboration and multiple perspectives to advance the conversation, taking the next step, even if uncomfortable, and breaking the rules to move forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 29, 2023 • 31min

Balancing Act: Clare Richardson, Stylist and Sustainability Entrepreneur

Fashion stylist, editor, and entrepreneur Clare Richardson is a champion of environmentally conscious fashion. Previously the Fashion Director at Holiday Magazine, Clare is a contributing fashion editor at British Vogue, and her work has been featured in M le Monde, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia, and many more. In 2020, she launched a highly curated resale platform Reluxe Fashion, which promotes fashion sustainability and circularity. In this episode, Clare chats with Christopher Michael about her journey: from a shy young teen and Central Saint Martins College to fashion editorials, working with legacy brands—such as Hermes, Balenciaga, and Calvin Klein, and advocating for slow fashion practices. She highlights her concerns about fashion greenwashing and how it affects modern consumers' choices. With Reluxe, she's aiming to create the antithesis of fast fashion, build an informed community around sustainable fashion, and underscore that all small steps matter in making a difference. What's contemporary now? "Expressing yourself truthfully." Episode Highlights: Escapism and inspiration: Clare grew up as a shy and nerdy girl, but once she discovered fashion magazines, she found a sense of escapism, inspiration, and a whole new world where she could express herself.  Central Saint Martins College: Total freedom can be overwhelming, so you have to throw yourself into it and manage your time correctly, and In the end, it makes you stronger. Follow your gut: decide which avenue to go down in your fashion career. A passion for styling: Clare discovered her love for styling through trial and error; it came naturally to her. She felt inspired by the teams she worked with and loved the research. Married to fashion: Clare is married to a fashion photographer, so she needs to set boundaries and prioritize getaways to find a balance between the fashion world and her world. Sustainability and fashion: Clare constantly educates herself on climate change, how the fashion industry contributes to it, and how her values align—or do not align—with what the industry is doing. Reluxe Fashion: Clare's daughter influenced her decision to start and develop the brand. She details Reluxe Fashion's impact on the world and how she wants to shift how people think about fashion. Resale vs. circular fashion: What is the difference between resale and circular fashion, and why is greenwashing affecting consumer choices? Boosting fashion sustainability: Money talks! As a consumer, ask yourself, "Where do you spend your money? Do you need it? Does it need to be new? What brands are you supporting? What are their values?" Collaborations: They play a significant role in fashion because they inspire, engage, and excite customers. They create a broader reach for brands and products. Roles: Clare spotlights the differences between her role as a fashion stylist and her role as a curator for Reluxe. Clare's advice: Environmentally conscious fashion stylists and editors should be true to themselves. "If you believe in it and it matters to you, make it part of your job. Find a tribe of people that inspires you." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 22, 2023 • 29min

Jesse Israel on Meditation, Discovering Meaning, and the Unwavering Power Inside Us All

Jesse Israel believes that the time to promote cultural change is now. His journey toward meditation maven is singular: from founder of a record label at 23, with multi-platinum bands, to founder of The Big Quiet, a global meditation movement that brings together massive groups for moments of transformational silence. Today, everyone, from Oprah and Deepak Chopra to many Fortune 100 CEOs, embraces the visionary practitioner's transformational work. In this episode, Jesse shares why he believes authenticity, connectedness, and joyful self-acceptance are what's contemporary now. To him, the power of mindfulness can push back against the noise, stress, and compulsive need for external validation that presses in on so many—particularly those in creative or entrepreneurial sectors. His heart-centered coaching approach is about unleashing wholeness and sending out global ripples of sustained, positive cultural energy, helping individuals tap into their power and potential, and highlighting the importance of finding inner joy and fulfillment in one's life and work. What's contemporary now? "What's contemporary now is people … [discovering] what makes them feel most alive. It's so critical that we live in a place of aliveness because the world really needs it right now." Episode Highlights: Starting: From launching a successful record label out of a dorm room at NYU to inner turmoil, then meditation as a source of relief. We are not alone: Backstage meditation circles Jesse started at concerts gave him a profound understanding of our shared human fragility. The Big Quiet: Jesse applied lessons learned in developing popular cultural events to create community—a space for people "to slow down and talk about real stuff." Gathering momentum: Iterating in small gatherings, Jesse began to shape his growing community in response to people's needs and wants. The Big Quiet grew and took off organically from there. Group v. individual: Larger group meditations deepen the practice, creating a richer sense of togetherness within the silence. Just the facts: In areas where mass meditations occur, decreases in levels of crime have been reported, along with a generally positive ripple effect. The Musical Element: Crystal bowls and other sound vibrations give practitioners a container for a deeper state of consciousness. Notable performances in the quiet, captive moments after a mass meditation infuse the community with a sense of heart-centered connectedness. The changing landscape: There are tectonic shifts that humans are experiencing in the information, digital age. We use mindfulness to strengthen our nervous systems and reconnect with a primal, tribal sense of well-being. In the corporate world: Meditation can open up new channels of creativity, increase response times for problem-solving, foster intuitive team-building, cultivate more personal joy and discovery, and enable enlightened leadership. Step-by-step leadership: Step 1: Meditate to reduce stress and emotional blocks. Step 2: In the quiet, get clear about how to tap into full power and potential. Step 3: Turn outward, leveraging personal gifts and positive impact. The butterfly effect: Leaders who practice self-love and recognize joyful purpose become vessels that inspire change and transformation in the workplace and beyond. Grounded in abundance: Anything is possible when we lean into intention, our unique gifts, and our lived experience.  Easing the grip: Meditation and self-compassion shift us from a place of scarcity and fear towards being okay with the fact that there are things we can't control. Unlearning the messages: It's essential to unhitch our gaze (and sense of self-worth) from a high-stress, low-value cultural focus on empty external validation.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 15, 2023 • 37min

Proenza Schouler’s Roadmap to Success with Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the dynamic design duo behind New York–based womenswear brand Proenza Schouler, share their thoughts on the evolving fashion marketplace with Christopher Michael and how they’ve seen their work mature and scale with it. Their illustrious journey started 20 years ago at Parsons School of Design when they completed a joint senior thesis collection, which grabbed the attention of retail heavyweight Barneys New York. In their triumphant rise to a successful, prominent luxury label, they navigated social media noise and kept up with the breakneck pace of a never-ending, fast-paced global production cycle. Working in tandem has been vital to them, extending the emotional, creative, and practical support that buttressed Proenza Schouler’s growth and longevity.  What's Contemporary Now? A celebration of individuality, keeping the work authentic to the brand's core values, and a broad embrace of all kinds of perspectives while also sticking to your vision and not just being a follower. Episode Highlights: Getting the name right: Pronounced Pro'ensa Skool'er, the name represents the combination of the designers' mothers' maiden names.  Origin stories: Born and raised in Miami, Lazaro fell in love with magazines and design early, ultimately abandoning pre-med to attend Parsons School of Design. Jack spent his early childhood in Japan before relocating to New Jersey as a teen, a "culture shock" that preceded his move to Parsons School of Design. Aha moments: The early influences that shaped Lazaro's interest in the fashion industry and Jack's focus shifting away from the visual arts in college. Becoming a brand: Pulling all-night design sessions as college students cemented the bond between Jack and Lazaro, in terms of style and approach to work.  Turning point: What ensued after the fashion duo was introduced to Julie Gilhart, who was running Barneys New York and became a champion of their first collection—conceived and designed as an award-winning joint thesis project. Early days bootstrapping: The team figured out all the design, manufacturing, pricing, marketing, and other functions that came to be known as Proenza Schouler. (A name they came up with within two days.) What has changed: Jack reflects on today's increased "noise" level in the fashion marketplace, the "endless list" of would-be designers online, and the need to differentiate. Lazaro contrasts today's hardcore business and branding orientation to the more artistic, playful environment that prevailed when they started. Big money, fast timelines: The accelerating breakneck pace of marketing, pre-collections, social media management, and merchandising strategy. Staying creative: Jack and Lazaro evolved a balance between their business and design functions, merging them without letting one take over the other. Then and now: The evolution of Proenza Schouler's editorial/design focus on surprise and innovation toward a sense of continuity and investment in telling the same story but in fresh, new ways. The sweet spot: Curiosity and clear-eyed self-criticism have driven Jack and Lazaro past stumbles from better to best, season to season.  Love-hate: The beautiful opportunity fashion offers to reinvent and extend constantly versus the stress of that never-ending grind of performing. Duo dynamics: Working as a pair has conferred emotional support, creative challenge, and the ability to scale, multitask, and adapt to today's fashion industry. Identity shift: A look at how Proenza Schouler has continued providing "urban clothes for intelligent women" as their customers' lives have morphed and matured.  Celebrating practicality, individuality, and diversity: New York's fast pace and changeability are woven into the Proenza Schouler brand's voice and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 8, 2023 • 25min

Julia Sarr-Jamois on Emerging Alongside Streetstyle and Being Known for Her Work

As the youngest and first black fashion director in Vogue’s history, Julia Sarr-Jamois is a powerful driving force for change within the fashion industry. She started her illustrious career by modeling at 17 and then interning at i-D magazine. Her love of textiles and fashion accessories since childhood fueled her prolific rise to consultant, stylist, and fashion director of British Vogue. Today, her eclectic style and elegance make her one of the most photographed fashion directors—ruling best-dressed lists. Julia’s exceptional, lauded talent is highlighted through her dynamic editorials, social media presence, and consulting work with brands worldwide. In this episode, she shares with Christopher Michael how fashion markets have broadened, making it difficult for brands to focus on a single thing. As well, she reflects on how establishing her studio has allowed her more autonomy over her career choices and how magazines have played an iconic and influential role in both her fashion career and the fashion industry at large. What’s contemporary now? It’s an attitude. People are more open to different types of people, kinder to each other, and more inclusive. Episode Highlights: What started as a two-week internship at i-D magazine became a year-long internship, catapulting Julia into the fashion industry. She has always been much more interested in what was happening behind the camera than being a model in front of it, leading her to a career in styling and editing. The modern-day fashion editor's role has changed. How? Historically, there's been a line between talent and editor. Now, you see a more integrated partnership. Julia describes how fashion and style, particularly Celine's, permeate and influence her entire life, including her living space. Magazines, primarily, have shaped Julia's interest in fashion. She highlights Edward Enniful's changes to British Vogue—compared to other magazines. What role does a magazine cover play in our culture today? Julia believes that since social media has become prominent, magazines play a lesser role. Celebrities don't need magazine covers as much as they once did. However, a British Vogue cover is always iconic and impactful—everyone wants one.  A style consultant working with brands, Julia shares her approach to strategizing content and marketing. How significant of a contribution does relatability make when building an image for a magazine, advertiser, etc.? Is it easier now for people to break into the fashion industry? Thankfully, it's different than it used to be; working for free doesn't exist anymore. Julia recommends working with Mentoring Matters for free mentoring in the fashion industry. Artist representation is starting to look different. Julia reveals how she's structured her in-house business as a stylist and consultant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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