The Materialist : A Podcast from At Present

What do you get when a journalism grad, Dallas native, and self-described jewelry “nepo baby” builds a piercing empire in the middle of a pandemic? You get Wildlike—a brand that’s as much about identity, memory, and reinvention as it is about sparkle.This week on The Materialist, I sit down with my friend Alysa Teichman—co-owner of Ylang 23 and founder of Wildlike—to talk about the deeply personal reasons people get pierced (divorce, fertility, “hot girl summer”), the role jewelry plays in our emotional lives, and what it means to grow up inside a family business and then start your own. Alysa is witty, warm, candid, and sharp.We talk:* 🧠 Why piercings are more than aesthetic—they're ritual, rebellion, release* ✨ What it means to treat retail as a form of public service* 🛠️ The real work of “making it happen” when you're spinning 18 plates (and wearing 18 earrings)* 💎 Natural vs lab diamonds: is a lab diamond like a fake Birkin?* 📈 Rising gold prices, TikTok brains, and why “perfection is the enemy of good”* 💬 Scott Galloway quotes, “hey guys” videos, and the elusive balance between authenticity and content fatigueAnd yes, we also talk about her dog. And her favorite piercing (hint: SEO gold).📍Find Alysa at alysa teichman or IRL at her Wildlike stores in NYC and Dallas, and her family’s store, Ylang 23. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

This week on The Materialist, I sit down with milliner and creative force Gigi Burris, founder of Gigi Burris Millinery and the nonprofit Closely Crafted, which champions artisanal production in the U.S.We talk about how Gigi went from sewing hats as a Parsons student to dressing Rihanna and being a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist—while keeping her studio (and her soft-coated Wheaten Terrier shipping manager, Brooklyn Bow) right in the heart of Chinatown. She shares what it means to build a niche brand in an age of sameness, the surprisingly diverse world of hat-wearers, and why confidence is the accessory that really matters.Highlights from our conversation:* ✂️ The difference between a milliner and a millionaire (and why she hopes to be both one day)* 👒 How Rihanna ended up in a senior thesis hat from Parsons* 🧵 The Vogue Fashion Fund bootcamp that shaped her business* 🇯🇵 Why Japanese department stores get everything first* 🎯 Closely Crafted’s mission to revive U.S.-based artisan production* 💡 “If you're going to be intentional about the way you dress, why would you not do so from head to toe?”* 👛 Shout-outs to fellow makers: Eve Fehren, Lizzie Fortunato, Don’t Let Disco, and Underwater Weaving Studio.Gigi Burris O’Hara at her studio and store in Chinatown, NYCMarc Bridge wearing a Gigi Burris Hat Pin as a Lapel Pin, NYC This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

Marc Bridge and Sophie Cohen (@stylewithsoco), The Hotel Chelsea, May 21, 2025In today’s episode of The Materialist, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sophie Cohen, a fashion influencer whose authenticity and vibrant style have garnered a dedicated following across social media. Sophie’s journey from high school style page to full-time influencer is both inspiring and eye-opening, offering a unique behind-the-scenes look into the evolving business of influencer marketing. Here's a recap of some of the best parts of our conversation.The Power of Authenticity in FashionSophie has always believed that fashion is more than just clothes—it’s a powerful way to express who we are. “Fashion was really the thing that was like, this is how I express myself with the world and this is like my thing.” For Sophie, style isn’t just about keeping up with trends; it’s about wearing what feels authentic and reflects her personality.Her bold, maximalist approach—featuring vibrant colors, patterns, and a love for statement pieces—has set her apart in a crowded influencer space. “I love that with jewelry, even when I'm wearing a simpler outfit, or even if I'm just not feeling like getting dressed, I have all of these little things on me. I love having my name on things, I love that it sparks conversation.”The Business of Being an InfluencerBeyond personal style, Sophie shared her journey of building a career as an influencer. “The biggest channel of income for me is brand partnership. So that is like any sort of paid content on an influencer’s page. If a brand is paying them to post a story or a TikTok or a reel, whatever.”Sophie also emphasized the importance of authenticity in these partnerships. She never promotes brands that don’t align with her values or personal aesthetic. “I couldn’t do a deal for something that felt inauthentic,” Sophie explains. This commitment to staying true to her personal brand has allowed her to build genuine relationships with both her followers and the brands she works with.Sophie’s Favorite Brands and CollaborationsSophie’s style is influenced by a mix of high-end brands, vintage finds, and unique pieces from smaller designers. Here are some of the brands and designers she loves:* Jenny Bird: Sophie raves about their timeless yet funky jewelry pieces, particularly the gold bangles she’s worn daily. “They make really classic yet funky pieces that are also timeless.”* Timeless Pearly: Sophie recently collaborated with this whimsical Parisian brand known for their colorful, fun designs. “They just have the most whimsical, joyful pieces. If you’re ever in Paris, you have to go to their showroom."* Nina Runsorf: Sophie loves this designer’s unique approach to classic jewelry, like a ring with pink tourmaline that she treasures. “I love anything that’s like classic with a twist when it comes to jewelry.”* Vintage Jewelry: Sophie also shares her love for collecting vintage jewelry during her travels. “I love getting a piece of jewelry from any city that I go to... even if it’s just like something off the street, like a $10 bracelet.”The Future of Sophie’s CareerLooking ahead, Sophie is excited about the possibilities within the influencer space and beyond. She’s already worked on some amazing collaborations, and she sees herself growing into the luxury space in the coming years. Sophie also shared her dream of owning a vintage shop, which aligns perfectly with her passion for curating unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.“I think my biggest passion is vintage designer clothing... I would love to have my own brand or shop or something of that sort,” she says. As Sophie continues to build her platform, she’s focused on creating a community where her followers can engage with her and feel inspired by her style.Where to Find SophieYou can keep up with Sophie on her various social platforms:* Instagram* TikTok* SubstackSophie also has a special Instagram show called Meet You in Five with her best friend, where they share more personal content and style advice.TakeawaysSophie Cohen’s approach to fashion and social media is refreshing, grounded in authenticity, and centered around self-expression. By staying true to her roots and embracing opportunities that align with her personal style, Sophie has built a career that continues to inspire both her followers and the brands she collaborates with. Whether she’s showcasing a vintage find or curating the perfect stack of jewelry, Sophie reminds us that style is a form of storytelling—a way to share our identity with the world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

What does it mean to make something lasting in a world built for speed? In this episode of The Materialist, I sit down with Sam Broekema, Editor in Chief of Only Natural Diamonds, to talk about permanence, disruption, and the enduring power of jewelry.Sam shares his journey from a small town in Wisconsin to the fashion departments of Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and InStyle, where he honed his editorial vision. Now, at Only Natural Diamonds, he’s building a platform that champions storytelling over sales — and elevates diamonds not just as luxury goods, but as cultural artifacts rich with meaning.We talk about:* Why the best jewelry stories aren’t about price, but about people.* How legacy publications lost their footing — and what Sam is building instead.* The difference between a Chanel bag and a bracelet from your grandmother.* How Dezso by Sara Beltrán, 10,000 Things, and Nikos Koulis are redefining contemporary fine jewelry.* The joy of imperfection — from salt-and-pepper diamonds to poky stones with soul.We also discuss why print still matters, how Gen Z’s obsession with authenticity is reshaping luxury, and why responsibility and sustainability aren’t in opposition to indulgence — they’re part of it.Sam’s editorial ethos? Surprise. Delight. Tell the story no one else is telling.📸 Follow Only Natural Diamonds on Instagram🛍️ Discover emerging designers we love at atpresent.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

Cassie Thorpe doesn’t just talk about luxury fashion—she makes you feel why it matters. In our latest episode of The Materialist, the undisputed queen of Tiny Bag Energy joins me to unpack the emotional logic behind the circus of style. Cassie is incisive, hilarious, and uncommonly generous about the things that spark obsession: Alexander McQueen blazers, vintage Chanel rings, and bags shaped like plastic pigeons (cheers to you JW Anderson).We talk about what it means to curate a personal archive—and why her “love hand” (yes, that’s a thing) features not only her engagement ring, but also the Chanel Ultra ring her parents gave her at 18. That piece of white ceramic launched an entire aesthetic.She also highlights three standout creators and brands everyone should know:* Tolu Coker – London-based designer merging British tailoring and Nigerian heritage with vibrant storytelling. Her work, especially in light of this year’s Met Gala theme, is unmissable.* Nawbar – A Lebanese jewelry house creating bold, enamel-forward designs like their stunning Atom Collection.* Jeniece Blanchet – An ethereal designer whose sculptural beadwork looks like water droplets suspended in air. Think wearable fantasy.Cassie also shares her favorite personal pieces from designers she loves, including:* Susana Martins – for her signature white ceramic and gold pieces* Unsaid – French jewelry house working exclusively with lab-grown diamonds* Shay Jewelry – her own collab with them includes a lavender ceramic and diamond curb-link bracelet* Monica Vinader – for everyday stackable ringsAnd yes, she found the McQueen piece of her dreams—a 2009 houndstooth blazer—on eBay.Cassie’s worldview is that luxury should delight, not intimidate. Whether you’re deep in the Hermès trenches or just starting to figure out your ring stack, this is a conversation for anyone who finds joy in the details. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

Every so often, a guest joins The Materialist who manages to collapse categories: intellect and indulgence, strategy and sparkle, Prada and Gramsci. This week, that guest is Tariro Makoni.Tariro is a strategist, writer, and the voice behind Trademarked, one of the smartest (and funniest) Substacks on the internet. She writes about fashion, politics, and consumer behavior with such clarity and candor that you’ll never look at a sweater—or a tariff—the same way again.In our conversation, we dig into:* The emotional logic of “frivolous” purchases* Why women drive 85% of consumer spending (and what that means for power)* The return of smoking as a sign of late-capitalist burnout* And why what’s happening on the Prada runway is an economic indicator—even if your professor doesn’t think so.But we also talk jewelry. Not as trend, but as text. Symbols, signals, little indulgences that reveal how we see ourselves—and what we want others to see.What’s on Tariro’s wrist (and mind):* A Carolina Bucci Lucky Bracelet — silk and gold, worn until the threads say something new* A Cartier Juste un Clou — flipped backwards to reclaim its meaning* A Charm Factory Star Bracelet — substantial, a little magical* And rings by Vanessa Hernandez — “the light of my life,” as Tariro puts itEach of these pieces comes with a story. A context. A cultural echo. And that’s what this episode is about: the meaning beneath the sparkle.🛍 Explore jewelry that tells a story📩 Subscribe to Tariro’s Substack: Trademarked This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

This week on The Materialist, I had the joy of sitting down with Colin Keane Lynch, the artist and jeweler behind Keane. His work has been part of At Present’s assortment for years, but this conversation offered the time to slow down, zoom out, and ask how meaning is made—through hands, history, and a thousand degrees of heat.Colin’s pieces are hand-formed from glass in his Brooklyn Navy Yard studio—each one made by him, start to finish. But as we talked, it became clear that the true through-line in his work isn’t just craftsmanship or aesthetics—it’s curiosity. The kind that spans childhoods spent among zookeepers and chemists, travels to glassblowing ateliers in Italy, and hours upon hours of studio time where intention meets improvisation.Three Pea Ring, Silver/RedWe talked about how value is created—economically, emotionally, and artistically. And about how hard it is to define what’s “worth it” in a world where perception can feel like quicksand.From Zoo Animals to Murano GlassColin grew up in St. Louis. His father was a zookeeper at the St. Louis Zoo, and his mother ran her family’s industrial coatings business—formulating everything from Steinway piano lacquers to experimental nail polish for dentists. (“Don’t ask,” he said, which of course only made me want to ask more.) His parents also ran an artisan import business sourcing from Central Mexico and Italy, where their connections eventually led Colin to spend a summer in Murano learning to blow glass from some of the world’s masters—at just 15.That summer was a turning point, not just creatively but conceptually. He described the experience as a kind of apprenticeship-in-motion, where the discipline of making met the thrill of learning without limits. It was like being sent to basketball camp and finding out your coach is Michael Jordan.RISD, Raves, and the Real Work of Art SchoolColin later studied in the glass program at RISD—not a technical program, but a conceptual one. Students weren’t asked to replicate historical forms; they were asked to investigate identity, systems, form, and meaning through material. The prompts were abstract (“Make something about identity”), and the materials were sometimes unconventional: crushed brick, spun sugar, yarn. He learned how to think about materials not as tools, but as collaborators.It was, he said, intimidating. And invaluable.From Menswear to MeaningAfter graduating into the 2008 financial crisis, Colin pivoted briefly into menswear—joining the team at Odin, one of the first high-concept men’s boutiques in New York. There, he helped launch their in-house apparel line and quickly became immersed in the design and production side of fashion. That experience taught him not just how to source and manufacture, but how to prototype, iterate, and communicate ideas to customers.And more importantly, it gave him a retail laboratory. He could make jewelry—small-batch, experimental pieces—and see in real time what resonated. The first piece he ever sold? A simple glass vial necklace with gold leaf suspended inside. Not precious, but poetic.On Glass, Value, and What's Really RareWe spent time in this conversation probing a recurring theme: how value gets ascribed. Colin sees parallels between precious jewelry and high-end clothing—when it’s done well and with intention, the materials and the story matter. But he’s wary of value that’s based solely on scarcity or branding. We talked about diamonds. We talked about perception. We talked about the ancient Egyptians, who once considered glass more valuable than gold because of the rarity of the knowledge it took to make it.“Most people don’t know how anything is made,” Colin told me. “But when they visit the studio and see even a glimpse of the process, it completely changes how they see the work.”It’s true. The moment you understand what goes into something—time, technique, the moment-to-moment improvisation of molten material—you stop seeing it as just a product. It becomes a story. Pea Necklace, Night ShadeCreative Influence and ProcessColin’s own process remains deeply hands-on and exploratory. He starts with a theme—Missouri cave systems, '90s rave culture, pigment and color—and lets the material guide him. Some collections come from research, others from intuition. Often, the best ideas come from scraps—pieces of failed experiments or discarded glass that yield unexpected inspiration.We also talked about the artists who influence him:* Wolfgang Laib, who collects marigold pollen by hand to form luminous floor installations—art born from patience and process.* Gordon Matta-Clark, who carved and deconstructed architecture as sculpture.* René Lalique, the French glassmaker whose fluid Art Nouveau forms continue to echo in the work of artists today.The Future of KeaneWhen I asked him what comes next, Colin’s answer wasn’t a five-year plan. It was a hope: more balance. Maybe a day off here or there. Maybe a production assistant who understands the medium enough to help. But he’s wary of compromising the intentionality that defines his work. Every piece is still made by hand. One at a time. By him.He wants to make work that’s both beautiful and accessible—something that someone like his younger self, shopping at thrift stores in St. Louis, could afford. That democratic vision sits at the heart of Keane.If you’ve ever worn one of Colin’s pieces—or admired it from across a room—you’ve already felt it. The material magic. The play between transparency and color. The sense of something made with care, meant to last.I’m honored we curate Keane on At Present. And I’m grateful to Colin—not just for this conversation, but for showing us what it means to build a life and a practice out of intention, iteration, and the willingness to start over.📷 Explore Keane on At Present This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

“You may not have heard of Ali Pew, but you are probably — indirectly — wearing something she told you to,”— Harriet Walker, the fashion editor of The Times of LondonAli Pew, stylist, creative director, and creator of the influential newsletter Uniform, joins The Materialist to unpack the power of intentionality in personal style and curating life's meaningful objects. Ali shares her career journey from Conde Nast Traveler and W Magazine to Goop, offering insightful perspectives on how editorial fashion translates into real-world dressing. Our conversation spans the California wellness scene ($18 smoothies!), the art of finding timeless wardrobe essentials, and the evolving landscape of digital media and fashion.Ali thoughtfully explores her philosophy around building a lasting wardrobe, emphasizing quality, versatility, and emotional resonance. She highlights her favorite fashion houses and designers—including Phoebe Philo, Proenza Schouler, JW Anderson, Prada, Maria McManus, High Sport, and Peter Mulier at Alaïa. Ali also discusses how jewelry uniquely captures sentimental value, noting standout brands such as Cartier, Sherman Field, Tabayer, Kloto, and the thoughtful curation at At Present.Tune in for Ali's reflections on navigating the ever-changing fashion landscape, why certain pieces feel truly indispensable, and how the objects we choose to surround ourselves with shape our personal narratives and sense of identity.Ali Pew with At Present Stylist-in-Residence Jalil Johnson and Booth MooreHotel Bel-Air, March 27, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

In the latest episode of The Materialist, I sit down with the brilliant Sally Morrison, a leading voice in the diamond world who spent decades shaping De Beers' iconic story. Together, we unpack how natural diamonds are evolving amidst the rise of lab-grown alternatives, changing generational attitudes toward commitment, and the shifting ways we define luxury.Episode Highlights:* How the diamond dream is adapting for younger consumers who value the authenticity of their journey rather than traditional notions of “forever.”* Why “quiet luxury” is replacing flashy status symbols, and what this means for the future of natural diamonds.* The creative potential and distinct emotional appeal of lab-grown diamonds.We also spotlight emerging jewelry designers Sally admires, each bringing something uniquely powerful to the jewelry world:* Lorraine West: Bridging fine and fashion jewelry with authenticity and bold creativity.* KhirY (Jameel Mohammed): Supported by Tiffany & Co., redefining modern elegance with cultural resonance.* Castro Smith: Reviving the ancient art of engraving with intricate storytelling and craftsmanship.Why Listen:This is a conversation about why we choose the objects we love and how the meanings we assign to them are shifting faster than ever. It's essential listening for anyone interested in the nuanced future of luxury, diamonds, and personal style. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit atpresent.substack.com

In this conversation, Ben Gilbert, co-host of Acquired and former venture capitalist, dives into the world of luxury branding and the deeper meanings we attach to our possessions. He distinguishes between luxury and premium items, exploring why people splurge on high-end handbags. The discussion includes the 'Rolex Effect,' illustrating how brands like Rolex shape entire categories. Ben also tackles the impact of lab-grown diamonds on desirability and emphasizes storytelling as essential for brand longevity and consumer trust.