The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan

The Spring 2026 season of Men’s Fashion Week in Paris is well underway, and to celebrate, we’re catching up with one of the most respected (and loudest) voices in menswear: Lawrence Schlossman, co-host of Throwing Fits, as well as the former editor-in-chief of Four Pins (RIP), brand director of Grailed, author of F**k Yeah Menswear, and overall industry authority for more than a decade. In a supersized episode, Lawrence breaks down his illustrious career that all started with a fashion blog, and anonymous Tumblr account, a healthy sense of humor, and a dream. Plus, he shares a wealth of insights on the current state of the menswear space: what’s most interesting to him right now, his thoughts on what’s happening (and what’s not) in men’s lifestyle media, the tedium of recycled references, the hyperspeed of the trend cycle and which trends have surprising staying power, the overconsumption conundrum, his take on the personal style discourse, the fine line between being in on the joke and being the joke in the starter pack age, how menswear enthusiasts can set themselves apart when it comes to style, and so much more.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

When you think about some of the most disruptive brands on the New York fashion scene over the last decade (Telfar, Luar, Area) and the most legendary parties (Heaven by Marc Jacobs’s surprise Deftones concert, for example), they all have something in common: Gia Kuan Consulting was working behind the scenes and front of house to make the magic happen. This week, Alyssa sits down with publicist extraordinaire Gia Kuan to learn all about how she became one of the most sought-after ladies in the world of fashion and beauty comms, which is a “people” business at its core. Tune in for a fascinating conversation about Gia’s international upbringing, when she took early style inspiration from The Jetsons and Sailor Moon; how being a teenage mallrat was her first exposure to the fashion industry; how working in hospitality and nightlife in college were training grounds for working the door at fashion events and having grace under pressure; her first PR job at Comme des Garçons; why working with emerging brands at Dover Street Market as their de facto PR was so inspiring; why she sees her agency as a matchmaking business; why subcultures are alive and well if you know where to look and are curious enough; how her obsession with youth culture and pop culture inform her work; the joys of working with your friends, and with people or brands that are different from what’s already out there; why guest list curation is an art; how to stay nimble in a communications industry that changes all the time, and much more.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

Summer is upon us, and you know what that means: It’s brand trip season! On any given weekend over the next couple of months, you’ll likely clock at least a few fashion or beauty brand-sponsored getaways for a select few influencers, tastemakers, or Very Important Customers playing out in real time on your Instagram and TikTok feeds. While the brand trip has been a common marketing strategy for over a decade, times are changing; what was once a fun opportunity to show off shoppable products in an aspirational setting can now feel extremely dated and out of touch. This week, Alyssa sits down with influencer marketing consultant and author of Following Up on Substack, Clare Moore, to dive deep into the world of brand trips, unpacking what’s working, what’s not, what kinds of activations are actually impactful, what happens when influencer trips go wrong, and how they need to evolve for 2025 and beyond.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

It’s been a huge month for red carpets, with events like the Met Gala and the Cannes Film Festival serving as season closers where celebrities and stylists really bring their A game. This week, Alyssa is joined by Eliza Brooke to really nerd out about the stylist, talent, and brand partnerships that fuel the red carpet machine. This is our version of sports, and while some of you are locked into the NBA Playoffs, we’re focused on a different kind of bracket: which star has a contract with which luxury brand, what celebrity quietly traded their stylist for another, which stylist stole an MVP client from a peer, and so on. Tune in to hear their thoughts on the most exciting talent and stylist pairings in the game right now; what it takes for a duo to really make magic on the red carpet; the behind-the-scenes sponsorships and brand deals that are required to pay the bills; the magazine editor to celebrity stylist pipeline; YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok as the new launching pads for stylists’ careers; the intimacy of a stylist/client relationship; what happens when there’s a public falling out or switch-up in the styling world; how celebrities decide on a new aesthetic direction when they’re entering a new era; the tragedy of a brand ambassadorship that’s a bad fit; the rising stars on the styling scene to keep an eye on, and much more.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThis week’s episode is all stars, stripes, and style. Alyssa is joined by Biz Sherbert, the brilliant writer behind American Style on Substack and co-host of the podcast Nymphet Alumni, to go deep on how young people in our country are getting dressed and thinking about fashion. Tune in to hear Biz’s insights about how what people are wearing in real life is influenced by what people are wear…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIt’s TNG’s first birthday! To celebrate, Alyssa called in the big guns: James Harris, co-host of Throwing Fits, came by for a rare one-on-one interview about his massive success in podcasting and beyond. Tune in for two straight hours of wisdom, as well as to hear how James fell into a fashion industry career by accident; what it was like navigating (and thriving in) the glory days of digital media; getting a web show with his co-host Larry at Complex a decade ago, and why “Fashion Bros” was ahead of its time; insights from his pivots to both tech and music; a fun recounting of the Throwing Fits origin story; figuring out how the hell you can make money in media these days; real talk about how hard and expensive it is to make clothes; how he decides what aspects of his life are fair game for content and what to keep private; a peek inside the TF meme machine; why you can absolutely never burn a bridge in this business; getting taken seriously in a notoriously self-serious industry; building and nurturing a community (shout-out Throw Gang!) both on and offline; an exclusive preview of the intro Pusha T would get if he goes on Throwing Fits, and much more.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIt’s the first Wednesday in May, which means it’s time to unpack this year’s Met Gala, celebrating the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” To help break it all down, Alyssa is joined by Jalil Johnson — the stylish mind behind Consider Yourself Cultured on Substack, as well as a general man about town — who shares a wealth of insights about Black dandyism, the menswear and artwork on display inside the exhibit, the work of Monica L. Miller, the legacies of the late André Leon Talley and Virgil Abloh, and much more. Plus, a discussion about the evening’s best dressed, honest thoughts on the content ecosystem surrounding the red carpet, and Alyssa recaps her chaotic Monday night in the Louis Vuitton suite at the Mark Hotel with Pharrell and co. Til next year!This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson.

Rachel Tashjian, fashion critic at The Washington Post and creator of the popular newsletter Opulent Tips, shares her journey from blogging to influential journalism. She discusses the evolution of fashion media, emphasizing the value of unique storytelling and originality. Tashjian reflects on the contrasting dynamics between men's and women's fashion and how integrity plays a crucial role in her recommendations. With insights on navigating the industry and embracing change, she inspires listeners to stay authentic and adaptable in their careers.

Beauty has always sent big political messages, and that’s perhaps never been more evident than it is today. This week, Alyssa sits down with Jessica DeFino, the brilliant mind behind The Review of Beauty newsletter, to discuss the aesthetic vibe shift she’s seen since Trump was elected for his second term — and the conservative leaning beauty trends she saw bubbling up before then that were a harbinger of things to come. Tune in to hear how Jessica’s time working for the Kardashian official apps led her to question everything she thought about beauty, as well as her insights about why the “Clean Girl” trend was a huge indicator of something shifting and cosmetic class performance hidden as self-care; the recent glorification of the time, effort, and money that goes into looking beautiful, or the Protestant work ethic for prettiness; the regressive cultural return to traditional femininity and masculinity that’s tied to what’s happening in beauty; why exercising control and autonomy through beauty and our bodies is a direct reaction to the lack of autonomy we feel elsewhere in our lives; how MAHA has bled into the beauty and wellness industries, and why we should have seen the raw milk thing coming through the lens of beauty; how Mar-a-Lago face is meant to communicate power and your status as “elite” via work you’ve had done; unpacking the “Conservative Girl” and “Republican Makeup” trends on TikTok; the consequences of beauty ideals getting ingrained younger and younger; beauty as the new American dream, and where we find the identity and drive we used to derive from jobs; why beauty TikTok is the manosphere for women, and so much more. This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIf you follow the fashion and beauty industries closely, then you know that a week rarely goes by without a brand collaboration announcement. From mall brands like J.Crew and Gap, to sportswear giants like Nike and Adidas, to luxury powerhouses like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace, brands across the market spectrum have entered the collaboration game — and those that haven’t are getting left behind. This week, Alyssa is joined by Steve Dool, senior director of brand marketing at Depop, to dig deep into the world of brand collabs. Tune in to hear Steve’s insights about what collaborations can do for small brands aside from a short-term infusion of money and exposure; the benefits on both sides of a partnership; why clout is fleeting and you need to be able to follow it up with other stuff; why the content surrounding a collaboration is often more important than the product itself; a frank discussion on what makes a smart partnership versus a confusing or pandering one; their personal highs and lows of collabs from the past few years; where the role of “celebrity creative director” is heading; whether we’ll ever reach “peak collab” or if this is just how things are now, and so much more.