The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comWhile it seems like everyone’s getting into the vintage game right now, few players have the experience and sharp point of view to set them apart in a crowded landscape and keep them in it for the long haul. This week, Alyssa sits down with Kathleen Sorbara, owner of Sorbara’s New York (formerly Chickee’s Vintage), to learn how she’s succeeded in the wild world of brick-and-mortar retail — an operation that evolved from selling a curation of vintage pieces on the side of the road. Tune in to hear about how Kathleen’s career journey began by sending an audition tape into an MTV modeling reality show and getting signed; how she navigated being a teenager in an adult world while climbing the modeling ranks; how being around clothing, art directors, creatives, and stylists on modeling jobs became an education on fashion and vintage; learning to run a retail store with no retail experience; navigating the highs and lows of the vintage trend cycle; how the aesthetic of her buy changes over time; how she stays agile and innovative to stand out in the vintage space; what happens when IG fan pages drive people to the store after a celebrity like Harry Styles is spotted shopping; honing her taste and getting inspiration from going to the ballet and other iconic New York programming (as well as from the retirement community her Florida hometown); recounting brick-and-mortar horror stories; learning that “no” is a full sentence; building a booming men’s business by having cute girls sell menswear to guys who were confused about fashion; and why always thinking about the next thing is crucial to avoid becoming stagnant or stale.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson.

If you’re a follower of fashion, you’ve surely felt the influence of sports on the industry steadily increase over the past several years. This week, Alyssa is joined by Madeline Hill, author of the Impersonal Foul newsletter and co-host of The Sports Gossip Show podcast, to discuss the flourishing relationship between fashion and sport, and how they sit at the intersection of many pop culture interests. Tune in to hear Madeline’s lore as a teen model and a key player on Fashion Twitter, as well as her insights on how celebrity courtside culture, Instagram mood boards, and athlete off-duty style have brought sports to a wider audience; what The Cut launching a sports vertical and CR Fashion Book announcing a mysterious sports venture for 2025 signal for fashion media; why so many brands have locked into tennis culture, even before the release of Challengers; how F1 has become a tentpole event akin to Coachella or Art Basel for fashion and beauty brands, and what its 10-year deal with LVMH could bring; what to expect from Lewis Hamilton co-hosting the Met Gala in 2025 with LeBron James as an honorary chair; the extremely chic LVMH Olympics sponsorship; how TikTok is driving sports-heavy fashion trends like tenniscore, blokecore/blokette, motorcore, golfcore, and balletcore across the globe (and onto the runways); the evolution of athletes as influencers and the types of brands getting into athlete sponsorships; the impact of a new era of WAGS and athletes in public relationships exemplified by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, as well as fashion influencers like Alix Earle, Morgan Riddle, and Paige Lorenze bringing a new female viewership to sports; and what opportunities the fashion and beauty industries can glean from this rapidly growing audience of sports fans. 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.comAll hail the queen! This week, Alyssa sits down with beloved publicist, consultant, and co-founder of the Black in Fashion Council, Sandrine Charles, to get the inspiring story behind her rise up the industry ranks, and what led her to eventually open her own bicoastal agency, Sandrine Charles Consulting, eight years ago. Tune in to get Sandrine’s insights on the importance of having people who champion you in the workplace; why you should always “take the best and forget the rest”; how she found her niche in working on fashion collaborations; what it was like to be one of the only women doing PR in the menswear space; working with brands as they grow versus when they’re already established; working with streetwear brands before the fashion establishment took them seriously; helping to launch KITH and Noah into the stratosphere; how pitching has changed now that the editorial landscape is so different; the beauty in being a cheerleader for your peers; why building solid relationships with people is crucial and the value that comes with being vulnerable; what inspired her to start the Black in Fashion Council with her co-founder, Lindsay Peoples; knowing exactly what you bring to the table and conducting yourself accordingly; why it’s OK to stay private and get off the hamster wheel sometimes; and standing firm in the belief that if you’re doing genuine, good work, people will support it.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIt’s been an incredibly fun year for pop music, and the same can be said about the fashion that’s come along with it. This week, Alyssa sits down with Brittany Spanos, a senior writer at Rolling Stone and pop connoisseur, to discuss how the newest names on the scene are using aesthetics strategically to brand themselves and introduce their personas to the world. The ladies touch on the biggest breakout talents of 2024, particularly Sabrina Carpenter, Addison Rae, Chappell Roan, Tate McRae, and brat-era Charli XCX, and how they all (like the pop stars who came before them) use fashion to build their identities and create their narratives. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on this and much more, including Brittany’s thoughts on the smart ways that Carpenter, Rae, and Olivia Rodrigo are subtly introducing retro pop culture references to a new generation; why Rae’s slightly weird creative direction led by Mel Ottenberg is so genius; who are the best pop star/stylist pairings in the game right now; how we’ve reached Peak Britney Spears reference over the past year and why it’s getting out of hand; why the best pop stars are embracing pastiche at a time when fans are exhausted by repetitive references; what the future might hold for pop acts designing collections with luxury fashion brands, like Harry Styles for Gucci or Dua Lipa for Versace; and what could be the next big avant-garde pop star/fashion designer partnership on the level of Lady Gaga and Alexander McQueen.This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson.

How will people pay homage to a new generation of red carpet stars in the future if their fashion choices consistently reference the past? This week, Alyssa is joined by Emily Kirkpatrick of I <3 Mess in an attempt to tackle this question at the midpoint of the 2024-2025 awards season. Tune in to hear the ladies discuss fashion’s big problem right now in terms of moving forward; how pulling museum-caliber vintage became the ultimate sartorial flex; when a red carpet tribute turns from a sweet wink or nod into a crutch; the feedback loop between the way celebrities dress and the way media covers it; what the future of getting dressed looks like when we’re so busy rehashing the aughts and doing retro throwbacks; how young Hollywood is underestimating fashion’s ability to help a new talent establish a brand identity and make a big personal statement; why risk-averse celebrities would rather wear something safe from the archives than opt for a polarizing look that creates enough conversation to become iconic years later; why celebrities need their own breakout fashion moments early in their careers, even if they’re bad; when press junket theme dressing goes too far; and whether we’re in a drought of red carpet looks that we’ll be talking about and referencing 20 years from now. 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’ve ever wanted to get to know your favorite girl from the internet, then this is the episode for you! This week, Alyssa sits down with Marta Freedman — the magical mind behind Hot Girls Eating Pizza and Air Milkshake, as well as the co-founder of Dieux and Angel Therapy — to learn all about her entrepreneurship journey and the wisdom she’s picked up along the way. Tune in to hear Marta discuss what MySpace taught her about building connections by being authentic online and having that resonate with other people; how starting Hot Girls Eating Pizza to meet other young adults grieving the loss of a parent was a crash course in establishing community on social media; how she realized early on that Instagram was a tool for world-building and honed that skill; why throwing themed parties and believing in her own ideas were crucial in expressing her creativity; how she leveraged her community to work with brands; the pros and cons of moonlighting as an influencer and being able to monetize your following; the power that comes with staying true to who you are; why entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart; how to find a work-life balance when you work for yourself; why softness is power and there’s no shame in vulnerability; the importance of staying in alignment, being guided by intuition, and being your own advocate; and why you should invest in people who invest in you.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comAnother fashion month has come and gone, which means we have four-plus weeks of new collections from New York, London, Milan, and Paris to unpack. This week, Alyssa is joined by her longtime friend, colleague, and former fashion month travel buddy Tyler McCall for a delightfully unhinged recap of the Spring/Summer 2025 shows. While it was impossible to cover every high and low (Alyssa didn’t even mention Bella Hadid’s return to the runway at Saint Laurent, which is extremely out of character), the ladies touch upon the season’s biggest topics of conversation, from the Substack discourse déjà vu to the vacant Chanel job. Tune in to hear their unfiltered takes on the most effective fashion week coverage; which brands are nailing their social media and storytelling strategies; whether we’ve reached Peak Tiny Mic; why Alessandro Michele’s comeback at Valentino is so exciting; the season’s new nepo babies; why Jonathan Anderson and Miuccia Prada are still in leagues of their own; what happened to brands having a point of view; how to put together an interesting front row; runway stunts done well and those gone awry; the most FOMO-inducing moments of the month and, inversely, the most cringe; and whether it all boils down to the fact that people just want to feel something.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThe New Garde has made it to 20 episodes! To celebrate, Alyssa turns her interview questions on herself, getting candid about the decade-plus she’s spent working in fashion. Tune in to find out how she channelled her dream of becoming an MTV VJ — a gig she learned about while watching Virginia Beach hometown heroes like Missy Elliott and Pharrell on TRL — into a climb up the masthead that started around the same time “The Hills” and The Devil Wears Prada put this career path in the pop cultural spotlight.

Casey Lewis, founder of the After School newsletter and Gen Z consumer trends expert, dives into the current revival of mall culture, revealing how TikTok is reigniting interest in classic brands like J.Crew and Abercrombie. They discuss unique shopping experiences that attract Gen Z, the excitement of recent fashionable collaborations, and the challenges legacy retailers face. Lewis also shares insights on nostalgia’s pull, dissecting how brands like Gap and Victoria’s Secret are trying to connect with younger audiences in a rapidly changing market.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comWhat better way to celebrate the start of Milan Fashion Week than to sit down with everyone’s favorite expat, Jenny Walton! The illustrator, designer, painter, Vogue vintage columnist, and author of the popular JENNY SAIS QUOI Substack moved her entire life to Italy a couple of years ago — before she learned how to speak Italian — and is proof that being consistent, kind, and true to yourself can pay dividends, even though it comes with plenty of challenges. This week, Jenny shares how she went from making her own clothes in high school and watching Project Runway with her dad, to posting her illustrations on Instagram and turning her passions into a full-fledged career. Tune in to get inspired by Jenny’s journey and her insights on the lifelong process of honing your taste, getting disillusioned with the realities of working in a corporate fashion environment, escaping the millennial mindset that everything has to be “perfect,” collecting vintage Prada, learning that success in the industry isn’t linear, why having a distinct point of view is crucial, how she handles being an introvert with a front-facing, extroverted job, why she still freezes up when getting her photo taken, moving on when something no longer feels right, being unafraid to pivot, make mistakes, and try new things, building trust with your audience, setting boundaries, how to navigate people coming into your life and misguiding you, making new friends and finding community in your 30s, starting over after a toxic relationship, the importance of being present, and so much more.