The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIf you’ve felt awash in a sea of Bottega Veneta Andiamo bags and Alaïa mesh ballerina flats, you are not alone. This week, Alyssa is joined by fashion writer Alexandra Hildreth to go deep into the world of dupe culture — on the For You Page and beyond. Alex helps break down the bleak vibes of Dupe TikTok, how we’re increasingly approaching our lives as content (and therefore must constantly feed the beast), the proliferation of contextless, algorithmic aesthetics, dupes vs. counterfeits, the collective mania to participate in a microtrend before the next one comes along, the general lack of concern for individuality and longevity among consumers, the sustainability problem, the natural evolution of the “look for less” recommendation structure, and whether we’ll ever be able to escape the need for instant gratification while shopping.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comBuckle up, because the girls are yapmaxxing this week! Alyssa sits down with 032c fashion editor, vintage clothing collector, content creator, podcast host, and influencer Brenda Weischer (more commonly known as @brendahashtag) for a wide-ranging conversation covering all corners of the industry. Tune in to get Brenda’s savvy takes on building a following and a community, mastering your platforms, why figuring out exactly what you’re good at is crucial, how haters are just confused fans, why going either really big or super niche are the only options, the distinction between influencers vs. creatives vs. talent, why branding is her Roman Empire, how secondhand fashion helped her conquer imposter syndrome, adopting a “f**k you” attitude, why a strong point of view is your most valuable asset, the importance of uplifting others and reading the room, never being afraid to reach out and make a connection, regretting her past era of being a hater, knowing your worth, trusting that change in the industry is possible, and the slow, steady climb up cringe mountain.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comGet your sunblock, bikini, and beach reads ready! This week, Alyssa sits down with Sophia June, writer and co-founder of the Language Arts Substack, to go deep on this summer’s biggest fashion-adjacent trend: literature. Sophia breaks down what it was like to be at the center of the recent Literary It Girl discourse on Twitter, how big industry names like Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, and Marc Jacobs have turned book selfies into the ultimate signifier of good taste, why digital book clubs (including Kaia Gerber’s stellar Library Science) are such a valuable platform for emerging authors, whether book curators are the newest iteration of stylists, the parallels between BookTok and fashion influencing, the logic behind authors’ partnerships with brands, the pros and cons of Miu Miu’s international Summer Reads activation, and why, in many ways, books are the pinnacle of luxury. 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIn this week’s jam-packed episode, Alyssa is joined by fashion editor turned author Danielle Prescod to discuss how she’s navigated the publishing world, from digital media to writing books. Tune in for a wealth of Danielle’s insights about working her way up the masthead by starting as a “professional intern,” dealing with ego and racism at work, feeling like a fraud while “performing” how great your job is on social media, transitioning from magazines to the tech startup world, boosting your profile with street style (and using that attention as currency to advance your career), making herself a test subject for stories in exchange for expensive treatments that are unaffordable on an editor salary, the realities of losing editorial access when you switch publications, reinforcing collective psychosis by covering questionable topics to get traffic, the dangers of feeding the content beast and attempting to become a “brand,” getting too emotionally invested in your job, burning yourself out to the point of physical exhaustion, switching careers, and maintaining personhood above all else.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comLog on, let go, and lighten up! This week, Alyssa is joined by writer, editor, and prolific poster Layla Halabian to discuss the highs and lows of brands getting in on a viral moment online, why trust and timing are crucial, how lawless Sylvanian Drama sponcon works so well, why Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson are in a posting league of their own, the power in deeply understanding your customer, the danger in brands being too self-serious instead of embracing whimsy, and what designers can learn from artists like Charli xcx and Lana Del Rey.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comAlyssa catches up with writer Liana Satenstein, the mastermind behind Neverworns (and her former intern!), to discuss Liana’s first byline that changed everything, carving a niche for herself covering Eastern European fashion, getting weird with it during her time at Vogue, the freedom that comes with accepting what you are and aren’t good at, the rush of finding what you’re obsessed with and building something for yourself, outfit repeating, staying just a little bit delusional, going through the industry’s most legendary closets, and the magic that happens when brands just let her cook.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThis week, Alyssa is joined by the talented multi-hyphenate Chrissy Rutherford to talk about the golden era of working on the internet, wearing every hat during her years as an editor, pioneering digital covers, fighting for what you want, dealing with mediocre people in positions of power, knowing when it’s time to move on from your dream job, leaning into your passions, pivoting into the influencer space, staying curious, building community, valuing authenticity, and finding the power in vulnerability.  

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThe future of media is in great hands! Alyssa is joined by Gutes Guterman, co-founder of The Drunken Canal (RIP) and Byline, to discuss the scrappy newspaper operation that started as a bit, infiltrating the media establishment, figuring things out as you go along, getting wooed by Balenciaga, outgrowing a scene that you're a face of, why working for other people is crucial, what makes a story good, the beauty of collaboration, making branded content exciting, and honing the ability to execute — no matter what.For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comTo kick off the summer, Alyssa sits down with Emily Kirkpatrick, author of the “I <3 Mess” celebrity fashion newsletter, to unpack the sprawling Cannes red carpet. Topics include: the evolution of the naked dress, how Cannes has retained its mystique in the highly commercialized red carpet ecosystem, fashion houses betting big on the movie biz, using Cannes as a backdrop to promote new careers (Romy Mars) and brands (Bella Hadid), celebrities making political statements without saying anything at all, a plea to get Tom Ford back in the director’s chair, and who was best dressed at this year’s event. For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThis week, Alyssa catches up with Marie Claire’s editor-in-chief for a play-by-play of her incredible climb up the masthead at legacy publications like Vanity Fair, Glamour, InStyle, Elle, GQ, and Harper’s Bazaar. Nikki gives a firsthand account of the post-2007 recession vibe shift in media and the days when digital editors were seen as “the weird kids in the corner,” and opens up about how staying curious, being a fast learner, admitting what she doesn’t know, gaining confidence through daily practice (and by osmosis from colleagues), building solid relationships, and being nice have helped her land where she is today.For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.