Second Life

Jasmin Larian Hekmat is the founder, designer, and CEO of fashion-girl favorite brand Cult Gaia. Hekmat started Cult Gaia as an accessories line, creating stunning pieces that doubled as objets d’art like the iconic Ark Bag. Eventually, she realized that in order to style the pieces the way she envisioned, she’d need to start designing clothes to go with them, thus the ready-to-wear and lifestyle brand was born. Hekmat's commitment to producing meaningful, artistic pieces has never wavered. Today, Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings sits down with the designer to talk about Cult Gaia’s Resort 2024 collection, which was recently shown at the brand’s first official fashion show in Los Angeles.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Though Monique Rodriguez always had an interest in beauty, she initially started her career as a nurse. Monique spent eight years in the medical field, but after experiencing a tragic life event, she returned to her passion for beauty to help work through her grief. She began experimenting with hair product formulations in the kitchen, sharing her personal haircare journey and explaining the science behind the ingredients on social media. But when her followers urged her to bottle and sell the haircare mixtures she was creating, Rodriguez realized that her side project had big potential. In 2014, she launched Mielle with one product, a mint almond hair oil, and since then, Mielle has grown to include 10 collections, arrived on shelves in over 100,000 stores, and in 2023, was acquired by Procter & Gamble, marking the largest exit ever for a Black female beauty founder. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Who What Wear Editor in Chief Kat Collings, editor Eliza Huber, and associate editor Yusra Siddiqui are here to walk you through the second annual Low-Cost, High-Joy Gift Guide. After spending weeks curating a list of 53 unique, delightful items that won't break the bank this holiday season, our editors have unlocked the golden rules of gifting in 2023: 1) Socks are actually a great gift when they're from Sandy Liang. 2) When in doubt, gift something that was made in France. 3) If you're not pausing The Real Housewives of New York City during scenes in Jenna Lyons's home, you're missing out on crucial gifting inspiration.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After graduating with her master's degree in fashion journalism and racking up industry internships at publications like British Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily, Alice Bell set out to become a fashion editor. She landed a coveted role as a fashion assistant at U.S. Vogue, and while working there, started spending her free time dissecting her love life through the lens of astrology. While her interest in editorial work waned, she quickly became the unofficial office astrologer for Vogue employees, and wanting to share her knowledge with a larger community, she began offering readings for free on her social media. Soon, Bell realized that astrology was her calling and quit her job to pursue it full-time. Flash forward to today, and Alice is a full-time astrologer, author of Trust Your Timing, podcast host, and, in a full-circle moment, the resident astrologer at British Vogue.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Who What Wear Beauty Director Erin Jahns is back just in time to prepare us for December’s many celebratory events. The holiday season is the perfect time to experiment with new beauty looks, and whether you’re a beauty pro looking to re-create the year’s biggest runway trends or a makeup novice trying to elevate your look in one simple step, Erin’s got you covered. Plus, she’s recommending which brands to shop for the most festive products and sharing tips for ensuring your makeup lasts all night long. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2020, Lindsay Holden, alongside her Co-Founders Britta Chatterjee and Shannon Kearney, set out to disrupt the haircare space with the launch of their clean, inclusive, and salon-grade haircare brand, Odele. Derived from the Norwegian phrase for “to share,” Odele can be used by anyone who shares a shower, regardless of age or gender. Despite launching amid a global pandemic, the company reached profitability in the first six months of business, and today, the line is on shelves at CVS, Ulta, and Target. But before getting Odele on major retailer shelves, Lindsay worked on the other side: she spent eight years working at Target in various buyer and merchandising manager roles within the domestics and home department, learning what makes a great product. Even before that, she spent her early career as an account manager, first at the mattress company Serta, and later, at image-licensing business Corbis. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Laura Brown, former editor in chief of InStyle, talks about bridging the gap between the fashion world and community-building programs. She discusses her collaboration with French brand Sézane, her involvement with (RED)'s Creative Council, and her passion for journalism and creating meaningful experiences. Brown also shares her travel experiences, challenges of entrepreneurship, and shooting the collection in Paris.

Back in 2015, Gara and her team at Post Investment Group recognized the lack of affordable yet elevated massage experiences—and The Now was born. With chic design and exceptional massages at the forefront of their business, they opened the first boutique as a calming oasis within Los Angeles, and over the last eight years, The Now has grown to over 50 locations, launched a line of wellness products, and introduced a membership model. But Gara’s not stopping there: in 2022, using her learnings from The Now, she created Bowie Barker, a full-service pet grooming and self-wash business. But before she was growing two businesses simultaneously, she applied her keen eye for design and sharp attention to detail to making jewelry. What started as a creative outlet during her years spent as an entertainment industry assistant quickly became her buzzy, celeb-favorite line, Gara Danielle. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Hillary sat down with Kristen Nichols, Who What Wear's associate director of special projects. Kristen put together this year's Luxury Report, which details the brands and celebrities influencing designer shopping, the most coveted high-end items of 2023, and, of course, the ins and outs of the quiet-luxury trend. Plus, Kristen shares how to source sold-out items like the Alaïa fishnet flats, and Hillary explains her theory on why all fashion leads back to the Olsen twins.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Though Heidi is a highly sought-after interior designer now, she didn’t predict she’d end up in the design world. After graduating with a masters in international public health, she spent her early career working at a medical clinic in the Gambia. But when she returned to the U.S. to continue working, she was disappointed by how administrative many of the stateside roles were and began a quest to find a new career. She tried a variety of career paths including bartending, acupuncture school, and teaching scuba, but she still couldn't find anything that felt right to her. That is, until she began blogging about design. Through her blog, Heidi landed her first job at a design firm, and eventually, she set out to create a firm of her own. Today, her firm works on projects across the country, and just this September, Heidi debuted a book called Memories of Home, which details 12 of her incredible projects. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.