American Fashion Podcast

Author Kate Black is in the studio talking about her new book, Magnifeco: Your Head-to-Toe Guide to Ethical Fashion and Non-toxic Beauty. Also in the studio, Douglas Hand, a partner at the law firm Hand Baldachin & Amburgey LLP, which has a long history of representing the interests of many brands and retailers, since well before #FASHIONLAW was a thing. A far-ranging discussion ensues. references: * A Sweetheart Becomes Suspect;Looking Behind Those Kathie Lee Labels (NY Times / 1996) * The Fashion Law * Sourcing Journal Summit * Zara Founder Briefly Overtakes Bill Gates As Richest Person In The World * SoftWear Automation * If you care where your fashion comes from, this app can help (...if you live in Australia) * Nike Making App

Siki Im Menswear designer Siki Im talks culture and commerce, expounds on his drive to design, and comments on the difficulty of manufacturing his full line domestically. This is the 77th episode of American Fashion Podcast. The hosts also discuss the Intersect Retail, Pioneer Mode, and Fashion Digital conferences, the Sourcemap materials and production sourcing tool, and the book "Gods and Kings." references: * Loris Diran * Alexander Plokhov * Nicholas K * Carlos Campos * Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano (book) * Sourcemap * Pioneer Mode (conference) * Fashion Digital (conference) * Intersect Retail (conference) * IAC Fashion (conference) * Fashion: Now and Then (conference) * Sourcing Journal Summit (conference) * Decoded Fashion (conference)

Wall Street Journal "Ask Teri" columnist and author of The End of Fashion and Hijacking The Runway, Teri Agins, is in the studio. Recording space for this episode was provided by XRC Labs at Parsons School of Design. references: * Byron Lars * Olivier Rousteing (New Yorker article)  

Jacqueline M. Jenkins is the Dean of Graduate Studies for LIM College, where she leads the development and execution of the College’s graduate-level programs, including the MBA and the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) programs in Fashion Merchandising & Retail Management, Fashion Marketing, Visual Merchandising, and Global Fashion Supply Chain Management. references: * LIM College * Fashion: Now & Then (fashion history conference) * Shoes of Prey (custom shoes) * How Two Guys Lost God and Found $40 Million (Bloomberg) * Alber Elbaz Challenges the Fashion System at FGI’s Night of Stars (WWD / paywall)

A view from the beginning. Young designers Beckett Fogg and Lauren Nahigian talk about their ongoing process of getting started in the fashion industry. Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * Kit Woo * Area * Eckhaus Latta * OS Fashion's Fashiontech Jobs Board * threeASFOUR * Julia Han * H&M Supplier Factories in Bangladesh Still Don't Meet Safety Requirements (The Fashion Law) * Forever 21, BCBG Require Employees to be On-Call, Don't Pay Them for It (The Fashion Law) * The Story Of Ed Hardy, And How I Got My Ed Hardy Tattoo (Gothamist) * Alibaba Lobbies to Stay off US Blacklist List for Fakes (BoF) * Concerning The Spiritual In Art (book)

Fashion writer Lauren Sherman talks with the hosts for nearly two full hours, a new record for this show. The conversation covers everything from fashion criticism and journalism to changes and evolution at New York Fashion Week to the European bias in American fashion media to designers who didn't make it out of the 90s to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and the end of diffusion lines as we've known them. Also, a brief interview with Reem Acra at her bridal show (at the 1:27:33 mark). Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * Quintessentially (Lauren's first gig) * Forbes (Lauren's second gig) * The Power of a Positive No: Save The Deal Save The Relationship and Still Say No (Amazon) * Tommy Ton * The End of Fashion: How Marketing Changed the Clothing Business Forever (Amazon) * Of A Kind * Nanette Lepore * Rachel Comey * Alexis Mabille * Matches Fashion * Pyer Moss (designer Kerby Jean Raymond)

Blair Ethington talks one on one with Charles Beckwith about the Covet Fashion app and the gamification of style and fashion. references: * Brands Woo Millennials With a Wink, an Emoji or Whatever It Takes * China’s Nightmarish Citizen Scores Are a Warning For Americans

Footwear designers Miranda Morrison and Kari Sigerson (formerly of the brand Sigerson Morrison), and Eliza Axelson-Chidsey from Kari's new brand, Alumnae, are in the studio talking art, business, and politics. Trade policy expert Steven Capozzola calls in to give us the lowdown and scary on the the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * Trans-Pacific Partnership Is Reached, but Faces Scrutiny in Congress (NY Times) * American Apparel files for bankruptcy, operations to continue (Reuters) * American Apparel files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (USA Today)

Jessica Hemmer, Senior Designer of Apparel Innovation at Bemis Worldwide, talks about making clothing with adhesives instead of sewing, Sew Heidi talks about making illustrations without pencils, and Patrick Duffy, Fixing Fashion: Rethinking the Way We Make, Market and Buy Our Clothes author Michael Lavergne, Mimi Prober, and Nica Rabinowitz talk about making clothes without wanton destruction, mass human suffering, and the rape of the natural world. Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * episode 62 - How Techpacker Simplifies Designer-Factory Communication * episode 44 - Map All The Sources! * Georgine * Jay Godfrey * Julianna Bass * Intersect Retail conference

We rarely chase breaking news, but this was so big and interesting, Seth and Charles hopped on a Skype call the morning after the story broke for a special episode to talk about the big changes coming at Ralph Lauren Corp., as the designer steps aside from his CEO role to make way for fast fashion executive Stefan Larsson, whom the company hopes will turn their fortunes around. references: * Ralph Lauren, Creator of Fashion Empire, Is Stepping Down as C.E.O. (NY Times) * Ralph Lauren Hands CEO Reins to Stefan Larsson of Old Navy (WWD / paywall) * Reem Acra

Rachel and Marshea Fenderson are in the studio talking about their brand, Pepper Jacques, which makes sizes 0 to 22, and sells exclusively through pop-ups and trunk shows. Seth and Charles debrief on the trade shows. Show floor interviews with Alexa Stark, Christy Lea Payne (CLP Jewelry), Farid Ait Ouabi (Jonathan Cukierman), Lauren Podoll (The Podolls), Suk Chai (Schai), Stephanie Leroux (Totem Salvaged), Wendy Akroyd (Artemisia Handmade), Angie Y (Yangie New York). Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * threeASFOUR * Pascale Gatzen * Robert Di Mauro * Totokaelo * Storefront

Market Week rages across the West side of Manhattan, burning farms and terrifying falafel vendors. Seth and Charles went out in the chaos and recorded this episode from the Axis Trade Show at Pier 92/94. Guests include Steak, designer of Teenage and Hot Lava; Axis show director Vanessa Chu; Melissa Trovato, CEO of Melt Management and Nightwalker; Ainsley Hutchence, owner of Sticks and Stones Agency; and Helena Stuart, founder of Only Hearts. Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. Check out our fashion trade show guide! references: * Capsule Trade Show * Raleigh Denim Workshop * Manufacture New York * Modern Vice

Backstage with Naeem Khan, Reem Acra, Vivienne Tam, Gant, Josie Natori, Tia Cibani, Hellessey, Michael Costello, and more! references: * Fashion Week, Reinvented (NY Times) * Go2Runway * Luke Aaron * Gen Art * Erin Fetherston * Desigual * When Fashion Shows Were Fun (NY Times) * Gant Embarking On A Major Rebranding (WWD / paywall) * City Officials Launch $5 Million Made in N.Y. Marketing Campaign (WWD / paywall) * Charles Beckwith's Instagram * The Blonds Kicked Off NYFW By Making History * Daniel Silverstein and Daniel Silverstain * Badgley Mischka   https://instagram.com/p/7uFLhwt7-Q/ https://instagram.com/p/7i8zyrN7_Y/

Mr. Mickey, editorial director of Paper Magazine, is in the studio... along with WWD's Media Editor Alexandra Steigrad, Manufacture New York's Bob Bland, and fashion and runway photographer Udor. Where are print magazines going? What's the deal with the circle of freelancers who seem to try to write for every major fashion publication? Do magazines affect designers when they're creating a collection? Does "no" mean "not that in that form"? What's the deal with all the intern lawsuits? How do you find opportunities to make your mark in this business? Plus, Mickey's take on street style, style bloggers, and his favorite insult. Check out our fashion trade show guide! Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * CITTA = health + education + economic development * Gary Graham * Mona Kowalska * Rick Owens * Bryan Boy * Susie Bubble * Network (1976 film)

Wendy Brandes and Loris Diran talk about their careers and adventures (part two). Designer Adolfo Sanchez comments on the predicted collapse of American Apparel and the likely impact on the Los Angeles fashion manufacturing community. Recording space for this episode was provided by designers Iuri Shubladze and Luba GnaSevych. references: * H&M's $1m recycling prize is clever but no solution to fast fashion (The Guardian) * The Alternatives: Designers Subverting Fashion’s Status Quo (NY Times) * American Apparel Is Nearly Dead (and It's Not Just Dov Charney's Fault) (Complex) * Maxine Bedat of Zady interviewed on Fashion Is Your Business (FIYB) * Make Life A Ritual