Long seen as the epitome of secrecy and luxury, fashion weeks and long-form documentaries were our only way of finding out the tips and tricks of the fashion industry - but Fashion Week is every week when you've got podcasts in your pocket.
Conventional wisdom says to let the clothes do the talking, but what happens when we can’t see the clothes? Rather than attempting to replace fashion shows and movies, these fashion podcasts are going past the visual and exploring the history and context of collections.
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Whether headed by fashion journalists, industry insiders, or design houses, these podcasts are your inside scoop behind the scenes.
While larger fashion houses have started their own podcasts, it’s not usual for individual designers to start one off the bat. Hosted by New York-based designed Recho Omondi, The Cutting Room Floor is focused on demystifying the fashion industry from the inside. While Omondi has recently focused on young designers, she's also not afraid to talk about historically-taboo topics. From systemic racism’s prominence within the industry, to its complicity in environmental destruction, The Cutting Room Floor’s perhaps most vocal guests include Diet Prada, Bethann Hardison and Heron Preston, who did not shy away from the changes and challenges of fashion.
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This weekly podcast from the editors of Vogue and Conde Nast takes a close and informed look at all the latest happenings in the fashion world; from red carpets to runways, and cultural events that bring style to the forefront. Learn the names of the hottest designers and who they’re dressing, and enjoy the friendly banter from hosts Chloe Malle and Chioma Nnadi alongside a fabulous mix of fashionable guests.
Hosted by Vogue International editor Suzy Menkes, Creative Conversations reads like a roll call for the biggest names in fashion. The legendary critic’s in-depth interviews get the most out of her guests, giving you a truly inspirational listen. Recent guests include Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, Creative Director at Hermès, Sterling Ruby, and Leonard Lauder of Estée Lauder.
Dressed’s deep dives into fashion trends, both past and present, has built a loyal following. Hosted by Cassidy Zachara and April Calahan, Dressed is the perfect listen for anyone who wants to learn more about fashion. Episodes range from interviews with experts on traditional Arab dress, to exploring the rise of Indigenous designers, and the impact of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s iconic collar. This podcast truly answers the “who, what, where, and why” of fashion.
Known as the hub for everything commercial when it comes to fashion, the Business of Fashion Podcast is the program to listen to if you’re interested in the economic side of the industry. Hosted by founder and CEO Imran Amed, this podcast brings you the biggest names in fashion in the designing, investing, and business sides.
Hosted by former Vogue Australia’s Clare Press, Wardrobe Crisis is the hub for all things sustainability and ethical fashion. The podcast explores the role of fashion in climate change, and highlights those who are doing the work. Never judging or patronizing, Press’ approach also examines larger issues of representation, with episodes questioning the womenswear/menswear binary, and others that highlight the work of Native Australian designers.
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Fashion is a huge business. The average American buys a new piece of clothing every 5.5 days! At least, that's according to the website of the Clotheshorse podcast, which is all about the commodification of fashion and the addiction that comes along with it. Amanda Lee McCarty leads the charge and is joined by a variety of guests, picking apart the nostaglia, magic and capitalism mystery that makes fashion such a sport.
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With multiple mini-collections, the Dior Talks podcast takes you through the iconic house’s stance on art, culture and fashion. Each episode features a renowned name from the art world, exploring the ways in which staple Dior pieces have been styled and restyled across decades. Their latest series, Lady Art, partners with ten artists and collectives from around the world in a “game of metamorphosis,” seeing how each can transform the iconic Lady Dior handbag. Host and Paris-based journalist Katya Foreman talks with 10 creatives to see how they transformed the piece.
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Sitting right at the fashion zeitgeist, Corporate Lunch is your home base for hot takes. Hosted by GQ editors Noah Johnson, Rachel Tashhjian, and Samuel Hine, Corporate Lunch touches everything fashion and fashion-adjacent. With guests like singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Aaron Lee Tasjan, and literary couple Nico Walker and Rachel Rabbit White, Corporate Lunch’s guests see past the bubble of fashion.
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Bande à part is built and designed to feel like you are listening to a conversation between two life-long friends, phone lines and ringtones included. Rebecca Arnold, fashion history lecturer at the Courtauld Institute of Art, and Beatrice Behlen, fashion and decorative arts curator at the Museum of London, bring you their “weekly catch-up calls,” discussing anything from packing dresses for museum transport, the Savage x Fenty show, and even clowns.
Need even more fashion in your life? Fill your sense with the history of this great art with a binge-watch session on the couch, taking in each and every must-watch film on our list of favorite fashion documentaries.
Photography by: Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels