The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan

As we approach the end of what feels like the longest year on record, Alyssa sits down with fashion writer Alexandra Hildreth [https://substack.com/profile/208047323-alexandra-hildreth] to discuss the many highs and lows of the past 12 months in fashion. Topics include, but are not limited to: trad wives, bag charms, mall brands, SKIMS, cowboys, the TikTok ban, designer musical chairs, boho chic, the Galliano comeback, the death of personal style, the Chanel job, brat, print magazines, man-on-the-street style interviews, underconsumption-core, and blogger discourse déjà vu. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com [https://thenewgarde.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Holiday shopping season is in full swing! Ahead of the onslaught of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Alyssa sat down with Nicola Fumo [https://substack.com/profile/241325-nicola-fumo], host of the Attention Recession [https://tr.ee/zyKycm2Hse] podcast and a senior commerce editor at People, for a conversation on the state of commerce content, from gift guides to Amazon Live. Tune in for an entertaining explainer on all things affiliate, as well as Nicola’s insights on why data-driven gift guides have replaced vibes-based ones; the pressure publishers are under to hit their story and revenue quotas during the holiday season; the disclosure conundrum when it comes to affiliate revenue; the evolution of the market editor as a career; how culture has arrived back at QVC and we’re all infomercial stars now; dealing with choice paralysis and why being a smart consumer is crucial; the experience of shopping on TikTok vs. on Instagram; how Amazon Live has become an additional platform for Bravolebrity drama and red carpets; the “holiday sale haul” content genre and the SSENSE sale becoming a meme; what makes a gift guide stand out in a crowd of clickbait; gift guides as voyeurism; and why personal recommendation content is having a breakthrough moment as an escape from the algorithm-based internet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com [https://thenewgarde.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

While 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 [https://sorbarasnewyork.com/] (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 [https://www.thesq.com/locations/nyc/205-hudson]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com [https://thenewgarde.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

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 [https://substack.com/profile/4965930-madeline-hill], author of the Impersonal Foul [https://www.impersonalfoul.com/] newsletter and co-host of The Sports Gossip Show [https://www.sportsgossipshow.com/] 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 would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com [https://thenewgarde.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

All hail the queen! This week, Alyssa sits down with beloved publicist, consultant, and co-founder of the Black in Fashion Council [https://www.blackinfashioncouncil.com/], 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 public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com [https://thenewgarde.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]