The Business of Fashion Podcast

Shiza Waleed, a Business of Fashion reporter who covers sustainability and corporate strategy in fashion, digs into H&M’s claim that green progress can drive growth. She explores the tension between emission cuts and slipping sales. Short takes cover brand perception, whether sustainability signals quality, resale experiments, and the challenge of overproduction. The conversation weighs commercial reality against environmental ambition.

Faye McLeod, visual image and creative director who led Louis Vuitton’s windows and shows for 16 years and now runs studio Closer. She discusses finding inspiration in everyday observation. She recounts a childhood accident that shaped her approach to contained spaces. She explains why shop windows are democratic street theatre and how she builds global teams to execute experiential brand worlds.

Kat Chen, retail editor who covers Revolve and AI in retail. She unpacks Revolve’s tech-first origins and how engineers built it like a data-science company. She describes AI-powered search that finds the right “vibe,” personalization and homepage recommendations, and why Revolve builds in-house tools and uses data to launch private labels and test stores.

Volkan Yilmaz, aka Tanner Leatherstein, grew up in his family's Turkish tannery and now dismantles luxury handbags to reveal what's inside. He talks about growing up with tanning, the viral teardown tests he uses, how price often buys status not quality, and which challenger makers are getting craftsmanship right.

Diana Pearl, a fashion journalist who tracks industry trends, explores why American labels are regaining momentum. She highlights how recalibration, focused identity and iterative hit products have helped brands like Coach. She also contrasts European missteps such as overpricing and creative drift, and discusses store experience, exclusivity strategies and the shifting values driving consumer choices.

Bella Freud, British designer known for knitwear, tailoring and her Fashion Neurosis podcast, chats about coaxing intimate conversations and why a couch changes how people speak. She recalls learning authority at Vivienne Westwood’s Seditionaries, finding early success in Japan, and balancing small-brand agility with harsh cash-flow realities. The conversation explores how podcasting and fashion feed each other creatively.

Rachael Griffiths, BOF beauty correspondent who spotlights fragrance as a fashion accessory. Daniela Morosini, BOF beauty correspondent covering digital trends and AI in scent discovery. They discuss fragrance moving online, short-form video and AI translating scent into feeling. They explore the rise of fragrance wardrobes and layering, and how packaging and formats are being merchandised digitally.

Two critics break down which designers actually moved the needle this season. They unpack Chanel’s quietly powerful debut and the tactile details that drove customer excitement. They debate Gucci’s high-stakes reinvention and whether it can convert buzz into sales. The conversation also highlights fresh signatures at Dior, Marni’s relaunch, theatrical work from Japanese labels, and Tom Ford’s cinematic comeback.

Cathaleen Chen, a macro and consumer-market reporter, explains how energy shocks dent shopper confidence and retailer strategy. Shayeza Walid, a supply-chain and sustainability reporter, reports from Asian manufacturing hubs on energy shortfalls, logistics bottlenecks and synthetic-fibre price spikes. They discuss shipping risks, factory power shortages, and how supply, not just cost, is already strained.

Pete Nordstrom, longtime Nordstrom executive who grew up in the family business, reflects on 125 years of retail and the company’s customer-first DNA. He recounts growing through store roles, building an integrated online and Rack ecosystem, and why taking the company private was the right strategic move. Short, candid stories highlight service, curation and the enduring case for the modern department store.