The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comGet your sunblock, bikini, and beach reads ready! This week, Alyssa sits down with Sophia June, writer and co-founder of the Language Arts Substack, to go deep on this summer’s biggest fashion-adjacent trend: literature. Sophia breaks down what it was like to be at the center of the recent Literary It Girl discourse on Twitter, how big industry names like Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, and Marc Jacobs have turned book selfies into the ultimate signifier of good taste, why digital book clubs (including Kaia Gerber’s stellar Library Science) are such a valuable platform for emerging authors, whether book curators are the newest iteration of stylists, the parallels between BookTok and fashion influencing, the logic behind authors’ partnerships with brands, the pros and cons of Miu Miu’s international Summer Reads activation, and why, in many ways, books are the pinnacle of luxury. 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comIn this week’s jam-packed episode, Alyssa is joined by fashion editor turned author Danielle Prescod to discuss how she’s navigated the publishing world, from digital media to writing books. Tune in for a wealth of Danielle’s insights about working her way up the masthead by starting as a “professional intern,” dealing with ego and racism at work, feeling like a fraud while “performing” how great your job is on social media, transitioning from magazines to the tech startup world, boosting your profile with street style (and using that attention as currency to advance your career), making herself a test subject for stories in exchange for expensive treatments that are unaffordable on an editor salary, the realities of losing editorial access when you switch publications, reinforcing collective psychosis by covering questionable topics to get traffic, the dangers of feeding the content beast and attempting to become a “brand,” getting too emotionally invested in your job, burning yourself out to the point of physical exhaustion, switching careers, and maintaining personhood above all else.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comLog on, let go, and lighten up! This week, Alyssa is joined by writer, editor, and prolific poster Layla Halabian to discuss the highs and lows of brands getting in on a viral moment online, why trust and timing are crucial, how lawless Sylvanian Drama sponcon works so well, why Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson are in a posting league of their own, the power in deeply understanding your customer, the danger in brands being too self-serious instead of embracing whimsy, and what designers can learn from artists like Charli xcx and Lana Del Rey.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comAlyssa catches up with writer Liana Satenstein, the mastermind behind Neverworns (and her former intern!), to discuss Liana’s first byline that changed everything, carving a niche for herself covering Eastern European fashion, getting weird with it during her time at Vogue, the freedom that comes with accepting what you are and aren’t good at, the rush of finding what you’re obsessed with and building something for yourself, outfit repeating, staying just a little bit delusional, going through the industry’s most legendary closets, and the magic that happens when brands just let her cook.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThis week, Alyssa is joined by the talented multi-hyphenate Chrissy Rutherford to talk about the golden era of working on the internet, wearing every hat during her years as an editor, pioneering digital covers, fighting for what you want, dealing with mediocre people in positions of power, knowing when it’s time to move on from your dream job, leaning into your passions, pivoting into the influencer space, staying curious, building community, valuing authenticity, and finding the power in vulnerability.  

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThe future of media is in great hands! Alyssa is joined by Gutes Guterman, co-founder of The Drunken Canal (RIP) and Byline, to discuss the scrappy newspaper operation that started as a bit, infiltrating the media establishment, figuring things out as you go along, getting wooed by Balenciaga, outgrowing a scene that you're a face of, why working for other people is crucial, what makes a story good, the beauty of collaboration, making branded content exciting, and honing the ability to execute — no matter what.For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comTo kick off the summer, Alyssa sits down with Emily Kirkpatrick, author of the “I <3 Mess” celebrity fashion newsletter, to unpack the sprawling Cannes red carpet. Topics include: the evolution of the naked dress, how Cannes has retained its mystique in the highly commercialized red carpet ecosystem, fashion houses betting big on the movie biz, using Cannes as a backdrop to promote new careers (Romy Mars) and brands (Bella Hadid), celebrities making political statements without saying anything at all, a plea to get Tom Ford back in the director’s chair, and who was best dressed at this year’s event. For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comThis week, Alyssa catches up with Marie Claire’s editor-in-chief for a play-by-play of her incredible climb up the masthead at legacy publications like Vanity Fair, Glamour, InStyle, Elle, GQ, and Harper’s Bazaar. Nikki gives a firsthand account of the post-2007 recession vibe shift in media and the days when digital editors were seen as “the weird kids in the corner,” and opens up about how staying curious, being a fast learner, admitting what she doesn’t know, gaining confidence through daily practice (and by osmosis from colleagues), building solid relationships, and being nice have helped her land where she is today.For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comAfter nearly drowning in the sea of Met-related content, Alyssa and Tyler discuss the ROI of brands pouring budget into the event, how the red carpet media machine could benefit from a major refresh, why the gala needs to bring back gatekeeping, the commentator conundrum, whether a Galliano exhibition could actually happen, why guests are so sartorially risk-averse, and what could help restore the Met Gala to its former glory.For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thenewgarde.substack.comAlyssa sits down with the founder of Dimepiece to unpack her fascinating career journey — from producing Coachella brand activations to bringing “trill vibes” to a storied auction house — before a layoff eventually inspired her to launch her own platform. Brynn discusses the pros and cons of being a one-woman operation, the importance of community, trusting your gut, knowing your worth, finding balance between your on- and offline lives, being your silly self in traditionally stuffy environments, and not letting the haters get you down. For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.