Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud cover art
Podcast · 96 episodes

Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud

by Bella Freud · English

Each week join the renowned fashion designer Bella Freud as she invites a special guest to lie on the couch and explore the connection between fashion and identity. Bella’s conversations begin with questions about style: what we reveal and hide through the clothes we wear. Bella also shares her own anecdotes and the conversations expand into deeper discussions on life’s universal themes - love, identity, culture, anxiousness, and even politics. Through a series of tailored questions, Bella creates a relaxed, intimate atmosphere where her guests - ranging from fashion icons to cultural figures in sport, art, music, film, and literature - reveal more about themselves than they might expect. Fashion is often dismissed as surface, but in this podcast it becomes the lens through which we examine our inner lives, relationships, and society. Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud offers a unique, thoughtful, and engaging conversation that goes far beyond what we wear, diving into the unspoken language of clothing and the ways in which we use style to navigate and communicate in the world. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. www.fashionneurosis.com www.fashionneurosis.substack.com @fashioneurosis_bellafreud

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Glenn MartensGlenn Martens (Fashion Neurosis) discusses his personal style, how clothing shapes identity, and his approach to leading Maison Margiela and Diesel—plus grief after his mother’s suicide in 2023 and…30 Sep 2026 · 1 h 1 min · 24 chapters
Carlos AcostaFashion Neurosis conversation with Carlos Acosta about identity, style, and how ballet shaped his life—plus reflections on Cuba, migration, athleticism in ballet, performance emotion, and sugar…23 Sep 2026 · 1 h 28 min · 32 chapters
Martine SymsMartine Syms discusses her multidisciplinary art practice (publishing, photography, video, installation, performance), her conceptual approach to entrepreneurship, and how myths, religion, and AI…16 Sep 2026 · 1 h 24 min · 23 chapters
Anthony VaccarelloFashion Neurosis episode with designer Anthony Vaccarello (Yves Saint Laurent creative director) discussing how he uses clothing and creativity to avoid self-consciousness, and how fashion connects…9 Sep 2026 · 58 min · 23 chapters
David SedarisFashion Neurosis interviews essayist and novelist David Sedaris about how clothing, shame, and family dynamics shape his life and writing.2 Sep 2026 · 1 h 11 min · 29 chapters
RERUN: Rick OwensRick Owens (rerun) discusses personal style as a form of dignity, protest against judgment, and a tool for open-mindedness; he also connects fashion to aging, mythology, body image, sobriety, and…26 Aug 2026 · 59 min · 22 chapters
RERUN: Zadie SmithZadie Smith discusses how clothing functions as self-definition, confidence, and “characterization,” linking fashion choices to memory, feminism, misogyny, and identity.19 Aug 2026 · 54 min · 26 chapters
RERUN: Kate MossFashion Neurosis rerun episode “Kate Moss” features Kate Moss and host Bella discussing Moss’s style, early modeling experiences, and how clothing affects confidence.12 Aug 2026 · 48 min · 23 chapters
Laurie Anderson - Live at Tribeca FestivalLaurie Anderson discusses “Fashion Neurosis” (her approach to fashion as coded storytelling), dreams and psychoanalysis, and animal collaborations, mixing personal anecdotes with creative philosophy.5 Aug 2026 · 1 h 17 min · 28 chapters
Shania TwainThe episode is a wide-ranging interview with Shania Twain about her fashion choices and self-expression, her approach to self-improvement vs self-criticism, managing stage fright and fear, and…29 Jul 2026 · 1 h 20 min · 21 chapters
RMA mixed-format episode that includes Ryan Reynolds/Mint Mobile and Amazon Prime ads, then a Fashion Neurosis interview with BTS leader RM about style, art, loneliness/leadership, creative process,…22 Jul 2026 · 1 h 5 min · 28 chapters
Rashida JonesRashida Jones discusses fashion as self-expression and control, maternal qualities in relationships, anxiety vs certainty, humor as survival, and how empathy and listening counter prejudice.15 Jul 2026 · 1 h 2 min · 23 chapters
FleaLongevity and “tune-ups” via future regenerative medicine, then a long conversation about Flea’s life—style, music collaborations, and how childhood trauma became art and a lifelong practice of…8 Jul 2026 · 1 h 32 min · 36 chapters
Leïla SlimaniConversation with author Leïla Slimani about fashion as identity, visibility, and “disguise,” plus writing, loneliness, freedom, fear, and themes of revenge/forgiveness in her work.1 Jul 2026 · 1 h 18 min · 29 chapters
Charli xcxCharli xcx discusses how music, fashion, and creativity help her manage emotions; her “Disney grunge” style; body confidence vs insecurity; collaboration and jealousy among peers; and how clothing…24 Jun 2026 · 1 h 11 min · 25 chapters
John CurrinJohn Currin discusses how portraiture and his paintings’ sexuality, masculinity, and “European” elegance are shaped by childhood imagery (especially Sears/Montgomery Ward catalogs), 1970s clothing…17 Jun 2026 · 1 h 27 min · 33 chapters
Colm TóibínFashion Neurosis interview with Irish novelist Colm Tóibín, focusing on clothing as identity, the psychology of writing, and grief/abandonment that recur in his fiction.10 Jun 2026 · 1 h 17 min · 31 chapters
Stephen JonesStephen Jones, a world-famous milliner, discusses how hats function as communication, protection, and “accent” in fashion; his career working with designers (especially Vivienne Westwood and John…3 Jun 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 23 chapters
PeachesA wide-ranging conversation with punk rock singer/performance artist Peaches about fashion as self-agency, sexuality and body shame, identity, and how her stage persona developed through audience…27 May 2026 · 1 h 18 min · 36 chapters
Jerry HallFashion Neurosis episode featuring Jerry Hall (Geri Hall) discussing her style, modeling career, relationships, and personal philosophy, with anecdotes spanning Texas, Paris, Studio 54, Mustique, and…20 May 2026 · 1 h 2 min · 29 chapters
FKA twigsFKA twigs discusses fashion as self-unearthing and repurposing (red carpet-to-tracksuit morphing), her upbringing and drive, reliability as a value, and how she approaches performance through…13 May 2026 · 1 h 31 min · 34 chapters
Dan LevyDan Levy discusses fashion as self-discovery and storytelling, plus how costume design shaped Schitt’s Creek and how he builds his own style (glasses, suits, packing, body confidence).6 May 2026 · 1 h 18 min · 29 chapters
Kristen McMenamyKristen McMenamy discusses fashion choices and style, her 90s supermodel rise, and how insecurity shaped her work.29 Apr 2026 · 1 h 5 min · 27 chapters
Arlo ParksArlo Parks discusses how fashion, literature, music, and personal rituals shape her identity and songwriting—plus how early success, restlessness, and mental health intersect with her career.22 Apr 2026 · 56 min · 26 chapters