The 2026 Fashion Discourse So Far

0:28Hello and welcome to Fashion People. I am back. I told you there would be news while I was out. Always happens. I therefore have the latest on the Saks global situation in line sheet on Monday. As you may have heard, the company that owns Saks with Avenue Bergorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus is prepping for a potential Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. It was only right that you start off the year. And that Bill Cohan, my colleague Q, writes, drop powder is going to be on the podcast on Friday. and we're going to really get into this. Three of you brought to it. But I did take a break from my break to break the news that CEO Mark Metric wants a guest of the show who left the business.

1:11Might be interesting to listen to that episode now after everything that's gone down. I also have the profile of sales figures in Monday's issue. What were you up to over the holidays? Did you go to Greece? Anyway, today's episode is really packed so I won't keep you any longer. But thanks for all the great feedback. I sometimes travel, but a lot of times they don't. Because like you, my job involves so much travel. And if you have any guest requests, let me know. I have a really good feeling about this year, despite all the craziness in the world. But let's get going with me. For book tour and some other, you know, stuff.

1:49And so by the time Christmas holidays rolled around, I was very psyched to go to the movies. and take a nap. And then I also, I had to move out of my apartment for a month because of repairs. So I also just did like a huge, like decluttering, like is that, wow, that flower is expired kind of, you know, thing. You are one to sell clothing on Instagram. What is your experience with that? Do you enjoy doing that? I feel like the thing that would stress me out, the thing that would stress me out is the shipping it out to people. shipping it out is easy you just kind of like buckle down and do it one day I also have I live in a doorman building so for locals I can just leave it all downstairs and people can kind of pick it up at their leisure um but no the shipping is easy also I love just like a task like that that I can um cross off my to-do list and just be done with but I've had good luck I mean I think eBay to me has been miserable.

3:00People are always trying to get refunds or they buy it and don't pay. The real, real I'll use, but you get so little money that it just feels like, oh, great. I got$30 for this one-year-old Drees blouse. Yeah. And I feel like I have good stuff. And often when I'm getting rid of it, it's either because it doesn't fit anymore. I have a, you know, a notoriously yo-yoing weight. So depending on where I am, I'm getting rid of stuff. Or it's just like my Rachel Comey sweatshirt ears. I'm done with. I also like everyone made a lot of pandemic purchases that were like, oh, I guess I'm only wearing pleats, please, for the rest of my life because I'm locked inside.

3:48And then we're like associating something with like a time or relationship or something and just kind of wanting to be done with it. But I like I have a huge wardrobe, but I also like I wear all of it. So I keep it to stuff that I that's in the rotation. Yeah, I like clearing the decks. And the funny thing is I do make I sell stuff that I regret. I just sell to the RealReal because it's the easiest and the cleanest. And I just feel like it's simple. But I just bought a beautiful Phoebe Celine shirt on the RealReal about 10 minutes ago. So I am a shopper. Yes. But I think I just sold five more things that I think a couple of them I did have emotional connections to, but was just like, this is crazy.

4:37I have enough stuff. I have beautiful clothes I don't need and I want to be able to buy new stuff next year. So that that's like the next step is like, what are what is the wardrobe going to look like for 2026? 2026 for you I think it's gonna be I think for both I mean I have been in Chanel and I as you know I'm Virginie's biggest defender um but I'm also very I I think being sort of Becky Malinsky or some of the rare both and Chanel people where I love Virginie and wore it and look great in it and I'm excited for the Mathieu stuff. My prediction for you is Mathieu, you're going to go big. Am I going to get that suit?

5:26Maybe. Someone sent it to me. I'm not going to. Because of you is like one piece. You're going to get a jacket or a really good blouse or a really good pant or something. I hope so. I hope that's in my future. I want like a flippy skirt of his because I'm a real skirt person. I want that plaid jacket and low rise pencil skirt and it's$27 ,000 total. So I don't think that's happening. But yeah, I want you to have like a$5 ,000 range piece. Which is still a lot of money, but you know, you can buy something good. Like, will I get the Charvet shirt? Maybe if I can. Maybe. Maybe the Charvet shirt is very you.

6:09The Charvet shirt's not me with the chain link. It's more, it's too feminine for me. But I think, look, we're doing this big Paris trip. So I am trying not to buy anything before I get to Europe because we're going to be there from March through July. Yes. And I just think I'm going to want new stuff. You'll be there for the whole sales season. I'm going to introduce you to Margot, my Alaya girl who will ruin you for life. She just texted me the private sale items. Fortunately, they're not very me. So, you know, I'm excited not to buy things. But yeah, I mean, I'm like you in that I sound like such an asshole about shopping because I do all of it in person and I do a large percentage of it, probably like 80 percent or more in Europe.

6:59Yes. Look, like someone said to me the other day, you're such a shopaholic. Definitely have a shopping problem. I wouldn't call myself a shopaholic. I really am like don't buy that many things and just buy a couple. a year and then I get like sweatshirts and vintage sweatshirts or whatever. But it is true that we are very lucky that we go to Europe all the time and everything's cheaper there. And it's just, it's a nice way to live. Yeah. We also know who we are in that. Yes. I think a shopaholic is someone who's buying also stuff for like imagined or other lifestyles or people than they are. like everything you and I buy looks like us.

7:44It just happens to be that there are a lot of things that I, you know, it might be two of the same Elias sweaters and different colors because, you know, they're both very me and you know, well, I don't have a car. So there you go. I do. I have two. I have two cars, a home. I'm moving to Paris for five months. I have a lot of stuff. I can't be buying shit, but yeah. Well, and yet, and yet. But it's going to be, I think it's 2026 is going to be a really fun year. That's what I would say. It just feels like. Yeah. I'm excited to see all of the fashion turnover, new designer stuff hitting the stores.

8:21Yeah. Yeah. Speaking of, what did you think of Dior.com on January 1st or January 2nd when all the Jonathan Anderson stuff dropped? That was a really big way to say welcome to 2026. that and the people being stranded in St. Barts, bless. Wait, I don't know about that what happened. There is because of the, you know, various issues happening in Latin America with our president. And there were flights that were grounded in many Caribbean countries, including St. Barts. So many people on fancy like Turks and Caicos and St. Barts vacations had flights canceled until, I don't know, maybe like midweek this week or something.

9:08There was a Diplolo hosted party or something like that. Like it sounds fabulous. Politics aside, did you feel like there were more people in St. Bart's this year? Because I did. Yeah, and I don't know. I think the Daily Mail had a whole guide to the yachts. I do. I sort of understand that and I also don't. Like I once in the kind of early height of Tulum, I was there for the Christmas and New Year's week. And it was just like all New Yorkers. I ran into Emily Weiss on the beach. I saw Carolyn Murphy. It was it just kind of made me feel kind of icky, like go on a real vacation. Yeah. Have you been to St.

9:55Barts? Shockingly, no, I have not. I think I would like it because I'm such a Francophile. But yeah. You would like it during a different season. Emmy Parsons, our friend Emmy Parsons, maker of Great Sandals, got married there. Oh. And she got married in the hotel that is now owned by LVMH. I love that. That was not when. The Cheval Blanc. Whatever it was. Yes, but it wasn't a Cheval Blanc then. Look, any friends of mine or even distant acquaintances that are listening to this, I invite you to get married in St. Bart's or other beautiful destinations. The reason it's so great is because when you go into the grocery store, it smells like a French grocery store.

10:38Oh, right. And they probably have like the weird cookies and, you know, all that stuff. It just smells exactly the same. And that is the main reason to go to St. Bart's. Yeah, yeah. So let's talk to Yort. What did you think of the rollout? Did you like anything? Was there anything that you were like, oh, I'd actually buy that? What did you admire? What did you think could be improved upon? I think first off is like it's not for me, but like Jonathan Anderson and no one else cares about that. And also I'm always happy when something isn't for me because I don't need more things to spend money on.

11:13I buy a lot. I think it's very, I think you call it like product. Like he's a good product designer. Like those belts with the gold Dior sort of like emblem and, you know, the Dior logo on so many things. I personally can only foresee the corniest kind of person wearing that in the manner of the Hermes H belt or even like a Loewe or Celine logo belt. Same with like the shoes. But I think they'll sell well. And they look great on someone like Mia Goth or, you know, Louis Gorel, my king, looks amazing and all of the men stuff. But, you know, no, very few people are Louis Gorel or Mia Goth. And I think it has a wide market.

12:10But, you know, those people are like rock stud Valentino people. Yeah, look, like, I don't know what's going to happen. and I wrote in my column on Monday, there was a lot of price differences in the pre-order men's line sheet and what actually went to retail. I think some of the materials were changed, but the prices were like in some cases slashed in half. So yeah, I think it's really interesting. And that happens sometimes with line sheets, but not usually that much. So it was really notable. What do you think that indicates though? does that mean that it's um a shittier fabric they're a different fabric that costs less yes a different material but also it could mean that you know they are looking because a lot of this stuff it's not really based on raw materials and it is to an extent and then it's marketing it's that they are really considering and being thoughtful with the pricing if you look at the the slingback shoes, which are very cute.

13:15They're cute. Definitely not. Not for me either. But they're a thousand. A lot of shoes right now are$1 ,500. That was done on purpose. And I think - So smart. The dumbest, most middle-brow shoes now are approaching that amount. So why wouldn't you wear Dior? At the very least, because then you could resell them well. It makes a lot of sense. Totally. And in one of our Slack channels this morning, Liz Goff, who runs the business side at Puck, who hopefully will be very excited that I mentioned her name on the podcast. She was like, I want the bow bag. And so she is like a pretty traditional dresser and likes trendy stuff.

13:59And she'll probably get it. It's$4 ,300. People like that Clover bag. I mean, I think the bags are cute. I love the shoes. I think the book totes are dumb. the book totes and the book t-shirt i i'm good yeah but um but i think look like i thought the david sims advertising was fabulous i really liked it and i love jonathan anderson creates a world with who he picks to wear it that is deeply enticing i love the stuff that looks a little bit 19th century yeah but i like i like to look at it but it's gonna be like striped rugby shirts with the bow bags and all. Yeah. And I wish the rugby shirt was eighteen hundred dollars instead of twenty four hundred.

14:47I think there are little things like that and they'll figure it out. Look, what I said was, is this going to be wildly successful? I really do not know. It's a matter of taste and it's a matter of market reaction. But I think the reality of it is when he got that job, the sort of remit was fourteen billion euros to get to from like they're probably at nine at this point at nine or ten i don't think that that's probably the goal right now i think they'll get there naturally someday but i think right now the idea is let's make a profit on stuff that people want relatively en masse so um i'll be interested in the older customer because maria grazia had an older customer that wore it that was very like elegant and this to me reads very girlish.

15:38And so I'll be curious to see if those women carry on, you know, the way that like the Virginie Chanel people, like will they carry on with Mathieu? I think there are two things. One is I agree and I think a lot of those people are going to go to Fendi. But on the other hand, like when you look at the way these clients actually dress, you think that they want the old lady stuff, the old ladies want the old lady stuff. They actually like the tacky stuff. Oh, of course. They want like two-piece sets. That's what everyone is buying that is that age. I think these little flower, like the white with the little red flowers.

16:16Personally, my bet is on the jewelry. The only thing I really want is the ladybug jewelry. The costume is$500 for all that daisy stuff. I think it's super cute. Yeah. Like if I was younger, I would totally, yeah. I would buy it to someone as like a graduation gift. That would be a good one. Yeah, it's like very Romy Mars. Like I could see her wearing something. Kind of like Gucci back when it was a couple steps cheaper. Early McKaylee days. The ladybug necklace from the men's is fine. Should we just have a podcast where I just comment on like prices of yours? Yes. Just me offering ongoing commentary.

16:55If the ladybug necklace was costume, I might buy it. I will not purchase the fine because I... Can you tell me what is your jewelry direction for 2026? Mine is silver. Sure. I'm embracing silver. I need to get diamonds. Oh, okay. Well, that's really... That's rooted in... rooted in the earth. So I... This is what I would say. This bitch is moving to Paris and buying diamonds. Look, here's the thing. I have a really, I don't have a lot of jewelry. I have a ton of silver. You don't. You're not like me. No, I have a ton of silver, mostly Sophie Buhay. I have a lot. I collect her jewelry. Who do you?

17:41I have a nice watch and I have a Danielle Sherman gold necklace and gold earrings. That's the only jewelry I own. I need some sort of diamond situation. Are we thinking, okay, my thing, this is controversial, but don't do lab grown diamonds. get the no I'm not look look I get estate I love you know but I was born and raised wearing estate jewelry I love it but I love estate jewelry also my ring my wedding and engagement are estate I think look like Leandra Medina is making very cool lab grown diamonds oh with and she's a good with Yael yeah Leandra's a good friend of mine like maybe I'll get something from her for a discount but um i know i was i'm sure i don't know what the discount's gonna be look if she makes something that's amazing i'll i'll that for me it will be amazing but for me i would buy it but no i want you want like a tennis bracelet a tennis neck i want a necklace or or a bracelet or a pair of earrings or something i'm getting diamonds this year like that's i don't know in what capacity but they will be mine i have a lot of diamonds that you can still get for like fairly cheap if it's not like Van Cleef or Cartier or something.

18:56Yeah, I don't want anything crazy. I just want some sort of diamond piece. I don't want famous last words. I don't want anything crazy. I just want a rivière. Yeah, exactly. But I just think like, this is what I need to add to my wardrobe. I'm not a big jewelry person and I never will be. I love that for you.

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20:13The other thing that I feel like more people are going to have in their wardrobe this year is fur. Oh yeah. Which Kate Young mentioned. I'm a big fur person. I am I am not a big fur person but I am pro everyone doing what they want and I linked are you not a big fur person ideologically or no I don't live in New York clearly don't care clearly don't care I don't this is not a political podcast but let's just be let's just be reasonable about these things everything is anytime you buy anything you are making an impact so if you think that the purchase you're making is better than someone else's purchase you are full of shit so like do what you want and have the morals and the like ethics that you have but like just know that whatever you're buying if you're buying stuff you are not perfect so i don't judge anybody to do anything it's more that i used to have the eve solomon army jacket oh yeah for a line that i love who didn't and i paid for mine whereas most people it was gifted anyway yeah they gifted them like crazy yeah but um one of the pieces of clothing in my closet that's the oldest is like a 15 year old that's like in rotation is a 15 year old rabbit fur opening ceremony jacket amazing that's great that i still wear yeah aurora james did a wrote a piece over the break about fur because the cfda where she is the i believe the vice president she's a leader there and on the board they voted to like ban fur at fashion week and there was a lot of stuff coming out and she basically said look like there is there's a lot of the you and i really don't have have the privilege to talk about about fur in black culture and terry agins actually also emailed me about this like the the role of fur in black culture and um you mean as sort of a signifier of success sure but it's just like a like i'll just quote aurora there's a very real history of fur being one of the earliest ways black women were able to acquire and signal wealth the new york times has written about this it's an important part of the conversation and also she says she talks about like she believes like their factory farmed fur is not okay but there are other kinds of fur and she just said like it's a more nuanced conversation than just saying no fur or what have you and I think like it's just so interesting to me the cycle of no fur fur no fur fur and it goes in and out in and out in and out and um and I just think this year is going to be a year of I think we're all trying to live a little more in the gray area we've been living in a very polarized world where it's either black and white, right or wrong.

23:11And I don't think we can live like that anymore. And everyone's sort of realizing that. Yeah. I mean, I think we've realized that certain, you know, anti-fur places have their own sort of agenda. And look, I think a lot of people eat meat. A lot of people wear leather. I am much more sympathetic to cows, which I love and yet still wear leather and eat meat. I don't, I'm going to be honest, I don't care about minx. I just, I mean, you know, like give me an ocelot, give me an ermine, I don't know what they're even called. Like even a fox, there's a lot of them. Like in London, they're everywhere.

23:55You know what a real concept would be? What? The new first lady of New York City wearing a fur. Do you think that'll happen? Not with the current one. No. She's not wearing fur. She already got taken to task for wearing, what,$625 boots, which I'm laughing at. Because I thought, wow, that's a great deal for boots. And then I saw that people, the discourse was about how expensive they were. What do you think about her? Rama Duwaji. That's how you pronounce it correct. I'm not listening. To me, she is a very specific type of sort of archetype of New York City girl who is, who's, I would say who wears boots everywhere all the time.

24:43I think she wore boots at her wedding. She wore boots to, it's a certain, like, I am not like the other girls a little bit or I am with the other girls or something. Like it's a real kind of like feminist, you know, young millennial Gen Z kind of look. She makes me feel old, both at how young that she got married and that she's first lady and potentially about 20 years younger than me. I'm excited for her. I'm excited for a whole different kind of woman in sort of that situation.

25:29I don't envy her with how everything that she wears is going to be, you know, so deeply picked apart, more so probably than her husband. I don't like her aesthetic and personally. That's interesting. And would probably steer it in a little bit less of a Brooklyn direction. I think I would. But I'm deeply not her. And she seems very confident and happy in how she dresses. And it's not about what I, Marissa Meltzer, resident of the Upper East Side with gray hair, who like writes about French people, wants for her. Do you know what I mean? even though I do live near Gracie Mansion. Yeah, look like I really like the way she looks.

26:21I have no opinion. I just, I would like a different, it's a little cliche Brooklyn girl to me. Sure, yes, that is true. What I think is interesting is this is going to be a real fun thing for a lot of the indie European brands, especially. Like she's wearing Renaissance Renaissance, obviously because the designer is Palestinian. Yeah, yeah, that's cool. But I think I think like when you look at politics in the U.S. versus like we all know, like you talk to anyone, anyone in New York City about Mom Donnie, who's over the age of 40. And they're basically like, I'm a Democrat, but I hate him. Like, it's just and whatever.

27:05I'm not involved. I don't I didn't know New York City. I have no opinion about this. But but I would say that in Europe where like these conversations, again, talking about nuance are a little more nuanced. Yeah. They're all into this because they're all like all they see is this person. It's almost like the opposite of Trump. Yeah. And they just see this like where they all see they think Trump is a businessman. And so like they're not as afraid of him. Right. They don't see. And they see that she's an artist. I would like to see her in like I feel like she will wear something like puppets and puppets or.

27:45Oh, yes. She will wear. Doesn't exist anymore, but yes. Oh, they don't. Sorry. This is how I hope. I hope not. I could see her wearing like Chapova. I would like to see her in like a maybe some of the moodier Dries pieces. I would like to see her in kind of like a Carolyn Bessette does Yoji moment. I would like to tweak her a little bit higher and also go a little bit lower. Like I'd like to see her in tailored sort of like Ben Davis or like pants or workwear pants with like a really good sweater. But she has her thing. yeah and I think if she had stuck with Bailey Moon then that would have been the direction but she went with Gabrielle Carifa Johnson who is fashion and is like a cool girl and she's going to put her in cool girl brands so it's interesting I mean look she's gorgeous she has a great body that probably looks good in everything she's young she definitely has taste and opinions so it's exciting there's a reason why I'm not a stylist because I would literally everyone I'd be like what about a collarless black Chanel jacket well speaking of let's talk speaking of stylists let's talk about this weekend's celebrity red carpets because there was the critics choice awards and then there was also like the Palm Springs festival that it suddenly become very big and caring sponsored it and like everyone was there.

29:21The Palm Springs International Film Festival yeah it's like a first kind of big stop. It's the way there's like a Santa Barbara film festival or awards or something that's right before the Oscars that everyone goes to as part of their rounds. So how happy were you with the transformation of Jesse Buckley into Marissa Meltzer clothes by Danielle Goldberg? I mean, I really, Hamnet really worked on me. I sobbed. I've been a fan of hers for a long time. So I love that now we share the same wardrobe. It's good. And I think she's so cool. I love her. I'm rooting for her in every way. What else? I, what did you think about, I mean, this is critics choice, but what did you think about Timmy and Kylie?

30:17I love I'm sorry Timmy and his partner of three years his foundation he could not do it without her she looked pretty I'm like over criticizing her and not understanding how someone can't see what's underneath which is not that and we should talk about she's doing her Elizabeth Hurley Versace thing she looks pretty I would like to see her in some of the new Balenciaga? Like I'd like to see her eleganza it up. No. You're overthinking it. That is, that is. Again, this is why I'm not a stylist. This is why I'm a dreamer. Let's talk about him because he wore Givenchy men's. I loved it. I loved it.

31:04Double, it was a little bit like Dick Tracy costume. I don't care. And I'm not like into him. Oh, I'm into him. I've been a very early adopter. I'm a fan of his but I'm not like he's not like a person even if I was 25 years old that I would like have a crush on I don't have a crush on him I want to be him and embody him and have the like charisma and luck and talent that he has I feel similarly but I think he looked great and I love that so much I love when he wears Hyder Ackerman too that's the thing I love his like Hyder he looks so beautiful in that stuff that that is my soft spot um and i'd love to see him in some of those tom ford suits but um yeah i think he looked cool it kind of nods to marty supreme in that you know dick tracy sort of thing i i see fashion in general for both men and women going in kind of a 50s direction or it has been and i'm i do really love that silhouette so same i'm into it i think that that look is really flattering on men also who are bigger than he is like you know if you have a dad bod you look really hot in those sorts of 50s silhouettes double-breasted suit looks good yeah I grew up with a fan that wore suit every day and he wore double-breasted more than like Armani 80s but yeah he wore almost exclusively double-breasted and I adore them yeah I'm excited for like a 50 circle skirt I tried on a Ralph Rucci skirt at Scout the other day and I didn't buy it.

32:44And now I'm like, I might go back and get it. It's a little cream, little 50s skirt. And I was like, what will I wear it with? But what would I wear it with? I don't know. A little sweater. But it's just like, is that me? Like, I was like, can I wear it with a gray t-shirt? I was going to say, or like a little, like, cashmere wool or silk t-shirt. I might go back. I'm going to go back and see if they have it. So, I'm I'm wearing a black circle skirt with a, I believe, a costume of a sailor's. Perfect. Perfect. You're fancier than me. But Jesse Buckley at the Palm Springs wore Dries Van Noen. And I thought it looked quite good.

33:25And it was very, I reminded me of you. The one I want to talk to you is about, which I have loved Givenchy red carpet. But Renata. I don't know. Yeah. Who I am like. I adore her. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed with her. Sentimental Value was really one of my favorite movies of the year. It's so moving. It's so beautifully done. I've been a fan of that director since his first movie, which everyone should go see. But yeah, she looked great. But also she - Well, look. Look. She can make anything look great. She has a crazy body. She has a beautiful face. this white Givenchy that is a runway piece they should have lined it I'm sorry like she has an amazing body it's not about her body if she was naked I'd be happy with it if it looked good this dress it should have been lined I hear you I think lined if it was a color to me the saving grace was that it wasn't lined because it was white and otherwise I think it would have just looked like a wedding dress I think they should have just made something for her.

34:38Not that dress. That dress in black unlined or like a light lining would have been, I think, really beautiful. Yeah, it's just like, I don't know. I'm just like looking at the stupid underwear. Like that's why when you look at this dress, it's Givenchy. She wore it to the whatever Caring catalog Palm Springs International Film Festival. Get it right. Palm Springs International Film Festival. See if they invite you next year. Not at this rate. Never, never. I would like to go to Cannes with Caring. I'm going to just like request that. I never let's put this in together. We would love to go. I'll be Sean.

35:12I want to come with caring. I would absolutely love to go. But like, it's like, looks like she has on. What are those? Like, um, those seamless under it just looks, I just think they should have put a, they should have. That is my one, my one thing with that dress. I also want to say, I think that Rose Byrne has looked amazing the whole time. She's not wearing anything revolutionary. She's wearing a lot of Celine, Kate Young, sir, stylist. I think she's looked awesome. And I've really enjoyed her looks for the whole run. And I'm never going to see that movie because it's about being a mother of a young child.