A lucky orange bag and an LED mask dilemma

0:08This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Merit, the minimalist beauty brand making you feel your best in minutes. Right now Merit Beauty is offering their signature makeup bag with your first order at MeritBeauty.com. That's M-E-R-I-T Beauty.com. This is Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, beauty, lifestyle and brand. My name is Madison Sullivan-Thawpe and I am joined by my lovely co-hosts Annika Joshi-Smith and Joanna Fleming. Hello. Hi guys, how are we? Good. I'm great. I'm excited for this week. I feel like it's a good week to have a good week. Yeah. And you've just told us off, Mike, that you have some news from a tarot reader that I'm dying to hear about.

0:49So I'd like to get to that, please. It's not so much news, but I look, I'm very superstitious. I don't think I always was, but I'm also very hesitant in my superstition and my woo woo. And I was at an event on Wednesday and there was a tarot card reader there. and I sat down and the event was for a jewellery brand. And so she immediately said, is that necklace from this brand? And I said, no. She goes, good, I didn't think so. That is from an estate auction, isn't it? And I said, yes. And she said, do you mind if I touch the necklace? And I said, no, of course not. And so I went to unclip it. And she was like, no, no, I can just touch it on your neck.

1:24I was like, no, let's do the full, you know, full shebang. Took the necklace off and she held it in her hand and she was like, this is from New York, isn't it? This is from a woman in New York. And it was. It is, I should say. The necklace still exists. She was like, you were supposed to have this necklace. This woman has like the spirit and energy you need. Did your life get substantially better when you got the necklace? Oh, my God. I have full body chills right now. I had full body chills. And my girlfriend, Bec, also had a reading with her and had full body chills. This girl was unbelievable.

1:54And what she was saying, she was like, was she from here in New York? And when I bought the necklace at the auction, it did have from the estate of a woman in the particular region of New York that she lived in. And so she was like, it's really important, the irony that I'm not actually wearing this necklace right now, it's really important that you don't take this off. Do you wear this in funny places? And I was like, my girlfriends always laugh that I wear this beautiful necklace to like Pilates in the supermarket. She's like, it's really important that you do. Like it's the embodiment of the spirit you're supposed to have.

2:22Oh, wow. I am so into this. My mum and I actually, we went and got our ratings done in New Zealand. We drove three hours out of Auckland and we went to this teeny tiny remote little village. I can't even say the name. Like everything so far that she said has happened to me. I am so into this, you guys. I love this so much. Jo, we had one recently as well. I've had so many readings in my life. I absolutely love getting Starkeak readings. Can we get one together? Can we do something like a stylish outing where like all five of us hosts go and actually get our readings done together? I feel like we just bring them in the studio.

2:56Even better, we don't have to travel. Oh, my God. Real time, live. I've done that. On the last podcast that I hosted, we had a psychic come on. Oh, I'm scared. I actually need to listen back to that episode. Okay. Yeah. But I do remember her saying a lot of stuff that sounded a lot like Adrienne. Oh. Okay. We're into the woo-woo. So interesting, though. I love this. Jo, when I finish my - Put the neck off back on. I know. Doing. The irony. I, like, literally didn't take it off when I got in the shower after I'd been at the event. I was like, must keep on at all times. So is your swap this tarot reader then?

3:28No. Okay. Well, you're going to have to give me your details after this so that I can book before this episode goes live because like the Etsy witch, she'll be booked out and then she'll have to like close her books. That is a great shout. She'll be booked and busy. No, but we will be talking a little bit of superstition a little later in this episode, but we are going to do the swap first. Jo, why don't you do the swap first? This one's actually kind of for you personally because I know how addicted you were to off-campus and that you've re-watched it. And I think this would really be something nice for you to watch one night this week with a little bit of popcorn on your couch, just relaxing.

4:02I watched Office Romance on Netflix over the weekend. Is this the J-Lo one? J-Lo, yes. J-Lo and Brett Goldstein, who was Roy Kent in Ted Lasso, for those who have watched that series. Absolutely love that series as well. But it was actually written by him. And it's a really nice, like, fun, lighthearted rom-com. it's just heartwarming. Like it's one of those shows that you're just like, oh, I just feel good watching this. Like it's funny. It's just enjoyable to watch. The acting's not terrible. And yeah, it's just a nice little show to watch. Guys, I am so stuck on the title, like Office Romance.

4:36Like are you wanting her to pick up at her co-working space?

4:41I'm like, what about me? No, I think she'd really vibe with it. You might as well. I mean, Poppy might like to watch it too. I love soppy shit. Like give me like those lighthearted, like I love a happy ending. It's just an easy watch. And sometimes you just need an easy watch just to turn on while you eat your dinner and just to fill your evening. Reverse swap. I'm actually watching Not Suitable for Work, which is Mindy Kaling's new show. If you loved like The Office or, you know, The New Girl, like that kind of vein, this show is for you. And there are also a few little Office romances in there and I do love them.

5:17Okay. There we go. Ding, ding, ding. There it is. We should have asked the tarot reader if there was any office romances on the cards. Anyway. I feel like I need to swap on a show, but I'm not going to because it is outerwear season. And this is the season where our outerwear can definitely be the entire look. When I wear outerwear, sometimes I wear way too many layers underneath. And when you get too hot and your outerwear is the look, it's not it. You always wear things in here that are like, you know that this room gets really hot. I don't know why you do this every week. She's in a leather shirt today.

5:46I know. And I actually can't take the shirt off. because as I was walking out the door, Poppy spit up all over me. So I'm like covered in spit up, but I'm actually wearing one of my swaps. So my swaps are next to skin layers and I have been investing in quite a few. Jo's actually got a great one on today that we should actually swap in. But my go-to every single winter are the Uniqlo Heat Tech long sleeves. They're great. They start at$24.90 and you can get a range of necklines and colors. If you want something a little bit more, something you'd wear as like its own piece. I love Entire Studios uniform series.

6:19They are like a$130 price point. They're all on sale now, but they're really cool bodysuits. So they kind of like snatch you in as well and give you a bit of shape, which I love. Oh, you got me on the snatch. I know. We love a snatch. Do you know what? That was my soundtrack for a snatch. The one I'm wearing today, which I will not be showing anybody because it's covered in spit up, is the Bear Park Super Fine Knits. Now, these are a little bit more lush. They've got like a really cute V-neck. I'm loving a V-neck at the moment. They're$220, but they've got a merino composition, which I love as well.

6:45so a little bit more warm. So I'm sweating over here. I love a little bit of a thermal underneath, like a good quality knit because it really holds the heat underneath. So then you don't necessarily need to wear a jacket over the top. You can just wear the knit. I am in strong Nunu season at the moment, just comfies in general. Aren't we all? Look, I'm going to swallow the frog and say the uncomfy thing. Have you not heard that saying before? I've never heard that. Okay, this is the second week in a row that you have said the most random, like cliche, like, I don't know, text phrase. It's not a cliche if you don't know it.

7:13We're like, what is this MST language? Swallow the frog is to do the uncomfortable thing. Because, like, if you think about swallowing a frog, it would be uncomfortable, right? Yeah. I'm just looking at me like I've got seven heads. Anyway. Or a pet frog. I'm going to swallow the frog. I am going to be freezing, hopefully, an egg in the coming months. And so I'm going to be spending a lot more time at home. And that sometimes means expanding waste and all those things as well. So I am spending some cash on some comfy things. And every time I do an egg retrieval, I buy myself a look. Nice. And I'm going to buy myself another pair of these pants.

7:48I actually think I'm going to go chocolate this time, Jo, for you. They are the Lulu Lemon. I've got them written down. Groove wide leg pants. Now, the original groove pants I don't think are made for 5 '3 girls who don't want people to stare at their hips. I think that is the total opposite of what the groove pants stands for. But the wide leg, come to mama. I wore these on the plane last time I travelled overseas. They are the comfiest pants. I am obsessed. I don't think I can own enough. I haven't tried these ones, but I have tried the nimble ones and I have two pairs of them and they're also great.

8:20Love. I just love a wide leg. Like I've so moved on from my like skin tights onto my wide legs and they're great on the plane because then you can wear your compression socks, which everybody should wear. I know. There you go. Mummy's here. Tell me you're a mum. Here she is. You know, she's into the chat. Obsessed. Have never done it. have suffered cankles every fight. Yeah, see, you need to get the compressions from P-A-I-R-E. Great. Okay. Here's a second swap. Bonus swap. Spell it out for you too. We can add that to the episode notes as well. Anyway, today we are talking about the cultural phenomenon that is the Knicks games and why beauty retailer Beauty Pie landed in some trouble for an ad about their LED mask, but that will be right after a word from today's sponsor.

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10:20But have you guys been following? Go New York, go New York, go. I was so waiting for it. I'm like, I'm looking at meds right now and I'm looking at job. Are we jazzed up? Are we jacked up? I still don't have the answer to that but I'm one of the two. It's been so hard to miss like so impossible to miss and I just feel like I want to be in New York right now. There's no city I want to be in more than New York right now. There's no brand I want to be working on right now more than Jordan Woods brand because have you seen the hype and conversation around the little orange bag? And the superstition around the little orange bag.

10:55Okay we need to lean in like you need to explain to everybody what the superstition is around this orange bag because I actually didn't know. Okay, so I actually saw a TikTok from Creator Paris tier that we're going to play now because I think that she encapsulates the enthusiasm about the bag about as much as we would. Great. She's got this orange bag and 12 rounds ago, she was like, I'm going to start wearing this orange bag. It's going to win us the premiership or what do they call it, Connor? The championship, whatever it's called. Championship. Championship. So she starts wearing it. she has won obviously she's not playing but they have won every single game she's worn that bag except for last week obviously there were no bags because the president was there so everyone had to take clear bags so she couldn't take her bag and they lost and then they won today because she had the bag and I'm just like I don't even I like basketball but like I'm clocked in because like I just want to know about this girl and her bag it's a lucky bag I don't believe in superstition either, but I am hooked.

12:01No, like I want to have a drink with this girl. She's funny. I love her enthusiasm about the bag and also like not knowing what the championships were called, but being so locked into the bag. Loved that so much. It's giving very Australian-centric sporting female being like, the premiership, it's like, no, no, not the AFL. This is the championship. This is a really big deal. It goes to show that not only Americans are excited about this phenomenon. and everyone around the world, including us all the way in Australia, are jacked, jazzed about this championship. I know that this is a beauty brand lifestyle podcast, but I'm going to go a bit sport.

12:37While the Knicks is arguably one of the most recognised NBA franchises, and I would say merch-wise probably the most widely worn, probably alongside the Lakers and the Bulls, this is monumental for them as a sporting organisation. Like, they haven't made the finals since 99. They haven't won the championship for 50 years. So if these sporting fans want to believe in an orange bag that the fiancé of Kyle Anthony Towns is taking to the game, let them believe in the orange bag. And might I say he was also spotted post their fifth game win for the championship title saying that bag is the reason we won.

13:18Yeah. Like this bag might end up in like the championship museum He was summoning Jordan into photos like with the media being like, this is the bag. Make sure you get the bag in it. I mean, good fiancé because what you might not know is this little orange bag that popped out of the four of the five games. Most important to note, the four winning of the five games is actually Jordan Wood's own brand. And so it was quite genius because they were working at a speed that is just kind of unmatched. Each game for the finals is like three to four days apart. And so when it was announced that President Trump would be going to the game and that there would be no bags, they did this reactive marketing campaign with a matching shoe on top, being like, never fear we've made a shoe for it in the same materiality and the same colour.

14:06So, like, good on her team for being able to, like, clap back as quickly as that. But pretty insane, like, her, like, I think it's 119 USD that this little orange bag's, like, popping off. Yeah, her actual range is quite fairly priced. Yeah. Go off queen. Okay, guys, I feel like this is so iconic speaking of bags because according to the Fashion Observe, the last time the Knicks won the title, a Chanel flat bag cost$350. Like we are talking about five decades have now passed and that's how cheap they were. And it's just crazy because even like the vintage that we're seeing all over town, like this is proving that the NBA, the win, it's not just for sports people.

14:47This is like the biggest fusion and intersection between lifestyle. I'm going to sound like our podcast now, but entertainment and like brands and the opportunity, like people putting like cute little vintage Manolo Blonics all over Penn Station. And like there's been all these little installations, like all the girlies in blue and orange, not my colors, but woodwear. Like everyone is going off. Well, I was going to say Mads' character arc is that she's like surprised us by being an NBA expert. So I was going to ask you and be like, why is this significant for us to talk about on this podcast?

15:19Look, I mean, as I said, it's historical from a sporting perspective, but we're not. This is not our podcast. I don't know. Maybe my character arc is one day I will have a few. We made cleaning happen. First UFC, now NBA. I will never get over the UFC. But my point is, with this, we're seeing like this real cultural moment and, you know, surge of unity. And I think that's why it's so special. We're seeing all these brands that are New York-based or US-based jump on the bandwagon. The likes of Glossier, Kiehl's, we've had Uber takeovers in it. We're seeing New York or Nowhere flying mega fans over on private jets to watch this game.

15:57Like, it's so much hype and unity and excitement. And the fact that we're not sporting people and we're all seeing New York Knicks algorithms. Then you layer in the celebrity hype. This honestly sounds like a Met Gala red carpet. We've had Taylor Swift, the Haim sisters, Timothee Chalamet at every single game. Like that man is a mega fan. Ben Stiller was there for all of the finals in 99. He's there and rumoured to be making a doco on it now. Huge. Which, bonus swap, Last Dance on Netflix, probably one of the best documentaries I've ever watched. I cannot wait for this to come out. We've had, I'm like Adam Sandler, Spike Lee.

16:37Spike Lee. Spike Lee. Spike Lee is the Knicks man. But fun fact for you. God, I have so many fun facts. I'm so happy this has been filmed because honestly, like seeing the enthusiasm in the room right now, it's infectious, it's contagious, it's channeling the energy of New York City. So you actually can't just get a celebrity front row seat. You have to be approved by the next owner, like as a true next mega fan. And I love that sick. I love that. According to Times as well, apparently you've got to sit a test. So it's like you have to be a mega, mega, mega fan. It doesn't care like, oh, you're a celebrity?

17:10Like you have to pass the test to prove that you're worthy to sit down at a game in front row in the celebrity row. Iconic. Cash is not king. And I'm obsessed. I love that actually. Me too. Look, what I love about this though is that there are brands that are really jumping on this. And shout out to one woman in the beauty industry who is having the time of her life now, and that is the founder of Say, who I believe last year was sitting at a family-friendly game. I was reading this article on Fortune that she was at a family-friendly day game for the Knicks and looked around and saw all these women in the stands and thought, not one of these brands is marketing to women.

17:44And so she signed on as the official beauty partner of the Knicks as a franchise team. So not the NBA, just that team. She is tickled pink this week. I think she's having the time of her life and already renewed her second year partnership. And what a genius. This was at a time they hadn't made a final since 99. Like, this wasn't a winning team to jump on the bandwagon of. And they are just laughing all the way to the bank. Maybe she saw a tarot reader. Maybe. I honestly love this though, because it's like she took such a bit and she took a bit at a time where, like Madsha said, this team wasn't winning.

18:17They weren't on a winning streak. And I think what it layers in for me is just how resilient New Yorkers are as well. Like the fandom and the super fandom layering back into the mania that we're seeing. I think that's for me why I'm hooked. I'm not an NBA girly, never was an NBA early but here I am I'm so invested I'm locked in I go for the fucking Knicks like go New York go New York go speaking of that mania actually there's a really good reel from a New York City based creator called Jenna Lintner I'm gonna play it for you now because she just summarizes it absolutely perfectly this mania that we're seeing around the Knicks I love seeing so many people that maybe haven't previously cared all that much about sports tap into this exact moment and live sports create this genuine cultural moment that I've talked about before and style kind of comes with that.

19:03We see people that have never cared about the sport, never cared about Knicks showing up to the bars, the watch parties, dressed to the nines, inspired, representing their team. We see fashion publications writing non-stop about Tyler Kulik's incredible looks. Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner matching in their jeans. Chef's kiss. Jordan Wood's bag and we're talking about her literal purse. Attendance at the games became a massive headline and honestly that was warranted. So my point here is this is not really a sports story. This is a culture story. This is about communities coming together.

19:34Sports is one of the only things left that creates the shared real-time culture. And when it does, it kind of touches everything. It just sums it up perfectly, Jo. I love that when you shared that, it was so articulate. And I think in terms of fashion as well, I also saw a post from Data But Make A Fashion, one of our favorite Instagram the accounts on this podcast. And they posted that blue being a trending color this year isn't just a coincidence. Like major moments in other industries are influencing what is happening in fashion, what is trending in fashion. Like it's not a coincidence that Lady Gaga was in blue at the Superbowl, that Mercedes have been winning races in the F1, like all of these different things.

20:12And now the Knicks and orange was trending last year when there were a lot of like sporting and music moments as well, leaning into orange. So there's just all of these like cultural things that come together that influence pretty much everything we do. And, I mean, Annika was telling us about how contrasting colours were in trend for this season. So lucky Knicks, it's a good time to be in blue and orange. It really is. Do you know what it actually takes me back to? Like something that got my attention when it comes to basketball and just sporting in general now is the iconic tunnel walks. Like I am so here for those tunnel fits and just seeing all the players, their personality.

20:47Like speaking of opportunities to cash in, If you were a stylist, dress one of those men. Dress a sports player. Like that is their literal Met Gala. That's their runway. And something, I feel like I'm obsessed with bags today. But I have been like looking at all of the players' bags. And I just have to call out how iconic these are. So Jeremy Sohan rocking his like XXL Birkin. I'm pretty sure it was in Birkin 40. Chef's kiss. And then Josh Hart with his Bottega. It was a teeny tiny purse Bottega. And he's so big. So like the proportions here are just so funny to look at. But he was like, he was serving a look.

21:20And then also Tyler Kolick, who I think is on everyone's radar. Like he was dressed in the most gorgeous double denim set with a row handbag. Yeah. I mean, every brand you've listed is definitely giving that they are on the$20,$30,$40 million a year salaries that they are. Like I didn't hear like Target or Walmart anywhere. But like I aspire to be like these men. Like I'm looking at them for fashion inspe. It's just like, when did this happen to me? I love most at the moment is like all of the DIY tees and bags and things that have come out of this too so like the Haim sisters t-shirts went viral that were like the play on the word Nick so it was like Stevie Nicks, Nicole Kidman people were then making DIY ones again three days later like it's this speed this buzz but I love the brands jumping onto this because I think the smartest brands will do this because the one thing that's really hard to emulate is community and buzz and hype.

22:13And I think because it's a buzzy word in marketing at the moment, it's never felt more alienated or forced. And I think it's so manufactured that when we see it in its truest form, we love it and are drawn to it so much. So brands kind of going, we're not trying to compete with it. We're just wanting to piggyback alongside it. It's kind of the most fun. Like, I think Glossier have done a pretty good job. I would say they've become like pretty irrelevant in the beauty world. Like I think their relevance has slipped a little bit. You know, they were like talking about engraving in store, Knicks in five, or if they were to win, you know, the fifth game and hence the championship, that there would be like an offer in store to all customers.

22:54And they had an ilovenewyorkbarcom.com. Like that's clever stuff to be able to kind of piggyback into that draws you back into a relevant conversation. Totally. Lucky last, I mean, a poet and he didn't know it was the guy who ended up on some live news broadcast and he was like my mayor Muslim my bagels Jewish my Christian Dior the Knicks in four now the Knicks didn't win in four so they got him back for what was it going to be on five it was my mayor still Muslim my bagels still Jewish the Pope's on our side Knicks in five now I don't think I'll be winning an Oscar for my American accent anytime soon.

23:37But what I loved about this, there was an Instagram account called Diet Parantha, which I know, Arnika, you've swapped in before, where a creator was doing a video on there saying, do you realise in an America that is so divided how beautiful it is that like a trending audio on social media that brands are using, that influencers are using, is all about the multiculturalism and diversity that is what makes New York the beating heart of America. Like, New York does feel like a country within a country. It's its own little epicenter. And I think at a time when everything is so divided and everyone loves something or loathes something, it was just so nice for everyone to be, like, so excited and buzzy about something like this that is celebrating the unity of New York.