The Surprising Gift Gwendoline Christie Has From Wednesday | PLUS On Set For The October Cover with Kendall and Gigi!

0:28This is The Run Through and I'm Chloe Mal. playing Larissa Weems to walking in her Galliano Margiela couture show, which was a seismic moment for fashion and for her, plus the incredible costumes from Wednesday and the lost art of having a secret. So you will hear that later. But first, I am here with Sam Sussman, Global Director of Social Media, and Ignacio Murillo, Global Talent Casting Director, to chat about our October cover. Welcome, guys. Thank you. And I want to say who I'm here with. who is Chloe Mahal, our head of editorial content for U.S. Vogue. So excited to get into this in a new way.

1:08It's all changed now. It's all different now. Went on this cover shoot with you in one way, and now we're chatting about it in a new way. Now I feel like I have to be extra professional around Chloe. That's right. We better watch out. Tell talks. Welcome, team. team let's hear everything about our really i have to say incredible cover shoot which was a real bonding moment for me sam and iggy because we all traveled it was like vogue summer camp to jackson hole i think i tried every hotel in that you really did pop in that city so talk about life altering that was it was a real reset for me i have to say no tears no complaints i think it was It was gorgeous.

1:53It was like a dream. No tears all for years. Probably the most fun shoot in a long time. Yeah. So let's talk about the shoot for a minute. It was over two days. We packed a lot in. We did interview, video, shoot, including I think up to like eight plus looks. Definitely. And then it was a lot. Yeah. Maybe 10. It's like there's 20 pages in there. They're wearing so many designers. There's such a great mix of real what felt like cowboy couture. Mm-hmm. High-low, very couture-level fashion with Gigi's vintage cowboy boots and real Stetson cowboy hats. They were in Rodarte and Marc Jacobs and McQueen and Vuitton.

2:35The mood boards for the shoot were very much— These just really incredible moments. Brigitte Bardo and Marilyn Monroe and these sort of iconic, as you said, Arthur Al Gore shoots from the 90s. There were some really amazing references that everyone was very excited about. Tatiana Patitz. But yeah, the ranch, it was really fun that the ranch was sort of turned into shoot HQ. There was a wonderful Taylor who was there who was fixing everything and she was wearing a cowboy hat. She came from Texas for the shoot. All the dresses. It almost sort of looked like being in, like, the changing room of a saloon performer.

3:16What was the vibe like on set for you, Iggy? I mean, it was, like, the most positive, joyful set. Like, there was never—usually sometimes, like, with—on sets, it's like there's always someone gets upset or there's just—you feel kind of, like, stress because you only have, like, eight hours to do things. But this just felt, like, so effortless and joyful. The second day. Yeah. The second day, yeah. I think every time there was a distraction, it would be like a cow mooing, and we'd all stop and be like, oh, we didn't know cows could make that noise. It felt like a soundtrack. It did. It was like cicadas and cows mooing, and it felt like we just pressed like cowboy track.

3:53Exactly. Yes. But I feel like the girls really were not afraid to be mucking in the riverbed and the high grass. It was extremely hot. Yes. It was high mountain sun. when the poor photo assistant got burnt as a tomato on his neck. But the girls were such good sports about it. We were having a really good time taking photos of each other. So much fun. That's half the fun, right? Most people I talked to on the shoot said it's the most beautiful location for a shoot they've ever been on. I completely agree. I remember when I arrived, Sam was like, it's so beautiful. It looks like AI created the backdrops.

4:29From the airport ride, I mean, I think Iggy had to pull over and take photo of Bison. Oh, yeah. They basically stopped our car. So I had to wait for the bison to pass over. There was a real bison crossing moment where that was the traffic concern. It was incredible. It was like this. I prefer not to drive if I don't have to. Living in New York City, that's obviously not a problem. But I got to the Jackson Hole airport and the Uber 50 minutes to my hotel was quoting me$97. So I was like, I'm just going to buy the bullet and rent a car. And I rented a Jeep Wrangler and I was in heaven just zooming through Grand Teton National Park, which is how we got from.

5:09I was staying in downtown Jackson Hole, but we were shooting at this gorgeous, wonderful place called Diamond Cross Ranch. And we, Kendall and Gigi said they were in their happy place. that this was like being on vacation for them. And I think we felt similarly. It was like a big summer camp. We'd all have lunch. Everything was organized at the ranch. There was a wedding happening at the ranch. So we saw everyone celebrating. There were horses running wild, cows running wild. It was pretty amazing. Yeah, Gigi and Kendall both are avid horse women and equestrians, and they were so happy there. Kendall had grown up spending time nearby.

5:52She has an aunt who has a house very close to the ranch. And Gigi obviously spends a lot of time at her farm in Bucks County. So they are no strangers to farm life and ranch life, rather. And I thought a very telling moment was during one of the shoots, Gigi was leaning back against a fence. And one of the cowboys said, careful, the fence is hot, meaning it was wired for the cows not to go through. And Gigi was like, I know it's hot. I understand. Like, she was cool as a cucumber in her ranch scenario. I think they were saying they did a lot of photo shoots at the ranch, but they were saving the good horses for Gigi and Kendall because they knew how to ride them.

6:32They were bringing out the best of the best for them. And I think we had Jericho, who was a fabulous horse. What was the other horse's name? Cap? All I just know is Buttercup, the one that I got to ride. Oh, yeah. Iggy rode the horses for the first time. Iggy, I feel like you had a lot of firsts on this trip. Yeah. I mean, it's like probably one of my first, well, it wasn't the first that I got to go to set at Vogue. I mean, it was a good one. You rode horses for the first time. I rode horses for the first time. You went to your first rodeo. Yes. No, I've been to rodeos. Well, in Wyoming, yeah.

7:02But I've been to rodeos in like Houston, Texas. We went to our first cowboy bar together. Yeah, we had a lovely Topo Chico with tequila. I forced Samantha and Ignacio to have ranch water at the most famous cowboy, what's it called? Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Shout out to them. where the seats at the barstools are saddles, and there is true line dancing happening. There are Stetsons as far as the eye can see. It's almost like when you look out when it's pouring rain and you see a sea of umbrellas, that's what it was like with cowboy hats. We met some of the cowboys who helped us on the shoot at the Cowboy Bar.

7:39It was all very in character. It was perfect. And on the shoot, if you, I think we have photos of the wardrobe. Tabitha Simmons styled it. There was just tables of cowboy boots, tables of cowboy hats. Everyone certainly was trying all of them. Everyone was like, I'll hold this cowboy hat. You could just look around and see everyone really loving the Western-inspired fashion, which was beautiful. Kendall and Gigi's horses that they rode were named Chance and Jericho. And they did one shoot that was probably my favorite shoot to witness where the two of them were wearing these sort of twinning diaphanous Alexander McQueen dresses, candle and lavender.

8:21And Gigi's was a sort of minty celadon color. And they were galloping across the field with cowboy hats on and having the best time. And they would go back and forth and sort of slap hands on the way. Tabitha Simmons' daughter, who's like nine years old, FaceTimed in the middle. Tabla's like, look, look what mommy's doing at work. And it was like, that's a cool thing. I've never seen this, talking about first. So, you know, models nowadays do like to peek and see what's happening on the screen. They get to look at the photos being taken. And Kendall walked her horse right up to the screen and was peeking.

8:54Jericho's muzzle did get right up in there. It was really fun to watch. And I think they felt so at home on the horses and were having a lot of fun at the shoot. But also it was really fun just watching Kendall because I've never seen Kendall work in a way where she was kind of not art directing the shoot, but she was very involved. Like I've never seen that side of her. So it was kind of nice just seeing. And Lachlan Bailey, who's the photographer, really sometimes photographers are quite possessive of their shoot vision. And he was so open to their collaboration and really wanted their involvement.

9:27I feel like Kendall and Gigi, as you can read in my story, and as you know, they've been in this game a long time. They've been at a lot of fashion shoots, so they do have thoughts on what looks they like best, what photos they prefer. And Lachlan and Tabitha really let them collaborate, which I thought was great. That's amazing. I know. When you, Chloe, got to take a little moment with them to do the interview, and is there anything you learned that you didn't know about them? Well, I did learn that I asked if they'd ever been on double dates before, And Kendall told me that Gigi tried to set her up with someone who was friends with someone she was dating so that they could have like a little foursome.

10:05But it didn't take. Well, you know, that's the basis I think in our video. We talk about Kendall finds a cowboy. You know, maybe that's a great series. Maybe that series will come soon. Kenny finds a cowboy. Exactly. Produced by Conan A Studio. Iggy, where did the shoot idea come from? So the idea came from Kendall. So we were doing a shoot over a year ago for the summer issue, and she really wanted to shoot in Wyoming. But based on our deadlines, like we have to shoot three months in advance. The weather was basically winter in Wyoming, so we couldn't do it. So then we have to wait. And then Kendall kind of reminded us again that she was dying to do a Western shoot inspired by like the Arthur Elgore iconic shoots at Vogue in the 90s.

10:47And then Anna said yes, and then it escalated to a cover, and she wanted Kendall with a friend. And so then who else could be better than Gigi? Perfect. And then we just started working on that. But it came from Kendall. I was on that shoot. She was in Mexico to be on our summer cover. And that was her dream. That was what, 18 months ago or a year? Over a year ago, yeah. Over a year. But so both of them being on the shoot separately were just like, this was our dream shoot. Just doing what we love, being in Wyoming. I mean, it turned out in the best clothes. They also, they rented, they were there with their agents and their team, who they're obviously very close with.

11:28And so they all rented an Airbnb nearby. And the first night, they all watched Country Strong together. They were cooking together. They wanted to go riding on their own. When we were filming the video and some of the first shots, it was along a little creek. And they were skipping stones and wanted to go swimming. It really felt very authentically enjoyable for them. And I have to say, I found it. I interviewed them for the cover story and about their friendship over the past decade working in the industry together. And there is something touching about looking at what happens to a lot of us with our friendships where you cannot talk to someone for six months, but then certain people, you can just text them something and it's like no time has passed.

12:10You can see them and you just pick up where you left off. And with the two of them, they've never lived in the same city, but they've always been there for each other in work and life and have popped back and forth into each other's lives. And it feels like this very sincere, comfortable place for them. No, for sure. After they spoke to you, I think they were like, it was so nice because they just, they were like, we got to just talk positively about each other and discuss about each other. I just love how they support each other. Like, it's not like, I mean, they're obviously technically competitors in a way.

12:40Because it's like they do the same thing, but they're always just supporting. It's like sports stars. Yeah, it's like they just support each other no matter what. Yeah. Yeah, and it was fun. I also spoke to a few designers who they've walked for and who work with them a lot. And it was so interesting to hear Marc Jacobs and Jacquemus and Jeremy Scott all saying what professionals these girls are, how they are like athletes in a way. They are never late. They are always good sports. They always come to perform and be on and do their job. and I think it was nice to hear that that sort of good behavior is rewarded.

13:12I'm like, because they are athletes. I mean, Gigi is a volleyball player. She talks about that in the video we did. Kendall obviously riding horses. I think they have such a good work ethic and they're ready, but they have a little fun like they did on the shoot. And one fun reveal for Gigi, I asked them what Disney character the other one would be in real life and Kendall said that Gigi would be Rapunzel from Tangled. And Gigi said, I can't believe you just said that because I actually auditioned for the live-action Rapunzel a few months ago. And I didn't get the part, but I loved the experience.

13:52And it was so exciting to be challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone. Gigi also told Kendall that she was going to show her the audition tape and I'm also dying to see the audition tape. Yeah. We need to get the audition tape. Get our hands on that. It's interesting. Kendall clearly is someone who likes her own space and solitude and riding her horses anonymously. Well, what I did learn is that she actually competes in equestrian shows, competitive horse jumping. And with the helmet and sunglasses on and the whole uniform, no one knows it's her. She goes under an alias, which I think is fabulous.

14:31Amazing. And she was telling Gigi that Gigi should try it. And Gigi was really awed by the idea. and I think that she is filming Keeping Up with the Kardashians right now, but it doesn't seem like that's going to be a focus for Kendall. I don't think it's ever been a focus. I think it's just doing it for the fam. But Gigi, yeah, Gigi said she loves riding horses, but when she's with her daughter, Kai, at the farm, she's really with her and is around horses a lot, but not riding that much. And then when she's not with Kai, she's really working. or with her boyfriend, Bradley Cooper. It's all a balance.

15:07And then this new season, I'm hoping that they do Vogue World Hollywood on October 26th. Oh, yeah, because the last time that they were on horseback together was Vogue World Paris. Much different environment. They were clopping through the Place Vendome, clad in Hermes, Django and Chouf. Right, right. Those were real fancy, I think, dressage horses. so I can't wait to see what we're going to get them into for this for Hollywood Edition. Exactly.

15:43The Run-Thru will be back with Gwendolyn Christie.

15:56Hi, I'm Rebecca Ford, Senior Awards Correspondent at Vanity Fair and co-host of Little Gold Men. Oscar season is upon us. Little Gold Men takes you behind the scenes of the race for the biggest prize in Hollywood. There's a hundred wrestlers in the room, but only one can be Oscar nominated. Whether you're a movie lover or an industry buff, Little Gold Men from Vanity Fair has everything you need to know about this year's Oscar race. Follow and listen to Little Gold Men wherever you get your podcasts.

16:37Gwendolyn, we are over many moons to have you here. This has been a real exciting moment for the pod. We got a very last minute, Gwendolyn will be in New York. We said, yes, immediately we want it. Thank you so much. This is only my third ever podcast. Oh, wow. Having previously sworn I would never do a podcast, it seems I can't get enough of them now. Some people, they say, have a face for radio. You do have a voice for radio. Thank you very much. I have a face for radio and a voice for silence.

17:17We are here today with Vogue's fashion news director and a dear friend of the pod, Mark Holgate. Hello. When did you two first meet? When did we first meet, Gwendolyn? I'm sure it was with your lovely partner, the brilliant designer, Giles Deacon. Yes, I believe it was with my lovely partner, the brilliant designer, Giles Steehan. He is a very wonderful designer. And it was very exciting for me because he was planning to come and see you. And he was coming here. I don't think you'd been here for very long. Right. And I... Still feels that way. Well, I'd been to Vogue when you were at Times Square.

17:52That was my first experience, which was mind-blowing to me. Okay. I was shown all manner of delights by Sarah Brown because they sensed how... I get very overexcited. This means a lot to me to be here. So I was shown the fashion closet. I was shown the sacred space of the boss's office. And they said, you can go in. I said, I would never dare. Did you hear heavenly choirs when you stepped over the threshold? I evaporated. Many do. I atomized. But actually, everybody was sort of marveling at quite how excited I truly was. and out of nothing other than pure respect, I said I will not cross the boundary line.

18:33I will not cross that threshold. I will not cross that threshold. Then I think the last time I saw you was backstage at Sarah Burton's Givenchy debut. Yes, now we've had a number of encounters in between. Well, we have, because I wanted to... Say more. Dot, dot, dot. But I wanted to ask, because one thing I do remember, I had enormous fun, because I'm terribly shy and socially awkward, particularly at the Met and I was walking around the Karl Lagerfeld show and then I bumped into you looking fabulous and wonderful and then we went around that exhibition together and then I believe that we had a conversation about John Galliano.

19:12I hold you perhaps responsible in some way. So it's my first ever He's the magic maker. Yes. It was my first ever Met Gala and I went with a wonderful Mr. Kim Jones a Fendi and he'd created this beautiful gown for me and I was What was the exhibition? that year? It was Karl Lagerfeld. Okay, I'm sorry, you just said that. And I was the only one in there. And I was standing reading the sort of text for the entry of the exhibition and Tom Ford walked by and said, reading, impressive. Which I thought was hilarious. And I just shouted, I love you. Just so faintly. It sort of came over all week. But I then saw you and you and I were the only ones there.

19:55And Usher was there, actually, with Bianca Saunders, I think. He was indeed. That's right. Yes. And so we were gliding around there. And I have never had such a hoot. I think you were gliding. I was kind of stumbling, awkwardly, chandling. We were both staggering. We were both staggering around the exhibition and far too overexcited by the fashions, actually. But you said to me, so Gwendolyn, tell me some of your hopes and dreams. Tell me some of the things you might like to achieve in life. And I said, I want to walk in a show for John Galliano. And you said, is that it? and I said well it's obviously you know I want to work with great directors I loved every second of it I want to you know do profound work I want to you know go through enormous change on a personal level but that's really what I wanted to do and you said that shouldn't be any problem so I'm guessing that Mark silently did the casting that season is this the case?

20:56I actually emailed John directly and say, you've got to include Gwen, but no, I didn't. I think I even said, I should be, you know, in locks, I should be opening and closing the show. And then here, there you were. Literally. The show that changed the fashion world. Yes, yes. The show that's still being. I was very lucky to be a part of it. Really, though, I mean. What was the most surprising thing about walking in a show that you didn't expect? the whole experience was truly blissful as i i really love design i love every aspect of it i love the process i really love i've always loved being in designer studios and the whole process of of designing the research and designing the creating of pieces and to see john's process I felt extremely lucky actually it was a really significant moment to me because it was very generous and open and showed me all the references and the piles of references and the fabric references and and to be so included in every aspect from being shown all of the research all of the references and then in the fittings always being asked was I comfortable which in working with one of the great true greats which John Galliano is you know you switch that off because you're there to facilitate the process and and and you I want to enhance the process but he cared that I was comfortable he cared that I felt beautiful he cared that I was happy the whole experience with him was just extraordinary it's difficult for me to talk about it without Because it's so emotional.

22:40Because John has been one of my idols for over 30 years. And my idol told me I was beautiful and I felt I could believe him. Because it was about all of my brokenness and all of my vulnerability, my inconsistencies. And my, I mean, the shape that he enhanced was so subversive. It was all so unexpected. The experience of walking in the show was a rebirth. Wow. For many of us, but certainly for me. and I do mean it when I say it has changed me and made me realize it's one of the things. Life can be so beautiful sometimes. It really can. It was also kind of like I died while I was doing it because I was looking into the faces of all the great and good people I've known for 20 years and obviously I told no one.

23:49So this is becoming apparent that I love keeping secrets. It's so underrated in today's environment, in this era of broadcasting. It's a very forgotten art. Oh, I love it so much. So I told no one I was doing it. Oh, wow. Yeah, Giles knew I was doing it. So Giles was there, he knew. But I told no one else. And I'd just been saying to friends, I've been texting people that go to those shows, editors at Friends of Mind or Stiles and said, are you going to Cajun? Do you think you might go to this show? But looking into those people's faces, It was life-changing because I saw we were all immersed in this experience and we all lost control of ourselves a little bit.

24:30Wow. Has that been the end of any desire to walk a runway show, Gwendolyn? Does it feel like there's the apotheosis and there's no other runway you would like to walk? I'm walking my own runway shows every single day, Mark. every time I stand I am walking in a runway show and Giles reminds me sometimes you know of would you remember when you modeled down this country lane the world is that your world is that sometimes just switching it on in the supermarket can really make my week I can believe it after gliding around that Met Gala with you I treated it just I treated it just like Whole Foods

25:18Are there any, well, runway walking happening this September or just are you attending these shows? So it's an exciting time. It's a surprise to remember, as we say. I think for all of us, our dance card is full with new engagements, new designers, new debuts galore. Well, it feels the start of something new, doesn't it, on so many different fronts. And we've had this sort of time in a kind of no man's land where there haven't been creative director figureheads in place. and I like to think that everyone's it's given food for thought about what it is we expect what it is we want what is one of the reasons I love fashion is it's the marriage of art and commerce it fascinates me it really does because it's just about as difficult a task as you can manage that to retaining one's soul, you know, whilst in pursuit of something that is available and can communicate with people.

26:29So I haven't quite decided yet. I never like to go to too many, but simultaneously, I'm sort of there patiently, the second images drop. On the Vogue runway ad. Of course. No, I'm not joking. I've done so much filming where I've not been able to go to shows. And I have just been there and I said, and just please can I have my break now because I just need five minutes because the images are dropping in and refreshing. And often there's not reception. I've got to find a place and I'm just refreshing. Famous on Wi-Fi. Famous on Wi-Fi. Yeah, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi. I need Wi-Fi. Just now, just now. It'll probably take about, the show will be about 12 minutes long.

27:08So I'm going to need probably one time the images come. But it is a sweet joy to me to see all of that. But yes, I think I'm very, I mean, I'm really interested to see what everybody does. Who are you most excited about? What are you hoping happens? What are you hoping titillates you? I have no hopes at all. You know, I'm excited. I'm very excited to see what happens at Chanel. Yes. I really am because I think Mattel Blaise's work has been fascinating. and it seems that he has a real interest in the craft and of being extremely hands-on with the creative process in terms of producing clothes and interest in fabrics and different sorts of fabrications, different processing of fabrics.

28:01So, and I really have admired everything that he's done. So I think that would be very, very interesting. And I admire that sort of front-footed desire to take over a position that was held by Karl Lagerfeld. I think that shows dazzling confidence and ambition, which is exciting creatively. I would agree. Who else? I really love Sarah Burton. I've always loved Sarah Burton. I thought that was a very exciting debut at Givenchy. And what I liked about it was that I felt that she had gone back into the DNA of the house. How I first became aware of Givenchy was watching movies. So I was fascinated by Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe in so many of those films.