Author Zoe Dubno on Growing Up in NYC, Art World Status Games, and the Performance of Taste

Zoe Dubno is the author of Happiness and Love – a buzzy new novel set inside the decadent but spiritually empty downtown New York art world, where artists, collectors, and social climbers circle each other in pursuit of status and survival. Our chat that moves between New York and London, artists and patrons, boredom and desire. We also covered the performance of taste, the emotional cost of ambition, and what it means to live inside a culture that rewards image over substance. And, of course, Zoe shared some of her favourite books. I hope you enjoy the conversation. - @phoebelovatt @deepread.phoebelovatt @zoedubno phoebe.substack.com  

Deep Reading Lists can be found at phoebe.substack.com @phoebelovatt @deepread.phoebelovatt @sueperchan @careofchan - Today's guest is Sue Chan, founder of Care of Chan, the hospitality-driven creative agency behind some of the busiest events, dinners and cultural moments you've seen online (or maybe even been lucky enough to attend in person). Sue and I first met over a decade ago back when she was transitioning out of her role as brand director at iconic New York City restaurant Momofuku and beginning to build what would eventually become Care of Chan.   Since then, the world and the way we come together has completely transformed. We talk about that transformation, the loneliness epidemic, the rise of the event economy, and the way in-person experiences have become the new status symbol when so much of our culture is mediated through screens. From influencer trips that break the internet, to why a good dinner can feel more radical than ever, to the psychological barriers that stop so many people reaching out.  

Find Deep Reading lists for each episode at phoebe.substack.com Follow Phoebe and the podcast: @phoebelovatt @deepread.podcast - Today's episode was recorded live in London as part of our Deep Read Salon event series, with my longtime friend and returning guest, Sharmadean Reid (@sharmadeanreid).   We reunited for this live episode at Mason & Fifth in West London, where Sharma was hosting a pop-up for her new luxury bathing brand, 39BC (@39bc.world). As a master of what the internet loves to call “worldbuilding,” Sharma has created an entire universe around this brand — drawing on ancient bathing rituals from around the world to build something really special and unique.   It felt like the perfect moment to ask her more about her reading and research process, the evolution of her business philosophy, and the personal and professional transitions that have brought her into this new era of her life and career.   Sharma and I have loved talking to each other for over 15 years now, and I think you can hear that in this conversation. I hope you enjoy it.  

DEEP READING LISTS are available at phoebe.substack.com Sofie Pavitt is one of New York’s most in-demand facialists and the founder of Sofie Pavitt Face. If you’re considering a career pivot, this episode will hopefully inspire you. After fifteen years working in fashion for brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, River Island, Gap, and Michael Kors, Sofie left her corporate job, retrained as an esthetician, and built a business from scratch — one client and one facial at a time.   This is a fun, business-focussed interview that explores the nuts of bolds of launching a skincare brand from scratch. Sofie shares how she transitioned from designer to entrepreneur, the reality of building a brand in the age of social media, and why her mission is to make effective skincare accessible and uncomplicated. We also talk about work ethic, motherhood, beauty standards, and what it means to build something that lasts in a culture obsessed with the new. - @phoebelovatt @deepread.phoebelovatt @sofiepavitt  

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Today's conversation is with Sophie Bishop, an associate professor at the University of Leeds, whose new book Influencer Creep: How Optimization, Authenticity and Self-Branding Transform Creative Culture is out now. Sophie shares how her early work on beauty bloggers led her to coin the phrase “influencer creep,” why artists now face the same anxieties as influencers about constant visibility, and how these dynamics connect to broader questions about labour rights, AI, and the future of cultural work. - @phoebelovatt @deepread.phoebelovatt

Deep Reading Lists are available at phoebe.substack.com - Something a little different this week: Episode #42 of Deep Read is a live conversation with Lindsay Peoples, Editor-in-Chief, recorded in London during Fashion Week. We spoke about making intentional work in a noisy media landscape, why fashion and politics are inseparable, and how she balances the heaviness of the job with joy. - @phoebelovatt @deepread.phoebelovatt @lrpeoples @thecut

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Today I’m joined by New York-based novelist Angela Flournoy, whose highly anticipated second book The Wilderness explores the evolving friendships of four Black women over the span of two decades. In our conversation, Angela and I discuss what it means to come of age in uncertain times, how friendship can serve as a strategy for survival, and why Los Angeles and New York — the twin backdrops of her novel — carry such symbolic weight. We also talk about writing through motherhood, the shifting markers of adulthood, and the influence of writers like Toni Morrison and Mike Davis on Angela’s work.

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - A special episode recorded live in London, June 2025. Ronan and I spoke about: How she recovered from creative, professional, and financial burnout Interning in her late 20s Having hobbies!! Protecting sacred spaces Her physical movement practice Different moods for different months Managing the pressure to always be sharing - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @ronanksm  

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Bolu Babalola is the author of 'Love in Colour', 'Honey & Spice' and a new book titled 'Sweet Heat', which comes out on July 3rd 2025. We spoke about finding joy amid the darkness, being a public person, internet discourse, Yoruba culture, and why rom-coms are due a proper renaissance – plus much more. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @bolu    

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Kai Avent-DeLeon is the founder of the concept store Sincerely, Tommy and the restaurant Che–both beloved fixtures in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, the neighbourhood where Kai was born and raised. She also runs Sanctuary, a retreat programme in upstate New York. We spoke about Kai's spiritual and wellness practices, her approach to goal-setting and parenting, the power of real-life community, and so much more. -  @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @kaiaventdeleon