Izzy Camilleri: Fashion's Game Changer

In the early 2000s, Canadian model and folk singer Irina Lazareanu was a compelling fixture on countless international catwalks—becoming a muse to such greats as Karl Lagerfeld. On this episode, Irina talks with Jeanne about fleeing Romania with her parents as a young girl, immigrating to Canada and then moving to London as a teen to study dance. After a knee injury, Irina pivoted to modelling and music, hanging out with a super cool crowd, which included the likes of  Kate Moss, Pete Doherty, Amy Winehouse, and Sean Lennon.  Now living in Montreal, Irina has authored her first book entitled "Runway Bird"—a celebration of fashion’s Golden Age and some of the magical people she met along way.    To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker  FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker  www. TSC.ca       

Resilience, reinvention and relevance: For octogenarian Agota Gabor, that’s what survival is all about. Her astounding life journey—from ballet dancing in her native Hungary and her battle with polio; to fleeing a revolution and becoming a glamorous showgirl; to studying  journalism and launching a career as a TV producer; to starting a PR company, which she runs to this day— Agota's unconventional path is a testament to the power of positivity. Her new memoir, Forever On Pointe, is an adventure story with a vital message about guts and tenacity. Jeanne talks with the indefatigable author about navigating life’s stormy waters with grace and aplomb and what it takes to just keep on going, no matter what.   To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca  

Christian Allaire is a First Nations Ojibwe writer, stylist, editor, and a current contributor to Vogue magazine. On this episode,  Jeanne and Christian talk about the influence of his Ojibwe heritage and how while growing up, he rarely saw Indigenous culture reflected in the fashion industry. As well,  Christian speaks about cultural appropriation on the runway,  the role of the stylist, and why fashion companies need to adopt more sustainable and ethical practices.  To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca 

While many designer labels have long been accused of not being inclusive enough, Toronto's Izzy Camilleri truly broke that mold: The seasoned costume designer had a career changing moment in 2004 when she met the late journalist Barbara Turnbull, a quadrapalegic wheelchair user who loved fashion, but had trouble finding anything to fit properly. A whole new arena opened up for Izzy's custom design work, and now, at the helm of her IZ Adaptive line, Izzy is helping disabled people the world over not only look and feel more beautiful, but move through the world with comfort and ease. On this episode, Jeanne and Izzy talk about fashion values, the transition from high style to adaptive design and venturing into a market that's often overlooked. To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca 

On this episode Sandy Schreier, the world's largest collector of couture, speaks with Jeanne about how she fell in love with fashion as a young girl while growing up in Detroit, where her father worked in the fur industry. Sandy often received dresses as gifts from some of the store's best clients and later, the preservation of haute couture fashion became her life's mission. A portion of Sandy's impressive collection was on display at the Met's exhibition, "In Pursuit of Fashion: The Sandy Schreier Collection." To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca 

On this episode, beloved Canadian Fashion Designer Brian Bailey talks to Jeanne about his early childhood growing up on a farm in Alberta. Brian also shares how he started his career designing menswear fashion, the importance of inclusivity within his clothing line, and how he has adapted to the changing retail landscape.  To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca 

For many of us, watching Fashion Television for over two and half decades gave us backstage passes to all the international runways. On this episode, listen to first hand accounts from former Fashion Television Camera Man  Patrick Pidgeon and Field Producer Christopher Sherman.  After 27 years of working together on the show with Jeanne, the three old friends share some larger then life memories from the glory days in the fashion trenches. To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca 

On this episode, revered fashion icon Daphne Guinness, talks to Jeanne about all things style-from fashion's glory days to couture fittings and her personal style philosophy to the shock and pain she felt with the deaths of her close friends Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow. Daphne also talks about her passion for music, her current recording project and her recovery from her near death experience.To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca  

On this episode, Jeanne sits down with The Dean of Fashion Dr. Ben Barry.  Ben explains how he founded his successful modeling agency at the age of fourteen, and his responsibility as an educator to create a fashion curriculum that emphasizes equity, inclusion, and social justice.   To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca 

In this episode, American celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch talks to Jeanne about his early days as a model, and how he eventually transitioned to styling. Phillip's journey wasn't easy, and he shares his personal story about harassment in the fashion industry at a time when it was seemingly acceptable.  Jeanne also reads a passage from her book Jeanne Unbottled: Adventures in High Style about how the two met for the very first time at the VH1 Fashion Awards in 1995. To check out more from Style Matters, visit TSC.ca/stylemattersINSTAGRAM @ Thejeannebeker FACEBOOK @ Jeannebeker www. TSC.ca