FASHION HAGS Episode 84: Experiential Stores

Big news! We are still alive and still love you and fashion and podcasts. In other news, French President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the fashion industry get its shit together in terms of sustainability and other "initiatives." So Mr. Salma Hayek himself, Francois-Henri Pinault (of fashion conglomerate Kering) has spearheaded a "Sustainability Pact"  for members of large fashion companies like H&M, Chanel, Prada, etc to present to members of the G7. So wtf does that mean? To us, a whole lot of not much yet. Want to hear us get into it as well as a bunch of other highly important topics (ie: summer, moths), get on it!

Do you ever think about the impact our clothes-buying has on the world? On our culture? On each other? Maybe not. But our guest Jess Montgomery sure has. And lucky for us (and you!) she took some time to come over to the hot hot basement and chat with us about these impacts, how to train yourself to buy things differently, and her project Think The World Differently. It turns out she’s not just super knowledgable and passionate, she’s also an absolute delight to talk to. Give it a listen, you’ll see.

Ever been to a store to buy a thing and all they had at the store was just things to buy? Just go in, get it, and leave? Well that kind of transaction isn't enough for some brands, especially big ones, who want you to have a whole experience while at the store — maybe get a beer and draw a picture, see a DJ do a set, skate on a skateboard. In this episode, we chit chat about the new retail trend of experiential stores. Is it a coincidence that they are coming along at a time when traditional retail is dying and online shopping is easier and more popular than ever? We think not.

Lots to cover this week, Hags! We can’t not talk about the Met gala and all the hits and misses (there were a few) but the real deal is a kiki about line reviews. A line review is basically an internal show for buyers and other members of the production team by the designers for a specific season. Have no idea what any of that means? Better listen in and learn all about it.

It's just about time for the annual MET Gala and we are ready to dish. This year's theme is Camp: Notes on Fashion, based on Susan Sontag's 1964 essay Notes on Camp. It is such a fun theme that is almost impossible to get wrong, although we are pretty sure there will be people that will, which is one of the reasons we are excited to see it all unfold. Plus, we swoon over Beyonce's Homecoming and the usual nonsense. Put on a pink feathered gown and come join!

It's always fun to look back at school and talk about the good times, the bad times, the stress, the rewards, the blood, sweat, and tears, and how we could all do so much better now with the gift of hindsight.

We are thrilled to have academic researcher, blogger, author, networker, lecturer and generally delightful lady Kat Sark join us on this episode! She walks us through fashion networking, the wide world of academia and where fashion fits into it, her city-based fashion history books, impacts of colonialism on fashion and culture, and also starts up a few good giggles. Get ready for some great stories, stuff you never knew before, big words that sound impressive, and of course, obsessions.

Karl Lagerfeld is a name even non-fashion-y people can recognize, and now that he's gone what will fashion look like? His contributions to fashion are unmatched but there are definitely things we are not going to miss. Listen to the tea spilling'!

REBEL REBEL! Fashion has always been a rebellious act, from those who create it, to those who refuse to embrace it, to those who actively reject it. Rebels continually push things forward to new limits and new directions by updating the status quo, but rebellion doesn’t have to be as obvious as wearing a torn jean jacket with safety pins and a mile high mohawk, even though that’s pretty fun. It can be as subtle as buying clothes from a small business run by POC, and, obviously, everything in between. Let’s take a big ol’ dive into it, shall we? Get those fists in the air, Hags! Or not, it’s up to you

Have you ever been seduced by a weird Instagram ad? Or a product some random "Influencer" posted about? The answer is probably yes! But why tho? We dig in and talk about how Instagram is dominating how consumers are shopping these days.