During our late-August video call, fashion stylist Brie Welch's phone buzzes with an Instagram DM from Katie Holmes. The actress sent her a runway look that caught her eye. (Welch couldn't specify exactly what look or which brand; some secrets need to stay behind the curtain in the celebrity styling business.)

Welch and Holmes have been exchanging screenshots and inspiration since they started working together in 2022. “We both still have these moments where we’re able to fall for things in fashion—the charm of it all hasn't gone away,” says the celebrity stylist and creative consultant. “It's those little things that help create a strong connection when you work with someone. For instance, when I’m styling Katie for a press tour, I can be like, ‘Oh, I remember she liked this idea from a message she sent months ago. Let’s come back to it and include it now.’ There's always an intention behind what she wears — it’s not just whatever from whomever.”

Intentional is the best word to describe Welch’s overall approach. After studying fashion design at Cal State Long Beach, she moved to New York City in 2008, hoping to find a fashion brand with a junior job opening that also shared Welch’s personal values: purposeful, thoughtful creation. She struck out finding such a position and instead took on various odd jobs, from serving at a pizza restaurant to working a nine-to-five in public relations. Later, Welch found a more meaningful path as a fashion director for French lifestyle blogger Garance Doré, where she was responsible for styling the site’s broader fashion content.

After three and a half years of refining her fashion curation skills for Doré, combined with an inherently cool personal style—“I always reach for the most unexpected thing when getting dressed," she explains—Welch dove into freelance styling. With a strong network of fashion friends, she secured work styling editorial spreads for Vogue and Business of Fashion, celebrity clients like Holmes, and brand campaigns for Givenchy and Ferragamo.

Most recently, Welch has become the resident stylist for eBay, where she curates trends, pre-loved wishlists, and shares her passion for—here’s that word again—intentional consumption. “Clothing-wise, I think everything that we want already exists," says Welch. "It's not that we shouldn't have new clothes; of course, new clothes are beautiful and exciting, and circular fashion only exists because we have wonderful designers creating things. But there's a limit to how much we really need to produce.”

Through her partnership with eBay, Welch aims to encourage shoppers to explore the secondhand market first, even when looking for new-season trends or special occasion pieces. “I was the costume designer on the film Happy Hours—written, directed, and starring Katie Holmes—and so much of what I used was vintage from secondhand thrift stores and eBay. It just goes to show you that you can do big things with stuff that already exists,” she says.

Ahead, we discuss the stylist's low-and-slow approach, the unique alchemy behind Holmes’s style, and the items Welch is winning at eBay auctions.

Marie Claire: Can you share a styling tip that can turn a good outfit into a great one?

Brie Welch: What you do with your sleeve is such an underrated styling trick. It sounds silly... but are you going to button your wrists or leave them open? Are you going to push your sleeve up so it scrunches, or fold and roll it? There are so many different ways to style your sleeves that also change the shirt's silhouette.

Silk scarves are also a little accessory that can add a lot of flair. Zoë Kavitz, styled by Danielle [Goldberg], will wear a T-shirt and pants, but she's got a scarf on her head, so it’s like, ‘Wow, she looks so cool.’ Leandra Medine also did a newsletter about tying a scarf as a belt, which became this massive trickle-down moment—I now see at least five girls every day with a scarf around the waist. It's fascinating because they added just one little accessory, which you can buy for $5 or hundreds of dollars at Hermès, and it completely changes their look.

MC: Katie Holmes's style has a certain magic that makes it so appealing to the mainstream. Why do you think that is?

BW: What's interesting about Katie’s style is that she's aspirational, but her looks are attainable. That balance can only come from a certain type of person who both loves fashion and is also quite down to earth. It’s definitely who she is, and it’s also how I approach fashion, which is why we've really bonded.

MC: What are your favorite, holy-grail clothing items?

BW: I actually don’t have any favorites. I'm not a piece person—I don't look at fashion in these, sort of, hierarchical terms of what piece is better than the other. In one instance, my favorite thing I own could be a T-shirt that someone hand-printed and made for me, which has nothing to do with fashion. Or, sometimes, it’s the Khaite boots I've had from their second Fall 2017 season.

MC: What about a go-to brand?

BW: I always come back to Comme des Garçons. But it’s not the fantastical items; it's the stuff that I can wear daily—the blazers, the shirts. It’s not, ‘Oh my God, you have that CDG piece?' It’s more, ‘Oh, who made that?' Which is more of who I am anyway: I'm not a big showy person.

MC: What vintage brands do you think are overdue for a comeback?

Brie: I personally like to search [eBay] for old Alberta Ferretti and Christian Lacroix. Both those brands made a lot of things that are still relevant today. Alberta touched on so many of the boho trends we’re seeing now, and Christian did the Y2K-inspired, weird, bright colors and prints that are everywhere. Specifically, I’d say that old Alberta, now with a new designer (Lorenzo Serafini was appointed creative director in October 2024), would be one to invest in now. These older sleeper brands from Italy, which had their heyday years ago, can really trickle up—we've seen it with Bottega and Loewe.

MC: You guide your clients through getting dressed. But have they taught you any fashion lessons that you've integrated into your own style?

BW: Not so much the way I get dressed, but more of a broader lesson is just to ask for what you want. You can't get what you want unless you're willing to ask for it. It’s a good lesson for all women to know. No one is a mind reader. And it can apply to clothes, too—like, ‘Gosh, I want that new Chloé Paddington bag. How can I manifest it?’

MC: What does the fashion industry need less of?

BW: We need fewer brands creating ‘the perfect shirt.’ I feel like every week I get an email about a new brand that's discovered how to make the ultimate button-up or perfect white T-shirt for a woman. I'm like, What am I missing here? We need brands to be more intentional in what they make—they don’t all have to make 'perfect shirts,' every category, everything. Intentionality is important. Making less stuff and making it better, more well-made—I think customers would ultimately be attracted to that.

MC: We’ve covered fashion. Now, what are you currently watching and listening to?

Brie: I'm going to admit that I'm watching Lost. I never watched it, but recently just decided to dive in. It gives me some weird dreams sometimes, though, so I think I need a break. I also watch The Buccaneers and The Gilded Age. Music-wise, I really like the new Tyler, the Creator album, and I’ve also been listening to a lot of Neil Young.

MC: What about something unrelated to fashion that’s filling your cup?

BW: I watched a documentary about Sally Mann (American photographer), and as a whole, I'm always inspired by artists' personal stories, how they think, and how they got there. It's interesting to see their process, why they decided to use this technique or that, and what their medium is. Real people creating in their real lives is always inspiring to me. It makes me excited.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

Fate. Divine timing. Sheer coincidence. Whatever you call it when life aligns in a near-perfect way, Amanda Kraemer—the global fashion and styling director of Lands' End—knows it well.

Two years ago, before she joined the heritage brand as its fashion point person, she felt adrift. As a single parent to a 4-year-old, she was freelancing as a creative consultant and stylist, which meant constant travel, long days, and every time she returned to her New York City apartment, it felt increasingly foreign. Although the nagging voice—“Do I have what it takes to truly do all of this on my own?”—had quieted somewhat, it lingered.

Late one night, Kraemer lay in bed whispering, “Okay, God, Universe, higher powers—give me a sign. Just show me where I’m meant to be.” The very next day, her current boss texted her and invited her to apply for the job as global director of fashion and styling.

Beyond that perfect timing, Lands' End already ran through her veins. Growing up in a remote Wisconsin town just miles from the company’s headquarters, she spent teenage afternoons scouring the outlet racks for Drifter sweaters and other backstock treasures. “I was born and raised in the DNA of this brand. It feels very full circle,” Kraemer reflects.

So she packed up her son and moved home—something she never expected to do. “Moving back to Wisconsin was not part of my life’s plan. But so many amazing things in my life have been curveballs,” she says, settling into a house just 20 minutes from the Lands' End office.

Her penchant for pivots goes back further. At 18, she enrolled in FIT’s fashion design program, and within a month, she knew she didn’t want to sew. She switched to fashion marketing, landed at Target, and discovered that business cards and profit-and-loss statements weren’t her thing, either. “At that point, I didn’t even know what a stylist was,” she laughs, “but I knew I’d figure it out.” A cold call to Shopbop turned into an executive-stylist role, and she fell in love with curating clothes.

During her interview for her current role, Kraemer noted that “Lands' End pieces are ones that a grandfather could wear, a parent could wear, and a teen could wear, too.” When I reminded her she was once that teen, she laughed: “Exactly—that’s timeless. Wherever you live, whatever your age, anybody can make these pieces work because they’re the building blocks of a really great wardrobe.”

Ahead, Kraemer reveals the one must-have piece she tucks into every suitcase, the handful of fashion Substack newsletters she turns to daily for fresh ideas, and how stepping into the fashion-and-styling role has deepened—and even redefined—her lifelong love affair with a brand she's worn her entire life.

Marie Claire: If you had to sum up your style in three words, what would they be?

Amanda Kraemer: Androgynous, confident, and personal.

MC: As the global fashion and styling director of Lands' End—and a nonstop traveler—what’s the one piece in your closet you truly can’t live without?

AK: A blazer has always helped me in my life. When I want to feel a bit corporate-y but not stuffy, I'll throw one on with a T-shirt. I pack one on vacation because I know I can wear it with jeans, black pants, a dress, a skirt, and shorts. It's cliché, but you really just can't go wrong with a great blazer.

MC: You have strong convictions about style. What’s the fashion rule you’re absolutely unwilling to budge on?

AK: There’s this confidence in being resourceful, just doing you, and not catering to any particular head-to-toe look. I think mixing high-low brands in an outfit is chic. Like, I love wearing one of our Drifter sweaters with a Prada mini short.

MC: If someone told you their wardrobe felt stuck in a rut, where would you advise them to start shaking things up?

AK: Play with color. Change your mood by adding it to your outfit. We need that pop of optimism right now, whether that's head-to-toe cherry red or simple color blocking. Color allows you to experiment with an aesthetic without being confined to a single trend or style. I enjoy the boho fashion trend we're seeing everywhere—sheerness and ruffles—but that's not a look for everyone. But everyone can work with a pop of red.

MC: Which designers or labels do you gravitate toward outside of Lands' End?

AK: I love and want everything from Loewe, Prada, and Chanel, but there are so many incredible smaller brands doing things their own way, and I really respect that. I love the denim brand Still Here. Kallmeyer blends a perfect mix of soft androgyny with a forever clean and classic look. Hai and Donni really bring out the refined feminine in me, and I love everything by Bode—the mix of novelty and classic styles is so good. Maryam Nassir Zadeh is incredible. Emily Dawn Long’s pieces are beautiful. William Frederick is a small Ohio-based brand making very classic, androgynous tailoring pieces—button-downs, woven shirts—that transcend gender, age, and environments. I really appreciate that.

MC: The Lands' End woman has been evolving for decades. How would you define her today?

AK: She’s somebody who’s not pivoting. She's true to herself and curates her wardrobe so it feels reliable and appropriate. She can wear it this year, in five years, or in 10 years to come. Really, I don't think there's a ton of shift from the Lands' End woman twenty years ago to 2025 to the future.

MC: The fashion industry feels like it's at a turning point. What do you think we need more of right now?

AK: It’s so important that we have pieces that make us dream, because growing up in the middle of nowhere, fashion was a fantasy. Carine Roitfeld preached this, and when I revisit her work from the 1990s and aughts, every nuanced detail has this element of fantasy woven into it. I try to bring that into my work at Lands End by taking a basic, ordinary piece and infusing it with a bit of novelty while still blending it with the reality of women's lives and making it attainable.

MC: Outside of magazines and social, where do you turn daily for fresh fashion inspiration?

AK: Lately, I mostly read Substack. I love Still Here World, Magasin, and 5 Things You Should Buy. Oh, and I should also mention my soon-to-be-unveiled account, The IYK. I've also been listening to a lot of Oasis because I still have faith that I'm going to be able to steal a ticket and see them if they stay together and make it to the States.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

What qualifies as an heirloom is deeply personal—and few know that better than Beth Hutchens. In her sunlit FoundRae Soho office, with its wide-brim windows flooding the room with light, Beth admires a ‘70s bird sculpture and an elephant made of wood and seashells she casually picks up off her coffee table. “Anthony Redmile made them in the seventies, and I’ve always been into it,” she tells me. It’s a small glimpse into how Hutchens artfully curates her home and workspace with cherished pieces.

The designer is widely known for her creative energy, but those who know her backstory also register her keen business sense. At just 23, she launched the popular contemporary label Rebecca Taylor with $40,000, making deals from a pay phone in the Chase bank lobby on Seventh Avenue and 40th Street. She initially thought her entire career would be spent at the brand. “I hadn’t really thought it all the way through—I expected to feel older by then. So, when I was 40, we sold the business, and I stayed on as CEO for a while. But I just wasn’t done yet—I had so much more to live and learn.”

Without any concrete business plan, she pivoted directions, left Rebecca Taylor, and launched her next project—FoundRae. This new label was both a creative and spiritual exploration, inspired by her passion for vintage jewelry and her habit of finding and transforming pieces into her own unique creations. Her goal was simple: maintain a small, dedicated team while offering people jewelry that tells a story—just as hers did. The brand’s premise was meant to be intimate and customizable from the get-to, blending symbols from various cultures and eras to inspire self-expression and discovery "based on where you are now or where you see yourself going," Hutchens explains.

Ten years after her first trunk show at Barney’s in September 2015, FoundRae is now a household name in fashion and a favorite among seasoned jewelry lovers and celebrities. Hutchens has grown her business from a small team into a coveted brand with two boutiques in New York City, one in Los Angeles, and a new store in Miami’s buzzy Design District.

Ahead, we chat more about Hutchens's love for learning, her evolving personal style, and her quest to break fashion's cookie-cutter mold.

Marie Claire: How would you describe your dressing style?

Beth Hutchens: I've always really liked mixing things up. I remember when we were in our twenties, and Rebecca [Taylor] asked, "How would you describe your style?" I said, "Classic," and she literally started laughing and rolling on the floor. So, I’d probably say eclectic. But I really meant that I love pieces I can keep in my wardrobe forever. I have a coat I've had since I was 15—a leopard coat from the sixties.

I also sleep in my jewelry—the only thing that changes daily is my necklaces. My bracelets, rings, and earrings are with me every day. Even if I had to run outside naked, I'd still wear jewelry. I slowly add one piece every four months, sometimes taking something off or adding another. I primarily wear FoundRae, antique and vintage pieces, and some by young designers. I sometimes remake vintage jewelry, keeping the past alive with a modern twist.

MC: Do you have a uniform?

BH: I love designer clothes. Today, I'm wearing Gucci pants, but then I mix them up. I usually wear vintage, although I went through a brief period when I was scared to wear it. I had a woman I really admired, and in my late twenties, I’d always show up at her office wearing vintage. She’d say, "I love what you're wearing," and I’d reply, "Oh, it's vintage." Then she'd say, "When you get to my age, you can't wear vintage because it just looks like it’s been in your closet for that long." But I genuinely love and wear vintage all the time, so I had to get over that and realize I like it, so I'm wearing it.

And I love designers who mix in vintage fabrics. There’s just something about Gucci—it always feels tongue-in-cheek to me. They probably don’t intend it to be, but somehow, it feels slightly campy. I like wearing it because it’s not trying to be subtle in a funny way. I also love Bode and Chloé.

MC: What's a style adage that you're not into?

BH: Definitely, “less is more.” I also wish people would take more risks and reflect something they truly like, even if it’s not a hundred percent tasteful. There are too many filters in this world on many levels. I just wish we could feel more empowered to be individualistic and less afraid of how we're seen in each other’s eyes. It seems to influence so many people to look exactly the same.

MC: Are there any fashion or cultural moments that are inspiring you?

BH: I feel like inspiration abounds everywhere you look. It’s less about being in some special place and more about opening your eyes to what’s around you. I’m constantly inspired by art, what I see from others, conversations, and books. I love craft and any artisanship. I’m very inspired by other makers in different disciplines and by seeing how I could apply their techniques or knowledge to our collection.

MC: Are you reading anything that's doing that right now?

BH: I'm rereading a book I've read quite a few times—Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I’m working on a new protection symbol for the fall, and this book is really relevant to that. I like to immerse myself in a symbol and the tenet I'm considering.

MC: What role does jewelry play in your philosophies?

BH: I purposely design classic jewelry because I want my pieces to last a lifetime and feel familiar. I don’t want them to be trend-oriented; I want them passed on to the next generation—pieces that evolve with you.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

As an artist with a niche talent for recreating runway and red carpet looks, Angelica Hicks knew she could DIY Zendaya's Louis Vuitton outfit from Paris Fashion Week. So, the Brooklyn-based Brit borrowed her boyfriend's tuxedo jacket, scrunched a set of bedsheets into a bubble skirt identical to Z's, and ripped the white 'We Heart Our Customers' cover off her dry cleaning to strategically use it as lapels. A red Coca-Cola label became a brooch, and a black plastic bag from last night's Chinese takeout turned into a designer handbag. The pièce de résistance, in Hicks's opinion, was the crocodile Haribo gummy flipped marshmallow side up—a perfect interpretation of the white button on Zendaya's blazer.

"I found the Haribo crocodiles at the deli check-out when I was buying the Coke [to use as the Louis Vuitton brooch]," the social media superstar says over the phone. "I had this light bulb moment and just knew the candies were the perfect final touch. That ah-ha moment doesn't come every time, but when it does, it's extremely satisfying, and it's [usually] when I [start to] think, 'Oh shit—this look might pop off."

And she’s often right. Hicks has had more than a few creations go viral, drawing 740,000 Instagram followers and over 616,000 TikTok fans eager to see her transform trash into surrealist high-fashion replicas. "You are truly one of the most imaginative creative beings on the internet," one Instagram commenter wrote on her Zendaya-Louis Vuitton video.

She's also caught the national media's attention. You may have seen Hicks on Good Morning America earlier this year when she remade Ariana Grande's 2024 Oscars dress with baby pink tees and balled-up newspapers shoved inside a down comforter. Or her take on Taylor Swift's 2024 Grammys outfit using bed linens, cardstock, duct tape, tinsel, and a Ricola lozenge. The latter did the rounds on TikTok and currently counts over forty-four million views and three-point-seven million likes.

Some of her sharp eye for detail is likely traced back to her studies as an art history student at the University College London and early career as an illustrator crafting fashion drawings laced with witty wordplay—think an amphibian dubbed "Jil Salamander" or loaves of bread cleverly labeled as Gucci loafers. In 2021, she started recreating high-fashion looks with household materials and posting them as quick-cut, under-60-second videos on social media. Her goal? Pure cheeky fun. “I see [the recreation videos] as an extension of my illustrations and a hysterical way to engage with fashion,” she explains. For the absurdist artist, fashion’s charm lies in its inherent silliness.

“Fashion is about imagination—it’s childlike,” Hicks says. “As kids, we turn a cardboard box into a fort. My work abstracts objects in the same playful way. It's magical when you can find that childlike, make-believe imagination as an adult.”

In this installment of Have You Met, Hicks takes Marie Claire inside her creative process and the whimsical approach that’s made her an internet sensation and a designer in her own right—proving that sometimes fashion can make the most impact when it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Marie Claire: When did you make the connection between comedy and high-fashion recreations?

Angelica Hicks: When I look at a red carpet or runway, to me, the funniness has always been, 'Oh, this looks like that, but it's not.' So, about four years ago, I just started making videos to explore that idea.

I enjoy the trompe l'oeil nature of a Ferrero Rocher wrapper that approximates what a Schiappareli button looks like. There's also the ridiculousness and comedy in the abstraction of an everyday object, like using an AC vent to do a Louis Vuitton sleeve. That's fun.

When I was younger, kids wanted to either be funny or cool and, to me, being funny was always the best and biggest compliment. So, when I receive comments, like, ‘Oh my God, I really needed to laugh today,’ it makes me so happy. That's the highest praise I can get and when I hear that today, I am like, ‘Yes!’ I mean, making people laugh—is there anything better?

MC: When did your fascination with fashion begin?

AH: My mom was a fashion designer, and her strong sense of style shaped me early on. She taught me that expensive doesn’t always mean better and instilled an appreciation for finding treasures in vintage shops. Some of my earliest memories are of shopping with her and watching her get dressed, which gave me a deep respect for the art of putting together an outfit.

MC: Your video editing is such a key part of your content. How did you discover that format?

AH: I remember doing a still image comparison of a Gucci runway look with a Dr. Jart face mask early on in my videos. This was around when videos were getting big [on social media], and I realized using them would be cool to help [drive home] the joke even more. Not everyone knows what a Dr. Jart face mask is, so if I'm unpackaging it, putting it on, and doing it deadpan, it's an extension of the joke—almost like a mime.

MC: How does an idea take shape?

AH: I begin mapping out a look by walking around my apartment to see what’s available. But sometimes I’ll get an idea of, ‘Okay, well, I really want to use cabbage here.’ So, I’ll have to go out and buy cabbage.

People respond to watching someone eat, so using edible materials is great because I also get a little treat. When I don’t have an edible element, I get comments like, ‘Oh my God, no snack this time!’ So, sometimes I’ll do [videos] where I eat a bit of chocolate even though it’s completely unnecessary for the look, and people seem happier.

MC: What’s your mindset when you step in front of the camera?

AH: I put on my outfits and slip into this confident character. I do my little two-step and wink at the end of the videos. I'm moving confidently, even though my ass is hanging out on the back because the front is all I care about recreating.

MC: What are you wearing when you’re not making clothes from scraps and bedsheets?

AH: I think I'm good at putting prints together, and I wear a lot of them.

I also really like Alix of Bohemia’s designs. They have a very limited run of stuff, and the price point reflects that they are not mass-produced. I really like what the founder, Alix Verley-Pietrafesa, is doing; she’s not following trends.

MC: How has your relationship with designer brands and labels evolved?

When I was younger, I was obsessed with designer things. I would go to secondhand shops and buy items based not on whether they were nice but on their labels. I remember a Marc Jacobs dress in particular. It was okay, but I bought it because it was Marc Jacobs. I was so obsessed with these designer brands—or, more importantly, the idea of them.

I wanted to push back against that entire way of thinking because now, a lot of online fashion content is the same idea—promoting a bag with a label without any real personality behind the content. Now I'm like, "That bag is cool! I’ll make it."

MC: What’s the state of your closet?

AH: I appreciate the Marie Kondo way of doing things. I know it’s really helpful for some people, but I'm sort of the opposite of that. I would never be able to do [a Marie Kondo closet clean out] because I sort of hoard things. My closet is filled with clothes I've owned for years. I have some of my mom's and grandma's old clothes. But everything I have I wear. Even if it's been three years, it'll be recycled back into [my rotation], and I'll eventually start wearing it again.

MC: What’s a recent purchase you’re excited to wear?

AH: I recently got a pair of high-waisted black suit pants that are very long—like on-the-floor long. I've been looking for long pants for a while because I'm a bit tall at five 10 and a half, and I’m tired of suit pants that are ankle swingers.

MC: When you’re not DIYing high-fashion looks, how do you fill your time?

AH: I like The Real Real a lot. Recently, I’ve been making RealReal baskets and then emptying them just for fun

I just read Switch Bitch by Road Dahl, which is a big collection of short stories, and I enjoyed that, and I just finished The Great British Bake Off and was actually shocked at the finale. I also loved Wicked. I saw it twice.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

Jumping on a video call with Chava Studio designer Olivia Villanti feels like reconnecting with an old friend. There are no formal introductions. Instead, we dive right into what could be the middle of a conversation—like we're picking up where we left off—even though we've never met. "My son was three when we moved to Mexico City from New York [where she and her husband lived for fifteen years]. It was really challenging trying to raise him in NYC. It was a lot. My husband and I were both working a ton. It just wasn't really what we wanted," she says. Juggling work and mom life is a familiar struggle. Add in the city's grueling pace, tight spaces, and a global pandemic, and Villanti and her husband didn't need much more reason to stay put in Mexico City for the long haul, close to in-laws and where her husband was raised.

The better quality of life and emphasis on family were instant draws for Vallanti, who was used to burning the candle at both ends. As a dance major pursuing it as a professional career after college, the reality meant practicing all day and waiting tables all evening. "I just got really burnt out," she tells me point blank. And then there was an in-between career—and the novelty of a lunch break—at a part-time job at a fashion PR firm that led Villanti to meet editors who turned into friends. Through those connections, she landed an editor role at Conde Nast's former shopping publication, Lucky Magazine. "That was the magazine that started to make me feel like fashion was accessible to someone like me who loved clothing but didn't have a big budget."

Back in Mexico City, she was immersed in design at her French in-laws' made-to-measure studio started by her husband's grandfather. Their family business, which imported fine European fabrics after emigrating to Mexico post-WWII, evolved into a bespoke men's tailoring atelier. Rummaging through their treasure trove of fine fabric deadstock, including the sought-after Alumo cotton (arguably one of the finest fabrics in the world), Villanti began making shirting for herself and became, in a word—obsessed. "There were so many options of collars and cuffs, and inner linings, and buttons and monogram placements—and I thought men have at least one or maybe several made-to-measure shirts in their closet, but that experience had never been translated into what women want or proportioned for a woman's body."

"The whole idea of Chava Studio just kind of came to me," she recalls, her voice filled with the excitement of a new venture. She dove into launching her made-to-measure women's shirting company in August of 2020, keeping the beautiful details that make made-to-measure unique but with "a sensibility that's really soft and feminine."

Villanti's showroom is nestled in the front of her in-laws' Mexico City studio—now an extension of the family business—and a go-to for the fashion set, who turn to Chava Studio for all their button-downs.

We chat more about Villanti's artistic inspirations, the book she can't put down, and discuss the polarizing sides of foundership—a job she notes is one of her loneliest but equally rewarding experiences to date.

Marie Claire: Who is currently influencing your work as a designer?

Olivia Villanti: Dance will forever influence my work because it was my first medium for finding a creative voice. I studied ballet when I was young and switched to modern dance when I was about 16. I was focused on dance theater, specifically studying it through the lens of Pina Bausch, my mentor. She does many things beautifully, but she's a technically proficient dancer. She's rooted in fundamental, classic technique, but she can create something that feels so distinctly hers within the framework of this classical canon. Her performances have moved me to tears. She understands how to make these beautiful vignettes where you feel like you're being told the story from every angle—including how she uses costumes and fabrics to narrate a story.

MC: Do you have any of your own rules or techniques around the clothes you choose?

OV: Getting dressed in the morning is a pretty quick process. I don't take much time to pick out or plan outfits. I'm very formulaic. I wear the same things every day. I mean, it's a joke sometimes. I always have on a Chava Studio blouse—I own eight and rotate through them—a silver choker, an ear cuff, some sort of pants (my closet is 70 percent vintage denim), and a flat or loafer combination.

A couple of core tenets are really important to me when it comes to clothing, especially as a designer. I want everything to feel emotional but also timeless. It's all about infusing outfits and pieces with interesting and special details that aren't distracting, not pegged to a specific moment in time, or tethered to a trend. It's a hard tension sometimes.

I also like juxtaposing formality with femininity to make dressing more accessible and relaxed. A workhorse shirt can be made of luxurious fabrics that feel elegant. Why not?

MC: What is exciting you in the fashion industry right now?

OV: I really love that there's been an emergence of founder-led brands that feel like they're creating pieces with a lot of soul and very much a representation of themselves. I love the shoes from Emme Parsons' [eponymous] brand and Alissa [Zachary's] brand High Sport. It feels like so much intention and focus goes into their brands. What I don't like is any brand that feels like it's launched as an idea to get a lot of investment, or to sell it off, or to be the hot new direct-to-consumer company.

With the smaller founder-led brands, there's an intimacy that resonates. People are getting a lot of [the founders'] personal style and ethos. It's nice to think about it as a return to fashion's roots—keeping craftsmanship alive by buying pieces you can repair and care for, have an afterlife, and want to hold onto.

MC: What are your feelings on fashion TikTok?

OV: I think it's so important. I mean, at least if you're a small brand and you're starting out, that is where you're going to build your community. But for me, I think there's something really authentic about sharing a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff, things that you're experiencing on a day-to-day basis with your brand that feels, I don't know, interesting, fun. It also feels a little bit therapeutic for me. I feel like I'm inviting people into my process because, as a founder, it's a pretty lonely experience.

Some brands are so good at TikTok. Like Loewe, their TikTok is amazing and so funny! Social media can add an entirely new dimension to the brand. I pay all my respects to social media. It might drive me crazy, and I spend way too much time on it. I know it's not good for my mental health, but I see a lot of value in it. I really do.

MC: How do you keep yourself entertained when you can pull yourself away from Loewe's TikTok?

OV: I've gotten really hard into this Bleachers music phase. I'm so happy, and their music is bringing me up because I feel like this has been an intense moment in my life [growing Chava]. We've been really busy; if I put that music on, I'm just in the flow. I'm actually going to see them in October in New York.

I'm also reading Hello Beautiful by Anne Napolitano, which my mother gave me. I really like it, but I just finished rereading Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman for the fourth time. I love that book and am inspired by it every time I read it. It's just so beautiful.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

Recho Omondi, host and creator of the fashion podcast "The Cutting Room Floor," invites people from all facets of the fashion industry onto her show to have frank conversations about the style business. Guests range from upper-echelon brand executives to behind-the-curtain product developers, and no topics are off limits, from criticism of luxury conglomerates to fashion nepo babies. Whatever is on the agenda, Omondi unapologetically dives head-in.

Her genuine and incisive interview style gets people talking. New-gen independent designer darlings Christopher John Rogers and Peter Do opened up about the downsides of rapid growth. Mickey Drexler, CEO of Alex Mill, creator of Madewell, and former chief executive at the Gap and J.Crew, explained why profits often trump products. YouTuber Luke Meagher, a.k.a. HauteLeMode, spoke candidly about fashion criticism—and lack thereof—in the social media era.

Not all episodes are inside-baseball deep dives into the business back-end: The Kenyan-American host recently welcomed Yasiin Bey onto the podcast, where the rapper formerly known as Mos Def spoke about the importance of sincerity in art and his disdain for the poppy, ear-worm songs you hear piped into chain retailers. As Bey put it: "The soundtrack of consumption."

Omondi wasn't always behind the mic. After graduating in 2011 from the Savannah College of Art and Design in the fashion design and pattern-making undergrad program, the Illinois native moved to New York to pursue a career in pattern-making at Theory and Calvin Klein, followed by the launch of her namesake ready-to-wear brand, Omondi, in 2014.

But four years into running her own company, she became demoralized by just how little the industry knew and appreciated what went into making clothes. "Magazine editors would ask me questions that showed they didn't [get the production side]. Stylists would ask why I didn't have extra samples [for photo shoots and red carpets]," Omondi says. "There wasn't a 360-degree comprehensive understanding of how the industry works—instead, everyone was operating in a silo."

Out of "frustration and angst," Omondi launched "The Cutting Room Floor" podcast in 2018 with the tagline "fashion's only fashion show" as a platform for candid conversations about working in the business. Plus, she had always loved the art of the interview—she often spent hours at the sewing machine during her college days, set to a score of interesting people answering questions on various YouTube channels and podcasts. "I didn't realize then that there would be any correlation with my career," Omondi says with a laugh.

She didn't intend to be podcasting full-time, but when the pandemic hit in 2020, Omondi dissolved her clothing brand and became a permanent fixture in the podcasting space.

On "The Cutting Room Floor," Omondi dismantles the outside illusion that fashion is glamorous and glossy. "Transparency is not always sexy," she says. "In some ways, the industry is built on dreams, to the detriment of people working there. To sell those dreams, you're tasked with upholding that image, even if you're struggling." Her program prides itself on presenting the industry for what it really is: messy, complicated, and a lot of work.

Though she's typically the one asking questions, Omondi swapped her host seat for Marie Claire's guest chair in the newest Have You Met installment. Ahead, she chats about her dream pod guests, why she tunes out fashion trends, and weighs in on her complicated relationship with the industry.

Marie Claire: How would you describe your personal style?

Recho Omondi: When I was younger, in my 20s, I consumed a lot more and interacted with fashion completely differently. I was more excited by the newness, brightness, and shiny things, so I participated more. But as I've matured—and I think this is just natural—I'm not as easily swayed by new trends and stuff.

Now, I'm definitely a uniform girl. I wear a derivative of the same three to four outfits, which all read as kind of the same. I truly have what every designer markets as the wardrobe: I have a core pair of denim and a few pairs of trousers in different cuts and brands that have very slight differences—but only I would know what the differences are for the most part. A sneaker, loafer, and Birkenstock that I wear every day; a heel that I wear when I need to wear those; T-shirts in white, gray, navy, black, and ivory; three or four great oversized sweaters. I have some core turtlenecks: one big and baggy, one slim and fitting; button-down shirts of varying colors; a thin belt to wrap it all together. It's not that exciting—It's really simple.

MC: As a "uniform girl," can you break down the outfit formula?

RO: It's a pair of denim trousers, either a COS sweater or a T-shirt, a thin belt, and either GH Bass loafers or my Adidas Samba.

MC: Is there one hero item that stands out?

RO: I have a pair of The Row’s Perseo denim trousers. I hesitate to reveal they’re The Row because I don't want people to think I'm rich, but I had to buy them. They’re flawlessly cut jeans. The fabrication is denim, but they're cut like trousers. That's an important distinction.

MC: How has your relationship with the fashion industry evolved, from your time as a pattern-maker to a designer and podcaster?

RO: My attitude now is to get in where you fit in. The industry exists at many different levels, and you have to figure out what works for you. The biggest misconception is that people think "fashion" is only luxury and high fashion, and that's the apex [of the industry]—that’s the place you need to aspire to get to and where you need to operate. I think that's a farce.

Everyone should examine their role in the industry outside of that context and that hierarchy. If you want to be a fashion journalist, it doesn't mean you have to work at Vogue. If you want to be a designer, that doesn’t mean you have to show at Fashion Week. When you look at it that way, there's room for so many different corners of the industry to exist. That's why I don't pigeonhole "The Cutting Room Floor" into one sector. It's very high and low, near and far. I'm down to talk to anybody in the fashion space, whether they work at a commercial or corporate brand or are independent designers. Everyone has a point of view.

MC: Is there one piece of advice from an interview that really stuck with you?

RO: There are very few interviews, if any, where I didn't take something away. In that sense, I have an internal dialogue of every episode I've ever done constantly running in the back of my mind at all times.

Teri Agins, who covered the fashion beat at the Wall Street Journal for 20 years by herself, once told me that you can't argue with the driver while you're still in the cab. I thought that was really poignant. What she meant was to try and find [podcast] guests who are either solid in the business or totally out of it. Guests who don't have as much to lose anymore will most likely be the most open. It's much harder for someone to be candid when they're still up and coming or trying to make a name for themselves. You can't argue with the driver while you're still in the cab, [which is equivalent to the saying] you can't bite the hand that feeds you.

MC: Who are your dream guests?

RO: The irony of my dream guests is that many of them tend to be private people and typically deny a public profile—Phoebe Philo, for instance.

A dream interview guest would be the Olsen twins, but in many ways, it wouldn't be [my dream interview] because I know they wouldn't really be open. They probably would be very guarded, and rightfully so. But if, for whatever reason, the Olsen twins chose me for their once-in-a-decade interview, had some scoop they wanted to share, and were going to be open and feel safe, then they would be the dream interview. There's no point in having a dream guest if they don't come with the dream attitude.

MC: Anyone else who you think would come ready to chat?

RO: I'm dying to talk to Marc Jacobs because he's the king. I don't know if younger people realize that as much, but he's like a [fashion] God. I would really love to have three and a half hours with him. I also think Shawn Stussy would be an incredible interview.

MC: What do you think fashion needs more of?

RO: It needs a lot more creativity and innovation.

MC: What's a fashion buzzword you don't want to hear again?

RO: "Collaboration" which is really just two logos sharing the same space.

MC: Do you have a fashion-related pet peeve?

RO: I wish everyone would get this right—navy is not blue. It's in the blue family, but it's not blue. To do navy right, it should look closer to black. I want to squint my eyes and not really be sure if it's black—to me, that's the perfect, proper, sophisticated navy. It looks like ink, and you only really catch it in the sunlight. The dark blue that people mistake for navy feels very commercial and cheesy to me. That is where you separate the men from the boys. Comme des Garçons and Jil Sander do it well.

MC: What are you watching?

RO: I just watched the Nickelodeon exposé Quiet on Set.

MC: What are you reading?

RO: Right now, I'm reading a great book, Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, who was a hostage negotiator for the FBI for 20 years. It's helped me a lot in my interviewing skills. He basically provides ways to sharpen your soft skills, negotiate, ask questions, and get the answers you want while making people feel comfortable. I don't know if it's meant to be used for the art of interviewing, but that's how I'm using it.

MC: When was the last time you felt inspired?

RO: The last time I got excited was with Pat McGrath's makeup for Maison Margiela. I think the entire industry kind of took an audible gasp. That makeup was theater. It makes you ask questions of, How did they do that? It was innovative; it was storytelling. It was fantastic. That's the runway show that people miss. That is what's missing from fashion.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

There’s always been a cultural crossover between the worlds of art and fashion—and Elizabeth Giardina, creative director of Another Tomorrow, is no exception. After studying fine art, Giardina, a graduate of sculpture, was interested in swapping her art studies for fashion design. She was, as she puts it, "completely enamored by the relationship between body and clothes." So much so, that she moved to Los Angeles from Missouri—her home state and where she was attending college—to try her luck in the industry.

Her first job was at the legacy house Halston, where she worked for nearly a decade on the wholesale side of the business. She later moved to New York, and into senior design roles at Derek Lam and Proenza Schouler. But as she climbed the ladder on the production side, her priorities began to shift. “I wanted to pivot towards work that was more meaningful to me, but I didn’t know what that meant,” says Giardina. "I was interested in responsible fashion, but the brands owning that space weren't necessarily aligned with my interest in luxury apparel." In the late 2010s, sustainability was more of a hypothetical concept for the fashion industry, with few brands authentically carrying out ethical and eco-friendly practices.

Around the same time, Vanessa Barboni Hallik was looking for a creative director for her ethical luxury brand Another Tomorrow, which she started in 2018 after trading in her finance job for degrees in green energy and environmental policy. She wanted someone who believed in the brand's commitment to producing elevated pieces with transparent supply chains, creating less waste, and focusing on community and inclusive programming. Hallik had previously connected with Giardina through shared industry connections, and in 2022, after months of “work dating,” Giardina joined Another Tomorrow full-time.

Now at the helm of the creative team, Giardina’s objective is to innovate in new, responsible, and artful ways to make beautiful clothing for a future that might look different than today's. In this installment of Have You Met, we talk about authentic points of view, aha moments of inspiration, and designing for a post-social media world.

Marie Claire: What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet?

Elizabeth Giardina: I'm a big believer in family closets. My husband will buy a white T-shirt from six different brands to see which one he likes, and then I love incorporating those into my life. I've traditionally worn a lot of Jil Sander and vintage pieces. I have a pair of Levi's from the early '90s that were my dad's. When I was a kid my dad only purchased raw denim and wore them on the weekends until they were worn in perfectly. I altered this particular pair when I was in art school, so there is a godet at the ankle to make the leg straight and some hand doodles on the leg. They have sentimental value, and I will keep them forever.

MC: Is there a particular fashion rule you don't agree with?

EG: I don't believe in rules when it comes to fashion and styling, and I don't pay attention to trends. [In my work life and personal wardrobe], I focus on what I find exciting and challenging in modern life and what women need and want to wear to live their best lives. I also try to always keep an open mind about my likes and dislikes, and I love it when my notions of "good taste" are challenged.

MC: I know you don't follow trends, but what's one fashion fad you hope to see trail off soon?

EG: Quiet luxury. Customers have always been, and will always be, drawn to understated luxury—no buzzwords needed.

MC: What do you think the fashion industry needs more of?

EG: More creative business leaders who question standard practices and apparel-making processes. Every business should reimagine why and how we make clothing amid a climate crisis. I want to see more changemakers who want to innovate for our present lives and a very different future. Fewer brands whose primary focus is making more products without genuine regard for their environmental impact.

MC: How do you design for the real woman?

EG: I think social media makes it too easy to get caught up in the noise, lose focus, and not have an authentic point of view. My creativity comes from living in the present as much as possible and being open, receptive, and reactive to what's around me. I find immense inspiration from other people whether they're colleagues, friends, or strangers I see during my NYC subway commute. I'm also endlessly inspired by the collaborative and social nature of design. I'm always asking people what they are into, what they're reading, listening to, watching.

MC: And what are you watching and listening to?

EG: I love every album by Patti Smith. The first time I heard Horses in high school, it blew my mind and prompted me to see her live many times, listen to all her music, and read her poetry and books. I feel the same way about Alice Coltrane. There have been whole weekends where I only listened non-stop to Journey in Satchidanada and The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda.

As for films, Cabaret, starring Liza Minelli and Joel Grey and directed by Bob Fosse, is a favorite. I love how it captures both the fabulousness of live performances and the gritty rawness of real life.

MC: With an eye for art and design, what are your favorite things to collect?

EG: My mom and I both love this jewelry designer from the 1920s called William Spratling, so I have a lot of Mexican jewelry that he designed. When I travel, I buy jewelry, ceramics, and textiles. Those are my three favorite things to collect.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.

In the 17 years since its opening, Sherri McMullen has cemented her eponymous Oakland, California, fashion boutique, McMullen, as a club of bonafide cool. In contrast to a big-name department store stocked with collections you might find at another retailer, McMullen carries independent and emerging designers with fresh fashion viewpoints. One rack might feature an exclusive assortment of whimsical gowns by Christopher John Rogers, while another mannequin is dressed in full Luar or Grace Wales Bonner. The store is a space dedicated to individualism.

McMullen also provides a home and nurturing space for designers struggling to secure commercial retail partnerships. “The focus has always been on supporting female designers, designers of color, and smaller brands,” McMullen, who previously worked as a buyer for Neiman Marcus and Pottery Barn Kids, tells Marie Claire on a video call. “Creating a space for those brands was always my purpose coming into the business. Everything,” she asserts, “with [my] business is intentional.”

McMullen's goal to curate an all-inclusive fashion experience extends beyond what's sold in-store and online. "We think of [McMullen] as more of a community space where we share ideas, which goes beyond being a [physical retail] space," she explains. "We talk about issues and things that are really important for our community, whether that's black women in health, entrepreneurship, or what it means to run a business and also be a mother." McMullen offers customers a 360-degree immersive experience that provides both style and support.

To get you better acquainted with McMullen, Marie Claire sat down for a conversation to chat about her muse (spoiler alert: it's her mom), the next soon-to-be-everywhere designer, alongside some closet organizational tips, too.

Marie Claire: First, can you describe your style in three words?

Sherri McMullen: Timeless, fashionable, and experimental.

MC: What are a few of the holy grail items in your closet?

SM: Blazers of all styles, shapes, and colors. I wear blazers over everything—it's become my uniform. I wear them over dresses and skirts. Sometimes, I wear them over swimwear in the summer and even over my workout clothes.

Then, I'd say any of my Christopher John Rogers pieces (but typically a midi or knit dress). I collect pieces from his collections every season. I cherish them, but I also wear them repeatedly. I'm a big proponent of the idea that people shouldn't save their pieces just for special occasions—wear them! Even if it's a CJR ball skirt, I might wear it on a Tuesday with a T-shirt and Birkenstocks.

MC: Speaking of your closet...how do you keep it organized?

SM: Typically, it reads like my store. I keep my closet very organized because it's my happy space. I like to have my special pieces breathe so you can see them. If there is a gorgeous full dress or a skirt, I let it have its own moment on the rack. But generally, I organize by color and style. My jackets are all together, my tops are all together, my dresses, and such. Then, I have them organized by color from light to dark, starting with whites and creams and beige and going all the way to black. Then, my prints are organized by the most prominent colors within the print.

MC: Out of everything in your beautiful, organized closet, do you have an item that's the most special? The piece you would grab first in a fire?

SM: My mom's cowboy boots. I still try to put my feet in them even though she wore a much smaller size than me. Growing up in Oklahoma, she wore a lot of cowboy boots. She was very chic and would wear cowboy boots with caftans, dresses, and, of course, denim.

MC: Would you say your mother influences your personal style?

SM: Absolutely. All of the women in my family, really. I grew up in a very big family, and my mom, grandmother, and aunts were such fashion figures and icons for me. Seeing how they always dressed up in their own way when we all got together for parties was very inspiring. My mom would always have lipstick on. She didn't leave the house without looking [pulled] together.

MC: You mentioned Christopher John Rogers earlier, and I know McMullen is the first retailer to pick up his line and carry it in stores. Can you shout out another emerging designer that you foresee being huge?

SM: Diotima comes to mind. We were among the first retailers to pick up Rachel Scott's line. [Scott] is a designer I wear often and a rising star. Seeing how much she's grown over the last three years has been wonderful. She is truly talented. You can tell she really thinks about the customer that she's dressing. Her work is sensual but wearable. It's a really interesting, modern way of dressing, from her crochet to woven pieces to her tailoring.

I love how our customers have really grown with the brand, too. They're excited to see the collections once they come in because they order and wear her pieces in their everyday lives, not just on vacations or for special occasions.

MC: What are your thoughts on the current state of the fashion industry? What would you like to see more of? Less of?

SM: I'd like to see more people throw out the rules and let their personal, individual style show through. Fashion is a way to experiment and reveal your personality. I think there shouldn't be any rules that go along with that.

MC: Is there a particular fashion rule you really don't agree with?

SM: This idea of seasonal dressing. I probably shouldn't say this as a shop owner because I know retail comes with seasons. Autumn/Winter, Resort, and Pre-Spring—we should throw all that out and start calling it something else.

MC: How about your thoughts on TikTok trends and all of those cores?

SM: Rather than focusing on any micro-trends, my team and I are always focused on who's next and who our customers would get excited about. We also really like to highlight our own customers as our muses because they're inspirational and trendsetters as well. That's what we really think about in terms of trends and people on social media who inspire us.

MC: How about the quiet luxury of it all?

SM: Quiet luxury has been around for a really long time. I dress how I feel: sometimes it's quiet, and sometimes it's not so quiet. Fashion should go back to your personal style and how you're feeling. I don't plan my outfits. In fact, people always ask me, "How long does it take you to pack for fashion week?" And I tell them that I pack the day before because I never really know how I'm going to feel until that moment.

MC: When you’re not looking inward for inspiration, what fuels you externally? Let’s start with music.

SM: I'm old school. I listen to eighties and nineties R&B. Anything by Erykah Badu, The Police, and Tears for Fears.

MC: Similarly, are you reading anything you're excited about?

SM: I'm not reading anything outside of business and fashion articles these days. But I do have Aurora James' book Wildflower on my nightstand. I've read a bit of it, and I will dig in once I can take a little quiet time.

MC: Do you have any quiet time coming up where you can relax a bit?

SM: I'm actually going to Mexico City for the first time in a couple of weeks, so I'm excited about that. I've had so much work travel over the last few months, so it'll be good to explore and go to the museums and see art get inspired in another way.

In our Have You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.