Starting in 1999, Larry Miller worked alongside Michael Jordan to build Nike’s Jordan brand, which today generates more than $5 billion in revenue for Nike. But his journey to the C-suite was a unique one. Growing up in West Philadelphia, Miller joined a gang, which led him to serve multiple prison sentences for a series of crimes, including second-degree murder. Through a rehabilitation programme, he was able to begin his college education while in prison, and upon release, he was able to start his career with an accounting job at the Campbell Soup Company. In 1997, Miller started working for Nike under founder Phil Knight, and became the first Black vice president of apparel at the company before going on to become president of the Jordan brand in 1999. But it wasn’t until years later that he went public about his backstory with the publication of his book, “Jump: My Secret Journey From the Streets to the Boardroom.” At BoF VOICES 2022, Miller sat down with UTA executive Darnell Strom to share his story, talk about the power of second chances and explain how he found redemption. “I’ve come to the realisation that a lot of times we are afraid to talk about the obstacles that we overcome. But in reality there’s no shame in overcoming obstacles,” said Miller. Key Insights: “When I was 16, I shot a kid and he died and I was charged as an adult at 16 years old… pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, was sentenced to four and a half to 20 years,” Miller revealed at BoF VOICES 2022. Once he had revealed his story, Miller says Michael Jordan and Phil Knight were supportive and encouraged him to share his story. “It’s been amazing to me the response that I’ve gotten from people who I’ve known and worked with and who have just encouraged me and embraced the fact that I’ve got this past.” Following the release of his book, Miller apologised to the family of Edward David White, the man he killed. In White’s honour Miller created a foundation for his descendents to attend university or trade school. “I think I’m a perfect example of the fact that a person can change if given the right opportunities… the right chance. But it starts inside of you. You have to believe that you can change,” said Miller. Additional Resources: A Nike Executive Seeks a Family’s Forgiveness for a 1965 Murder: The New York Times the story of the impact of Larry Miller, chairman of the Jordan Brand Advisory Board, and his actions as a 16-year-old. Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom: “Jump” written by Larry Miller and his daughter, Laila Lacy, shares the story of Miller’s life from the streets of West Philadelphia to the Nike boardroom. How Larry Miller Went from Prison Valedictorian to Nike Executive: Freakonomics interviews Larry Miller on his journey from his childhood in West Philadelphia, to serving time in prison and finally to running the Jordan brand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a performance coach to England’s national football team, the Royal Ballet and more, Eastwood taps into his Māori heritage to help groups foster a sense of togetherness and drive performance.  For Allbirds co-founder and chief innovation officer Tim Brown, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Allbirds, a company that has gone on a rollercoaster of ups and downs since it IPO in 2021, his former  life as a professional football player for New Zealand has taught him lessons he’s brought from the pitch to the boardroom.  “When we want to create a high performing environment, we make an undertaking to each other that we will do nothing to diminish the dignity of every person, and when we all leave this experience or whatever it is together, our dignity will be enhanced,” Eastwood told Brown stage at BoF VOICES 2023. “For me, therefore, you need to understand the story of the people you work with.” This week on The BoF Podcast, Brown and Eastwood unpack how companies can drive high performance while maintaining a supportive culture. Key Insights: While working with the British Olympic team, Eastwood encouraged the athletes to find a level of investment in their own story by creating a film which showcased various Olympians all the way back from 1896. “The Olympians themselves just took selfies the whole time with these images of those ancestors who they in particular could relate to, maybe something that shared their own identity story. I think it opened their eyes.” Allbirds was founded in 2024 with a mission to make sustainable footwear, but 10 years on, Brown said that he’s learned how important it is to stay true to that internal story, both in communicating with employees and consumers.  “As a creative person, as a storyteller, are we doing enough within our organisations to tell stories internally in the same way that we're telling them outside of the organisation?” he asked.  Eastwood said those sorts of strong, dynamic, internal stories are key for everyone on a team. “You've got to create rituals and traditions where it's reiterated because actually it's not just for the benefit of new joiners, it's for the benefit of us who have been here a long time.”  Additional resources  The BoF Podcast | Allbirds’ Tim Brown on Learning to Lead With Resilience Allbirds Co-CEO On Why DTC Brands Are Going Multichannel Are DTC Brands Pulling Off Brick-and-Mortar? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amir Fayo, the founder of 69 Group, marries brand architecture and art direction to create retail and hospitality concepts rooted in culture and connection. Best known for operating Egyptian stores Maison69 and Villa Baboushka, Fayo breaks with conventions to create immersive store experiences that resonate with consumers on an emotional level. Everything starts by not thinking of himself as a retailer. “I don't know how to do retail. Retail is structured. Retail is data. Retail is numbers. … I connect to people, to how they feel, what makes them tick, what makes them be interested,” he says.  This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Fayo to discuss his innovative attitude toward retail. Key Insights: Fayo, who was born in Wales and raised in Egypt, says his architectural style is heavily influenced by his multicultural upbringing. “Egypt gave me a heart, the UK gave me my creativity and the US gave me my thinking process.” There are three pillars to how Fayo approaches a project. The first is building an environment in which people can form an emotional memory. The second is creating a sense of social intimacy. Finally, he remains focussed on the idea of elevating the everyday. ‘I want to elevate [mundane moments] to be something that people remember, that people want to come back to,” Fayo explains. When designing retail spaces, the idea of home is kept at the forefront. “When we started to define that code, I said, where is that space where there is no right and there is no wrong? It should be home,” says Fayo. “We're going to design homes because homes should be welcoming. Homes should create belonging. Homes should create easy connections.” Additional resources Vogue Arabia's Editor-in-Chief on the Diversity of Urban Markets in the Middle East All Eyes on Egypt BoF Insights | Fashion in the Middle East: Optimism and Transformation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This fashion month was all about looking ahead. At several major brands, newly-appointed creative directors ushered in a new era, including Seán McGirr at Alexander McQueen,  Adrian Appiolaza at Moschino and Chemena Kamali at Chloé. But beyond the creative director premieres, recurring motifs of technology and the pared down everyday reflected the current state of the world — and what’s to come.   “Early on, I detected this rather peculiar strain of sci-fi,” says Tim Blanks, BoF’s editor-at-large. “There is that incipient sense of apocalypse lurking and I think if you step back and take a really long view of what was happening, you could feel that kind of anxiety,” says Tim Blanks, BoF’s editor-at-large.  Following the conclusion of the Autumn/Winter 2024 shows, Blanks sits down with BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to discuss the highlights of fashion month. Key Insights At Louis Vuitton, Phillippe Parreno’s immersive set design and Nicolas Ghesquière’s futuristic garments left lasting impressions. “There was a lot of white and a lot of reflection, a lot of shiny stuff. They could have been heading off to a space station. And the sound was insane. The sound makes you want to go home and open a nightclub in your living room,” says Blanks.  Undercover’s Jun Takahashi featured  a poem about a single mother raising her eight year old child, written by German filmmaker and playwright Wim Wenders. “Every detail is just so beautiful and evocative and then Jun Takahashi showed the collection to go with that; everyday clothes, but completely transmogrified by his insane ingenuity,” recalls Blanks.  At Alexander McQueen, Seán McGirr’s first show displayed his energetic direction for the house following Sarah Burton’s departure. “I think that as a creative director debuting at a house, it's much harder to create new energy than it is to create merchandisable clothes. And I think that's what he succeeded in doing; he created a new energy around that brand,” says Amed. Following the sudden passing of David Renne, Moschino welcomed new creative director Adrian Appiolaza, who looked to the roots of the brand for his first show. “If you detail Franco Moschino's iconography, Adrian Appiolaza went down the list and ticked every box. I think that that was probably the most joyful show of the whole season. … I think he celebrated the work of [Franco Moschino], in such a way that I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does next,” says Blanks.  At Chloé, Chemena Kamali’s charisma shone through on the runway. “You could see her really embodying the new Chloé and being that kind of ambassador for Chloé in a way that maybe some of the more recent creative directors never were really able to do,” says Amed. Additional resources: Paris Fashion Week Says ‘So Long, Farewell’ With Chanel, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton Imran Amed and Tim Blanks Go Backstage at Milan Fashion Week Backstage Pass | Rick Owens’ Life Mission: Inclusion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On her award-winning podcast “Articles of Interest,” host and producer Avery Trufelman dives deep into the stories behind the clothes we wear. From the evolution of prep to the origins of wedding dresses, Avery guides her listeners through the multi-faceted layers behind the aesthetics of fashion.  “It's crops, it's the earth, it's handwork, it's culture, it's society. You tug on a thread and you get everything,” she said. “That's what I'm slowly realising [about fashion].” This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Trufelman to discuss her path into podcasting, taking her lifelong passion for clothes and what they mean into an audio format, and what she’s learned about fashion along the way.  Key Insights:  A self-proclaimed “public radio nepo baby,” Trufelman has audio in her blood — her parents met working at New York Public Radio. But while she grew up with audio, she didn’t start experimenting with fashion until she was a teenager, expressing herself through quirky thrifted fashion ensembles, much to the confusion of her peers. “I knew in the back of my mind that it was too much, that I was sort of alienating people,” she says. “It just made me realise how powerful clothing was. That dressing in this wild way sort of set me apart.” Trufelman initially came up with the idea for “Articles of Interest” while interning at the design and architecture podcast “99% Invisible.” Presenting a fashion podcast to an audience more focussed on architecture, Trufelman began to see the ways in which fashion touched every facet of life. “In the beginning, fashion was sort of a dirty word for me,” she says. “Now it's all about fashion because everything has fashion. Buildings have fashion, cars have fashion, colours have fashion. Fashion is just taste over time and the most easy way to measure that when you look at a picture of any era, it's the cars maybe, but mostly the clothes.” Four seasons into “Articles of Interest,” Trufelman now finds herself with a rich archive to draw upon. “I don't ever kill stories. I love to reuse interviews that I collected years ago. I'm always cutting them up and revisiting them because I believe that knowledge isn't like one and done. It isn't a single use thing. I believe in making this a long sustainable living archive.”  Trufelman also sees the parallels between podcasts and fashion in the ways in which both allow us to engage with the world. “People are listening to your voice while they're walking down the street and they're like noticing what people are wearing or they're noticing what people are doing. It's not undivided attention. It is divided attention. It's beautiful.” Additional Resources: The BoF 500: Avery Trufelman Ralph Lauren is Traveling Back in Time to Bring Back Preppy Chic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2010, model Arizona Muse was catapulted into the fashion spotlight.  After opening and closing Prada’s Spring/Summer 2011 show, she was signed as a  face of the brand. But after years of the modelling, grind and some serious personal reflection, the British-American model has swapped the glamour of the runway for environmental activism. “[Modelling] nearly destroyed me. You pretend you enjoy it because everyone wants you to enjoy it. But the truth is, you'd prefer to be doing something else.” This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Muse to discuss her journey to the fashion runway, her reflections on fashion’s contribution to the climate crisis and why she sees  self-care as a form of environmental activism. Key Insights:  While Muse is grateful for modelling career, she said it caused immense strain on her mental health. “It's been a blessing in so many ways, but it also nearly destroyed me. It really nearly destroyed my mental health,” she shares. “What's hard about modelling is people are judging you all the time on what you look like … They don't even judge you on what you wear. It's just purely what you look like.” The model first tapped into her passion for environmental activism after being invited to a charity lunch where she learned that textile materials were grown in soil by farmers. “Working at the centre of this industry, working with all the most amazing fashion houses that we've all heard of, how is nobody talking about the farmers who grew our clothes for us?” she says.  She also sees her own self-care as part of her activism. “How can I take the best care of my being so that my being can be in the best shape that it can be, to be in service to the other beings around me who are human, to the other beings around me who are non-human, and to the biggest being of us all who is the earth?” Muse recognises the need for governments to support organisations like DIRT, she also insists there is a level of personal responsibility for those privileged enough to make sustainable choices. “If you're like I am, and you're one of those lucky people who has money in your pocket right now, it is your responsibility to spend it with sustainable businesses who are making things in a more responsible way,” she says. Why Big Brands Are Pushing Back Against Sustainability Regulations The Problem with Sustainability Data The BoF Podcast | Ending Climate Colonialism in Fashion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the world of high fashion, few names have commanded as much attention — and controversy — as John Galliano.  Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, his sensual designs and runway theatrics earned him worldwide acclaim.But Galliano’s career imploded in 2011 when  a video of him emerged using antisemitic slurs. In a new documentary, “High & Low: John Galliano,” BAFTA-winning director Kevin Macdonald examines Galliano's meteoric rise, scandalous downfall, and the role of forgiveness and redemption. “If there's one thing that people could take away from the film, it is [that] things are never that simple. The grey predominates in life and in morality,” says Macdonald. This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks sits down with McDonald to discuss  the phenomenon of cancellation and his own feelings about Galliano after completing the documentary.  Key Insights Alongside archive footage and interviews with industry insiders, the film features  extensive conversations with Galliano himself. Macdonald says  Galliano seemed to forget the series of events and antisemitic remarks he said. “I think he genuinely blotted that out. I don't think he's pretending not to remember. I think that it's a sign of him creating a story for himself about things that have happened … to get by,” Macdonald says. According to Macdonald, Galliano does not expect total forgiveness but hopes for understanding. “He knows some people will never forgive him for the antisemitic comments he made, but he wants people to understand who he is and where that came from and what part it had in the way it played in his life.”  Macdonald attributes the attention the film has received prior to its release to nostalgia for a bygone era. “I think there's a romance about this past where people were misbehaving and being creative geniuses and led to crash and burn and didn't have to answer to HR,” he says. High & Low – John Galliano opens in cinemas on 8th March 2024. Additional resources John Galliano: ‘I Feel Much Freer’ John Galliano: Fashion’s Greatest Showman Turns Ciné-Auteur A Penitent John Galliano Talks to Charlie Rose About Childhood, Addiction and McQueen's Suicide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pat Boguslawski is setting the fashion world in motion.  The Polish movement director at Maison Margiela is the creative mastermind behind some of fashion’s most memorable runway moments. From German model Leon Dame’s viral runway stomp in 2020 to the seductive strides of corseted characters in John Galliano’s triumphant 2024 Maison Margiela couture show, Boguslawski is redefining the role of the model and bringing back the spectacle of the show.  “I always tell the models that it's better to give more than to give less,” he told BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks, on this week's podcast. Key Insights Growing up in Poland in the nineties, Boguslawski devoured fashion content on TV and in print. But as he watched everything turn into a product, he felt the storytelling essence of fashion diminish.  “I started doing my job because I got bored. I just didn't like the direction we were going towards. … I promised myself that I'm gonna start bringing that energy back to fashion and create major runway moments.” Boguslawski is a multi-faceted creative. He started training as a dancer at age 15, transitioned to modelling and also studied drama and acting for four years before shifting to movement direction. “I'm so grateful that I was so curious because now I kind of use everything that I did in the past at my job,” he says.  Directing the movement for the 2024 Maison Margiela couture show, Boguslawski encouraged the tightly-corseted models to channel their pain and discomfort into their characters. "I remember saying, 'Use that pain, use that suffering in your character. Just use whatever you're feeling right now. … Don't try to be perfect. Just let me see the suffering,'" he recalls. For Boguslawski, a connection with the audience is a key part of the show. “I like when the audience feels intimidated. It's exciting and I love the adrenaline that comes with it.” He recalls the impact of his direction during a rehearsal before the show. “I remember we were watching the main rehearsal and they were wearing their own clothes and the corsets. The whole rehearsal got a standing ovation by everyone who was in the room.” Additional resources Different Takes on Future Perfect at Fendi and Maison Margiela A Dream of Defiance at Margiela Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row, Brandice Daniel is a change agent. For more than 15 years, she has been working to bridge the gap between the fashion industry and Black and Latinx designers who often don’t come from famous fashion schools like Parsons or FIT.  Following the surge in interest in diversity, equity and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd, there are growing headwinds which are stalling progress. “We've regressed so far, so fast. It is really disappointing, especially in an industry that is supposed to be cutting edge … How can you be innovative without addressing DEI?” she says. This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Daniel to discuss how the industry can foster real change.  Key Insights: Harlem’s Fashion Row was founded in 2007 — long before DEI became a corporate buzzword — after Daniel noticed how little diversity there was at US department stores. “[I] realised that less than 1 percent of the designers that were on those websites at the time were designers of colour, however … African-Americans were spending $22 billion a year on apparel. And that was when I really got my aha moment.” 2020 was a pivotal year for Harlem’s Fashion Row. After George Floyd’s murder sparked global conversations around racism and representation, more fashion and retail brands opened the door to diversity. “It was very easy to tell during those days who was wanting to do very performative work versus who actually was interested in doing the work,” Daniel explains. “The companies who were doing the work before 2020, they are still doing the work.” Still, despite the momentum that 2020 brought, she’s been disappointed in the lack of long-term action. “We've regressed so far, so fast. It is really disappointing, especially in an industry that is supposed to be cutting edge … How can you be innovative without addressing DEI?” she says.  When it comes to finding your sense of purpose, Daniel believes in focusing on your goal, rather than the nitty-gritty of the process of achieving it. “Don't worry about the how. Just worry about the what and the why. If you focus on the what and the why and just allow the how to unfold as you just take one step forward, you will see that so many incredible things will happen.” Additional Resources: UK Fashion Industry Isn’t Making Progress on Leadership Diversity, Report Finds A New Lawsuit Puts Fashion’s Corporate Diversity Efforts in the Crosshairs  Protecting Fashion’s DEI Efforts During Market Disruption Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fashion industry is responsible for up to 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. But the most profitable fashion companies are often headquartered in the countries that have historically generated more emissions, while the nations with a smaller carbon footprint often find themselves more severely impacted by extreme weather driven by the climate crisis. “The industry is structured in a way that's very colonial … it's the rich countries that are reaping all the rewards and benefits, and it's the poor countries that have kept this industry profitable,” says Ayesha Barenblat, the founder and CEO of Remake, a non-profit that advocates for sustainable practices in the fashion industry.  This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF chief sustainability correspondent Sarah Kent sits down with Barenblat, sustainable fashion designer Sammy Oteng and Vidhura Ralapanawe, executive vice president at manufacturing company Epic Group at BoF VOICES 2023 to discuss how to end climate colonialism in the fashion industry. Key Insights:  In fashion, the climate crisis appears in colonial structures that perpetuate unequal distributions of power and profit. According to Barenblat, companies act as “glorified marketeers, telling production nations how to deal with the climate crisis. They're setting science-based targets, but they're not paying for it … let's flip the script and actually have a conversation around the people who create value for this industry and how we centre them in the conversation.” Countries in the global South have become dumping grounds for low-quality clothes from the global North. An estimated 40 percent of the textiles that arrive in Ghana are discarded as waste, however the true scale of excess garments is unknown. “We don't even know how much we are producing in terms of fashion. We say 100 billion to 150 billion [garments produced each year], that's a 50 billion gap,” explains Oteng. “Until we understand a problem that we have, we can't move on to having … that one solution.” Alongside climate mitigation, it is important to also address climate adaptation. “Every brand and retailer wants to talk about mitigation because they want to make money off the climate crisis, but our communities need climate adaptation resources,” says Barenblat, adding that philanthropic contributions are not enough. “What we want are equitable ways to make these communities whole … we can't just sit around and have conversations anymore.” The fashion industry needs to halve its emissions by 2030 to meet global climate goals, a timeline that is already unrealistic. As Ralapanawe says, “We haven't even started. There's no way that any brand or any manufacturer will hit their 2030 targets now.”  Additional Resources: The Year Ahead: Why Fashion Can No Longer Ignore the Climate Crisis The Multi-Billion-Dollar Question for Sustainable Fashion Sustainability Comes At a Cost. Fashion Isn’t Paying. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthieu Blazy has been a quiet but powerful force in the fashion industry for years, having worked under powerhouse designers like Raf Simons and Phoebe Philo. But in 2021, he earned that status on his own when he was named the creative director of Bottega Veneta. Since then, he’s developed a reputation for pushing creative boundaries; BoF editors named his carnivalesque Autumn/Winter 2023 collection, which featured tank tops and jeans made of leather, as their favourite show of the season.  “I was very interested in this idea of boring clothes. How can we push it so it really becomes something precious and luxurious?” Blazy says. This week on The BoF Podcast, Blazy sits down with BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks at BoF VOICES 2023, where he opened up about his creative processes and work at Bottega Veneta. Key insights: For Blazy, collaboration and a close connection with his teams are paramount for creativity. Before taking the creative helm of Bottega Veneta, Blazy spent four years at Maison Martin Margiela. “The way I work with the team is quite emotional. … When I arrived at Margiela I took my office out of the studio and I put it inside the atelier. It was nice because it was not just me thinking on my own. We were actually making it together,” he shares. Whilst Blazy recognises the power of technology in fashion, at Bottega Veneta, he still puts the emphasis on craftsmanship first. “When you make something by hand, it will always have a little mistake, which is not a mistake, which is part of the process. … so when you go to the store, you won't find twice the same product. You have the idea of a theory, of course, but it's never the same. One artisan cannot finish the work of another artisan.” As a global brand, Blazy hopes customers around the world will be able to see themselves in Bottega Veneta under his creative direction. “Fundamentally I want [global customers] to also find something where they also recognize themselves in the story that is not just Italian.”   Additional resources:  Who Is Matthieu Blazy, Bottega Veneta’s New Creative Director? Bottega Veneta: Everything Old Is New Again Bottega Veneta’s Everything, Everywhere Essence Strikes Fashion Gold Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The delicate dance between artistic integrity and commercial viability is a challenge Dan Levy and Jonathan Anderson know well. Levy's Emmy Award-winning Netflix show Schitt's Creek harmonises creative brilliance with mainstream appeal, while at the luxury label Loewe, Anderson’s refreshingly original designs have earned him both critical acclaim and commercial success. What unites their work is a real commitment to personal vision. “I can't think of something more heartbreaking than starting with an idea that I loved, allowing people to change it to the point where it loses its DNA, then it goes out into the world and either succeeds or fails, and I have to look at that and say, ‘Well, that's not me,’” says Levy. “You can never get that back. The fight to protect that [idea] is so important.”  This week on The BoF Podcast, Levy and Anderson speak with BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks about how they balance creativity and commerce in a conversation from BoF VOICES 2023.  Key Insights:  "Schitt's Creek" began as a bare-bones-budget Canadian production and became a worldwide sensation during the pandemic. “We went and made something with absolutely no outside opinions, and because the stakes were so low, we were able to really kind of make the show for ourselves,” he says. “So what we made was quite pure.” Through his work at Loewe and his namesake label, Anderson has realised that designers can’t be afraid of backlash. “Sometimes you have to make the decision that you may have to give the audience what they don't want to annoy them. Because there's nothing better when people are annoyed because then they think.” For both creatives, the pandemic was a watershed moment. Anderson recalls, “it destroyed every formula that there ever was,” whilst Levy explained, “it also gave the consumer or the audience the freedom to find what they liked.”  To find creative success, Anderson puts it simply: “I think for something to be successful, you have to give everything you have.” Additional resources: At Loewe, Jonathan Anderson Thinks Outside the Box. Literally. How Loewe Became One of Fashion’s Hottest Brands The Jonathan Anderson Experiment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diane von Fürstenberg has been synonymous with women’s empowerment since she first unveiled her revolutionary wrap dress in 1974. But for her, the garment became much more than a symbol, it became the key to her own independence. “I did not know what I wanted to do, but I knew the kind of woman I wanted to be,” von Fürstenberg told author and spiritual wellness advocate Deepak Chopra, her friend of three decades, on stage at BoF VOICES 2023. “I wanted to be in charge. I wanted to be free. I mean freedom. I wanted to be my own person. And I wanted to have a man's life in a woman's body. And the way I became that woman was a little dress.” This week on The BoF Podcast, von Fürstenberg and Chopra look back on the designer’s journey from princess to fashion powerhouse, and share their collective wisdom on finding meaning in life. Key Insights:  Born in Belgium, von Fürstenberg is the daughter of a Romanian father and Greek-born, Jewish mother who survived the Holocaust. “She taught me that fear was not an option,” von Fürstenberg says of her mother. “That no matter what, you could never be a victim.”  Despite her decades-long career in fashion, it wasn’t until von Fürstenberg received the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s lifetime achievement award in 2005 that she considered herself a designer. “Because I didn't go to fashion school, I thought I wasn't a designer,” she recalls. “But the one thing I know I am, I can design life … You're not in charge of your destiny, but you can navigate your destiny.” Von Fürstenberg's work with various causes and non-profits is as close to her heart as her namesake business. “I never really loved the word philanthropy because it sounds like landscaping. You feel like you need an expert, but it is about being human. And it is about paying attention to others.” Additional Resources: Diane von Furstenberg Makes a (Profitable) Comeback Diane Von Furstenberg’s CEO on Building a Career in Fashion Diane von Furstenberg Shutters Rental Service Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 1978, Brunello Cucinelli’s namesake brand has been a standard-bearer for both luxury clothing and a more responsible way of doing business. At a time of great change, Cucinelli believes that businesses must strike a balance between embracing technological innovation that could threaten livelihoods, like AI, to push creativity forward while also keeping  humanity at the heart of business. “I believe in a kind of contemporary way of capitalism. We are a listed company. We do want to make a profit, but a fair profit at that. There should be a balance between profit and giving back,” he explains. This week on The BoF Podcast, Brunello Cucinelli speaks with BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed about ethical business building, artificial intelligence and his philosophy of “humanistic capitalism” during  conversation at BoF VOICES 2023. Key Insights:  Cucinelli’s approach to labour is guided by his working-class upbringing and seeing his father was demeaned and belittled at work. “I saw tears in his eyes and that was my source of inspiration to have a completely different vision of the world,” he says. “I wanted my human beings to be surrounded by pleasant places. I wanted them to make handsome money. And I wanted them to be treated like thinking souls.” This philosophy of ‘humanistic capitalism’ also extends to customers. “We need to redress the balance. Shoppers want to know exactly where a specific item has been made, how it's been made, whether creation has harmed it along the process. We need a new social contract with creation,” he explains. Mr Cucinelli believes artificial intelligence offers both solutions and challenges. “Technology is a blessing from creation, but sometimes it steals the soul that creation bestowed upon us,” he says. However, he adds, when used correctly, “AI will be just a partner for us, and we will rediscover the value of truth and human beings.” When it comes to planning for the future of his company, Cucinelli hopes his successor will share his humanistic ethos. “I would like my company to still be there for the coming 100, 200 years. And I would like whoever runs it to keep believing in a contemporary capitalism, to make a fair profit while respecting human beings and creation.” Additional Resources: Brunello Cucinelli Insists on Balance at His Business Chanel and Brunello Cucinelli to Take Stake in Italian Yarn Manufacturer Brunello Cucinelli Acquires 43% Stake in Italian Cashmere Supplier Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year, Barbie-mania swept the globe. A key architect of that phenomenon was Richard Dickson, who served as president and chief operating officer of Barbie’s parent company, Mattel, for almost a decade. There, he revived Barbie, a name that had lost its cultural relevance, and brought it firmly back into the zeitgeist. Now, Dickson is taking his talent for revitalising fading icons to Gap, where he was appointed CEO in July 2023.  “Evolution keeps the brand relevant, but purpose makes a brand immortal,” says Dickson. This week on The BoF Podcast, Dickson joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to discuss the power of brands and his vision for rebooting Gap in a live conversation from BoF VOICES 2023.  Key Insights:  When Dickson arrived at Mattel, the Barbie brand was at a low point, with lagging sales and diminished relevance. Dickson pushed the brand to embrace dolls with different body types and ethnicities. “The process itself was really going back to the roots, going back to the purpose … What made it so great to begin with? The origin story of the brand was that it was designed to inspire the limitless potential of girls,” he explains. Determining purpose is what fuelled his work at Mattel; now, he’s applying the same mindset at Gap. “There can be nothing more inspiring than taking that cue and figuring out how to create that cultural conversation today, using our brands as a platform to actually create a better world.” Dickson recognises that Gap needs a stronger point of view. “We're not going to get to where we want overnight. But we have extraordinary people. We have a culture that is going to be unlocked with extraordinary creativity… and I am privileged and honoured to be the leader at this particular time,” he says. Additional Resources: Richard Dickson at VOICES 2023: Perpetual Relevance in the Age of Distraction​ Is Gap’s CEO ‘Kenough’ for Investors Seeking a Turnaround? Breaking Down the Barbie Phenomenon, From Mattel to Chanel Gap Surpasses Expectations in Early Win for New CEO Dickson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After she was scouted in a modelling competition in Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 12, Ashley Graham went on to break barriers in the fashion industry by becoming the first plus-size model to appear on the covers of both Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue and American Vogue. “It started shifting the minds of agents, casting directors, art directors, editors to say, ‘Oh, this is where we're going. The zeitgeist is turning, and it's not just about what has been deemed beautiful for so long. Maybe we should think about what else is out there,’” she says. This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Graham to learn how she became the most recognisable face of a global cultural movement and understand the personal philosophies that have guided her along the way. Key Insights:  Raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Ashley Graham's career began when she was scouted at a local mall at the age of 12. Though she hadn’t seen her body type represented in media before, her upbringing equipped her with the self-confidence to pursue the path. “Because I had come from a very confident home, I was able to look at my body in the mirror and be okay with it,” she says. Graham’s breakthrough moment came in 2016, when she landed the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue. A year later, Vogue came calling. “Vogue saw that there was an opportunity for monetising a size as well as different races and ages… the impact was so great for other plus-size models,” she recalls. Despite her success, Graham recognises that fashion still has a long way to go when it comes to representation, particularly when it comes to the clothes themselves. “There are so many designers that don't know how to cut around a breast, a hip or a butt because they just have not understood what that actually means,” she says.  When it comes to discovering your own confidence, Graham believes its internal validation that matters most. “If more people went inward instead of searching out for everything and really leaned into prayer, meditation, quietness, then they would have more enlightenment and confidence.” Additional Resources: Squeezed by Rivals, Spanx Taps Ashley Graham to Embrace Celebrity Marketing Op-Ed | Fashion Needs to Drop Its Elitism and Accept Plus-Size A New York Fashion Week Mystery: What Happened to All the Plus-Size Models? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having dominated Hollywood's cinematic landscape for decades, Angelina Jolie is now moving into uncharted territory — the world of fashion. This week, she opened the doors to Atelier Jolie, a multi-purpose brick-and-mortar workshop at 57 Great Jones Street in New York, once a home to art world legends Andy Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat.  The historic location reveals the motivations, philosophies and aspirations of Jolie’s new venture. Atelier Jolie aims to provide a global group of artists and designers — including immigrants and refugees —  a collaborative space for creating garments, including custom pieces, entirely out of deadstock materials.   “I don't think of it as fashion. I think about it as self-expression and community,” Jolie says of her new business.  This week on The BoF Podcast, Imran Amed sits down with Angelina Jolie to explore her creative journey and the personal philosophy that has led her to focus on ethical and sustainable fashion.  Key Insights:  Jolie’s vision for Atelier Jolie is to allow small-scale artisans a chance to develop and grow their craft, and be able to support themselves . “Giving opportunities for people to work for themselves is the best thing we can all do for everyone. To me, doing business globally and partnering … matter to me more than just donations and charities,” she says. Jolie wants the creativity of others to be front and centre at Atelier Jolie. “I'm not interested in becoming a known designer,” she says. “I'm interested in being a part of a good family. … I built more of a home and I'm one of the creators that play in the home.” A sense of playfulness is also key to the business, which Jolie imagines as a space for free expression. “You have to make a mess and you have to figure out what you really love,” she says, adding that “I think for a long time … I haven't found the joy of [dressing up] because there was so much that was bothering me about the business. But now I want to play.” The New York location features a retail space, a café and a design studio. The plan is to adapt the format to new markets. “I would like to partner with people in different countries, and I'd like them to share ownership of the place and of the designs,” she says, noting that for example “the atelier that will be in Japan should feel very different, should be owned differently, should be run differently, but same principles.” When it comes to turning personal passions into projects that make a tangible impact on the world, Jolie’s advice is straightforward: “You know what it is that really stirs your soul and makes you upset. … Whatever that is, you find other people that share that same feeling and spend time with them and go deeply into the work.”  Additional Resources: Angelina Jolie Launches Fashion Venture Angelina Jolie’s Atelier Jolie Opens Its First Store Why Celebrities Are Buying Their Brands Back Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At every juncture of her extraordinary professional journey, Leena Nair has authored a series of 'firsts’. Growing up in her home country of India, she was part of the first cohort of female students at her school, at Unilever she was the first woman to lead global human resources, responsible for 150,000 employees and in January 2022 she became Chanel’s first-ever global CEO of Indian-origin — making her the only woman of colour leading a major global luxury brand.   Nair is leaning on the lessons from her people-centric career to lead Chanel into the future as the post-pandemic luxury boom comes to an end. “I really believe if you look after people, their growth and development, their dreams and aspirations, they will look after the business. They will help you with ideas and really care about the institution they're a part of,” says Nair. Nair sat down for her first public talk with BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed at BoF VOICES 2023 to share her vision for Chanel, philosophies on leadership and advice for women who feel like outsiders.    Key Insights:  Growing up in her home country of India, Nair frequently battled gendered stereotypes. “After a point I had to stop listening. …Gender roles were so strong. …One of the most [common] comments I would get is, ‘You're so talented. You should have been a boy,’” she recalls.   Acknowledging that she is a fashion-industry outsider, Nair is conscious of fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. “Lift as you climb. … I feel the responsibility of making it easier for those who come after me,” she explains.  Nair intentionally welcomes insights from diverse perspectives. “I really feel the days of the superhero leader with all the answers is way behind us. … How can one individual have the answers?” she asks. “Collective problem solving, collective creation, collective ideation … is really important to me.” Sharing her vision for Chanel, Nair outlined her three pillars for the brand’s future. “One is to have a positive impact in the world. … The second is, in the world of AI, to be relentless in protecting human creation, human creators, human relationships. And third, to always be part of what's next, to shape what's coming.” Nair’s advice to young women finding their voice in whichever industry they are drawn to is straightforward: “Be unafraid to try and express your ambition and what you want to do. … Be intentional to say I want this, because if you can't express ambition in those words to yourself, to your CEO, to your mentor, to someone who supports you, how can it ever be translated into reality?” Additional Resources: Chanel’s Three Pillars for the Future What Fashion Can Learn From Chanel’s New Global CEO Chanel to Double Capital Investments, Bolster ‘Ultimate Luxury Experience’ as Sales Surge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stylist and fashion editor reveals to BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed why she resigned from Vogue and how she is channelling her influence and energy to support that next generation of fashion talent. Background: In the dynamic world of fashion magazines, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson stands out. Karefa-Johnson has always stood out, growing up as a self-described loud, weird, driven kid. Karefa-Johnson’s first Vogue cover was Paloma Elsesser for the January 2021 issue of Vogue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. Later that year, she worked on the cover shoot featuring US Vice President Kamala Harris.  But recently, Karefa-Johnson decided to leave Vogue. “The truth of the matter is we grow and sometimes our containers don't grow with us. And so I am excited to build a new container for all of these ideas and this energy,” Karefa-Johnson says. This week on The BoF Podcast, Karefa-Johnson joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to discuss her professional journey, how she harnesses her creative energy in a high-pressure industry and why she is laying the foundation for the next generation of fashion creatives.  Key Insights:  On excelling in the demanding, hyper-creative world of fashion media, Karefa-Johnson avoids burnout by focusing on her inner self. “Staying true to who you are and… really maintaining the purity of that creative exchange is something that keeps me grounded,” she says. Looking back at some of her most challenging assignments, Karefa-Johnson recalls the 2021 cover shoot during the Covid-19 pandemic with US Vice President Kamala Harris. “It's very hard to communicate with your subject, which is super crucial in executing an image. You need to have a relationship and a rapport and there needs to be mutual trust,” she explains. “But it's hard to establish that between 15 masks, because it was during Covid, 14 secret service agents, a press secretary and a chief of staff.”  Reflecting on her decision to leave Vogue, Karefa-Johnson is excited about what lies ahead. “I just hope that whatever comes to be of this career of mine is something that models possibilities for the next Gabriella Karefa-Johnson,” she explains. “I can't wait to take those tools and apply them in ways that are really just true to who I am, serve me and serve people who look like me.” Karefa-Johnson is passionate about nurturing emerging talent and has used her network to support the development of Central Saint Martins graduate Torishéju Dumi. “It's very easy to feel invisible in these cities as a young designer, period. Full stop. But as a young black female designer, I knew that the hurdles she was up against would be exponentially bigger than some of her colleagues,” Karefa-Johnson says. “I wanted to be able to bridge the gap. I wanted to be able to give her a leg up, which I think in a lot of ways is something that has produced so many of the most enduring young designers.” Additional Resources: Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman Appears on Cover of American Vogue | BoF  Ye Lashes Out at LVMH and Vogue Editor After ‘White Lives Matter’ T-Shirt Draws Criticism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pioneering set designer speaks to BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed about how she’s set the stage for some of fashion’s most talked-about immersive experiences. Background: In the world of set design, Es Devlin is a trailblazing, unstoppable force. Her remarkable career has seen her craft stages for global superstars like Beyoncé, U2 and Adele as well as immersive experiences for Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent and most recently, Gucci which recently brought its Cosmos exhibition to London’s 180 The Strand. But to describe Es as a set designer only feels somewhat reductive. She is a deep thinker who approaches her work like a creative philosopher, examining critical questions about the world. This week on The BoF Podcast, Devlin joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to discuss her career and her impressions of fashion — as well as her advice for young creatives.  Key Insights:  Devlin approaches work through multiple lenses. “The practice is to see it through my own eyes, then see it through my collaborators eyes, then finally to see it through the audience's eyes,” she said. “Building on all of those converging and colliding… viewpoints… I think it's a very helpful muscle to learn just in living.” In creating bespoke environments, narrative is a central part of Devlin’s process, particularly in working with fashion companies. “What I've learned… is how to tell a story about the history of a house through an experience that an audience will walk through,” she says. For creatives who may not have the budget of established fashion houses, Devlin encourages leaning on scarcity as a tool to harness creativity. “You can make a gesture by picking a place and turning all the lights out. You could make a gesture by just doing everything in one colour,” Devlin says. “Make your limitations… be the point, be the advantage.” As AI plays a bigger role in her own work Devlin is studying the technology to learn more, rather than work with it without context. “My approach generally is to learn to read as much as I can rather than speaking from a position of inaccuracy or ignorance.” Additional Resources: Gucci Cosmos Exhibition Arrives in London At Saint Laurent, Far From Fashion Week  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.