The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan

It’s not your imagination: The Kennedys dominated the collective consciousness this year, and the pull was particularly strong within the fashion industry. This week, I sit down with writer, strategist, and Kennedy scholar Maura Brannigan to discuss the myriad ways that the American political family has permeated the zeitgeist recently, and how they represent politics as pop culture in a very palatable way — especially during this disturbing time in our country. Tune in for Maura’s take on Carolyn Bessette Kennedy as a moodboard muse and a rare example of true personal style, as well as why minimalism and old money restraint feel so aspirational right now; JFK Jr. as the poster boy for yuppie style that’s driving the prep revival seen at brands like J.Crew and Dior Men’s; CBK and JFK Jr.’s couple style, as well as our thoughts on the Ryan Murphy series costume design discourse; Sarah Staudinger’s purchase of three iconic CBK pieces at Sotheby’s auction for $177K (while Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s violet wool coat, worn on the night of John F. Kennedy’s election to the presidency, just sold for $50,800 this week); Julia Fox’s bloody Jackie Kennedy Halloween costume at this moment of political violence being back in the cultural conversation; Jack Schlossberg’s political trajectory, from brain rot content to Vogue correspondent to congressional candidate; RFK Jr.’s MAHA rhetoric affecting the beauty and wellness industry; Olivia Nuzzi’s aesthetic transformation in the lead up to American Canto and leaning into the “I had an affair with a Kennedy” look, and so much more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

The second part of TNG’s look back at 2016 (don’t miss part one here!) digs into the massive, enduring influence that year had on the fashion industry. This week, I sit down with Jian DeLeon, the men’s fashion director at Nordstrom who was steeped in menswear media at the time, to discuss the year’s lasting impact on clothing and culture. Tune in to hear how Jian made the transition from editorial to retail — or, how he went from indirectly selling things to directly selling things — as well as how 2016 marked the apex of meme and algorithm fashion; why it was the last year that people felt something of a monoculture, as well as the final moment of Kanye West’s domination of the zeitgeist where fashion and culture intertwined; how fashion and streetwear weren’t as muddled yet, the last days of knowing who the gatekeepers were; the year responsible for the pop-up and why everything is an “activation” now; New York Fashion Week: Men’s (RIP), the Raf Simons Calvin Klein debut, and a formative time for menswear; the merch-ification of fashion thanks to Kanye, Justin Bieber, Frank Ocean, Drake, etc.; whether designers were “trolling” or actually subverting how we think about fashion and design; the resale market boom and bust, and much more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

If you, like me, spend a good amount of time on TikTok, you’ve likely felt awash in a sea of nostalgia for 2016, which in just a matter of weeks will be a full decade in the rearview. Not only was it a banner year for realizing things, it was also a moment in time that shifted the cultural paradigm in a way that’s now coming into full focus. In the first of a two-part episode, I sit down with Jessica DeFino of Flesh World to discuss how the beauty trends, products, and developments that defined 2016 have changed the industry forever. Tune in to hear about Jessica’s time witnessing the creation of beauty standards firsthand while working for the Kardashian apps in 2016, as well as why the natural next step in the trend cycle is a reaction to “clean girl” beauty; reflections on a time before micro and ‘core trends; the cut crease to blepharoplasty pipeline is real; the self-care boom in the aftermath of the first Trump election and how it’s evolved; why 2016 makeup and “Republican makeup” are so similar; what the King Kylie era brought to wider beauty culture, and the impact that Kylie Cosmetics had on the celebrity beauty brand boom; how trauma dumping during GRWM videos on TikTok has become such a popular content genre; why Ozempic is the new Botox, and more. This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

Been gone for a minute now we’re back! To celebrate the year coming to a close — and to officially kick off Season 2 of TNG — Alyssa sat down with Emily Kirkpatrick, Nicolaia Rips, and Taylore Scarabelli to discuss the highs and lows of 2025 in fashion, plus what to expect in 2026. The esteemed panel goes deep on the year in brands, content, trends, red carpets, runways, and more, touching on everything from the unspoken rules of party reporting to the potential for a runway show in space (see: that Timothée Vogue cover, Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel debut set, and the Jeff Bezos/Lauren Sánchez Bezos sponsored Met Gala).Special thanks to our presenting partner sex happens, and to Hudson Square Properties for the venue. Brand new episodes will resume next week! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe

First a blog, then a pod, then fashion world domination. This week, Alyssa sits down with Liv Perez, a fashion journalist, TODAY Show correspondent, and host of the Let’s Get Dressed podcast, to discuss how she’s building a one-woman fashion media empire for the next generation. Tune in to hear how Liv’s time as a college student in New York during the earliest days of Instagram and digital media kicked off her career, including a stint at Teen Vogue; her time as one of the earliest Glossier shop girls; why she started her original recommendations blog, Friend of a Friend, and how she organically built an audience; why she pivoted to audio before the podcasting industry exploded; how she started creating content for brands and how she decides who to partner with; how to know when it’s time for a rebrand; why having a very specific point of view is crucial in a crowded space like podcasting; whether everyone making things online needs to be on video; how being an early adopter has been a key to her success, and much more.Quick programming note: TNG is taking a brief hiatus — we’ll be back with new episodes in the fall! This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at The SQ @ 205 Hudson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewgarde.substack.com/subscribe