Fashion podcasts to listen to now
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A sudden increase in time on your hands, the benefits of limiting screen time, Apple finally improving AirPods – these are just some of the reasons that London's love affair with podcasts continues to flourish. And with a summer of social isolating stretching ahead, stacking up a few podcasts and audiobooks is a brilliant way to engage and learn while breaking free from a screen – just make sure you have some good headphones to block out the noise of your roommate's Zoom call or your husband's Houseparty catch-up.
That the fashion industry has taken to podcasting with such gusto might seem surprising at first – fashion is, after all, a visual medium and podcasting is obviously not. But when you think about the fact that fashion is as much about the ideas and stories behind the garments – and the reactions they provoke – as what they look like it starts to make sense. Add to that the fact that the industry thrives on gossip, scandal and intrigue and you have a recipe for podcasting success.
Today the sheer number of podcasts that cover fashion and beauty is pretty astounding, with hundreds to choose from on Apple Podcasts. Read on for the Culture Whisper guide to the best fashion podcasts to listen to now.
The one for adventurous spirits
The beauty of truly functional fashion is that it gives you the comfort and security necessary to be a bold decision-maker, so it makes sense that British outerwear brand Belstaff has chosen to shine the spotlight on the adventurous lives of some of the most interesting figures in the arts today. Dropping weekly, the new series features Riz Ahmed, James Norton, Holliday Grainger, Sir Ben Ainslie and Mark Strong while the back catalogue is available to download in its entirety, including episodes with Andrew Scott (aka Fleabag's Hot Priest), Naomie Harris and Stanley Tucci opening up to host Reggie Yates.
Download The Road Less Travelled here
The one for fixing the fashion industry
Model turned activist/author/beauty boss, Charli Howard, approaches the big issues that over the next few years will reshape the fashion industry into an altogether more ethical, sustainable beast. Covering everything from modest fashion to shopping second-hand and the treatment of models, expect hard-hitting topics delivered in a digestible way.
Download Fashion Fix here
The one for breaking down the big issues
The conversation around mental health is more open than ever before thanks to innovative and exploratory channels and forms. Podcasts are one such medium to engage with open and honest discussions, with inspirational people sharing their personal experiences and life lessons. This new series hosted by model Georgia Moot and supported by Dr Martens, does all this and more, while bringing the difficulties of working the fashion and media industries to light.
Download Talking Tough here
The one for aspiring fashion entrepreneurs
Calling on her experience of a decade spent as a fashion buyer, host Elizabeth Stiles wants to spotlight the behind-the-scenes roles that drive fashion businesses forward as well as share practical knowledge about building a business from driving traffic to prepping a photoshoot.
Download The Fashion Feed here
The one for Chanelophiles
What fashion lover isn’t enchanted by the wonderful world of Chanel? The 3.55 podcast provides an exceptional chance to get up close with one of the most famous brands in the world. An interview with Karl Lagerfeld, recorded in December just two months before his death, is a must-listen. Changing the format with each mini-series, the most recent dispatches are Cannes-themed with guests including Margot Robbie and Marion Cotillard reminiscing about their first time at the festival.
Download 3.55 here
The one for the eco-fashion curious
What is sustainable fashion, and who does it well? These are the questions addressed by Wardrobe Crisis, hosted by Australian fashion journalist and author Clare Press. Aware that fashion isn’t just about designers, Press also interviews business people, sourcers, buyers and even politicians as she spotlights and celebrates the people and ideas having a positive impact on the future of fashion.
Download Wardrobe Crisis here
The one for the inside scoop
Billed as ‘the fashion equivalent of Inside the Actors Studio’, hosts Bronwyn Cosgrave and Mosha Lundström Halbert bring you discussions and dispatches on craft and luxury fashion from wherever they are around the world. Since launching earlier this year, guests have included milliner extraordinaire Stephen Jones, fashion’s favourite hair stylist Sam McKnight, power stylist Elizabeth Saltzman and dress-of-the-moment designer Batsheva Hay.
Download A Different Tweed here
The one for fashion dreamers
The newest brand podcaster on the block is Hermès. The esteemed French luxury brand takes listeners on a tour of its famed boutique on Faubourg Saint-Honoré, with creatives and artisans providing a glimpse of the magic behind the scenes. Episodes are available in French and English.
Download The Faubourg of Dreams here
The one for business brains
Lest you forget that fashion is a multi-billion pound industry, the Business of Fashion is here to remind you by looking at wider global trends and their repercussions on the fashion industry. Look out for BoF VOICES episodes, which feature interviews with some of the biggest and most influential names in fashion such as designer Stella McCartney and Gucci President and CEO Marco Bizzarri.
Download The BoF Podcast here
The one for emotional connections
If you had to choose five things that represent or inspire you, what would they be? That's the question posed for Matchesfashion.com by journalist Danielle Radojcin, who invites fashion designers, artists and tech pioneers to discuss five significant objects from their life. The resulting conversations are enlightening, inspiring and sometimes surprising.
Download The Collector's House here
The one for an alternative view
This weekly podcast takes an irreverent look at fashion week and the industry at large in an attempt to answer one big question: 'how did we get here?' Hosted by i-D's arts and culture editor Matthew Whitehouse, expect an alternative take on all things fashion, gender and youth culture.
Download Fash-On Fash-OFF here
The one for aspiring fashion professionals
This podcast from the London College of Fashion offers everything from useful strategies and practical advice on building a career in the fashion industry, to interviews with inspiring industry figures such as Sali Hughes, Pandora Sykes and Rupert Sanderson who discuss their work as well as their wardrobes.
Download London College of Fashion here
The one for fashion news junkies
Featuring a rotating cycle of voices from the fashion desk of the Daily Telegraph, expect frank and often funny discussions of the biggest fashion news stories of the day, how they impact women in the real world and how they relate to wider shifts in business, politics and culture.
Download Fashion Unzipped here
The one for fans of fashion history
The fashion industry may be obsessed with the new and the next but it pays to remember how we got here. This informed exploration hosted by fashion historians April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary looks at the movements, events and ideas, both ancient and more modern, that shape the way we dress now.
Download Dressed: The History of Fashion here
The one for access all areas
There's no denying the all-encompassing power of American Vogue, but those who struggle to find the magazine on these shores needn't miss out. A rotating line-up of Vogue editors, themed episodes and mega-watt celebrity guests (of course) mean that things never get stale.
Download Vogue Podcast here
The one for amazing insight
Hosts Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley call on lead creatives, strategic thinkers and emerging talent to help them interpret the ins and outs of the fashion industry today. Recent guests include big-hitters such as Vanessa Friedman of The New York Times and Eva Chen of Instagram – get ready to learn something new.
Download Fashion No Filter here
The one for a less-polished perspective
Canadians Abby, Evan and Katie disprove their country's reputation for ultimate niceness with a bit of sass. Less polished than big -brand offerings, expect chatty rambles, plenty of F-bombs, and attempts to answer the big questions that the glossy posse would never approach.
Download The Fashion Hags here
