Deep Read with Phoebe Lovatt

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Kai Avent-DeLeon is the founder of the concept store Sincerely, Tommy and the restaurant Che–both beloved fixtures in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, the neighbourhood where Kai was born and raised. She also runs Sanctuary, a retreat programme in upstate New York. We spoke about Kai's spiritual and wellness practices, her approach to goal-setting and parenting, the power of real-life community, and so much more. -  @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @kaiaventdeleon  

This special episode was recorded live at the Miu Miu Literary Club, which took place on 9th-10th April 2025 in Milan. Under the direction of Mrs Miuccia Prada, and now in its second iteration, the Literary Club is the latest in a series of cultural experiences devised by Miu Miu to promote the arts. - Naoise Dolan is an Irish author whose first book, ‘Exciting Times', was published to widespread acclaim in 2020. Naoise followed this with the equally well-received ‘The Happy Couple' in 2023. In both books, Naoise tackles the confusion of contemporary life with precision and wit: her characters grapple with sexuality, housing instability, social media malaise, and our growing class disparities. At the same time, Naoise brings a fresh, often unpredictable perspective to the timeless topics of education, girlhood, and desire that inform this year's Literary Club curation. - Deep Reading Lists can be found at phoebe.substack.com - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @naoisedolan @miumiu

This special episode was recorded live at the Miu Miu Literary Club, which took place on 9th-10th April 2025 in Milan. Under the direction of Mrs Miuccia Prada, and now in its second iteration, the Literary Club is the latest in a series of cultural experiences devised by Miu Miu to promote the arts. - Lauren Elkin is the translator behind Simone de Beauvoir's posthumously published book ‘The Inseparables' - a focus text for this year's Miu Miu Literary Club - and she is the author of multiple non-fiction books and novels. These include 2024's ‘Scaffolding', which explores the ethics of desire, the transition from girlhood to womanhood, and the impact that formative teachers can have on our lives. - Deep Reading Lists can be found at phoebe.substack.com - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @lauren_elkin_ @miumiu  

Deep Read #35 is with the artist and director, Martine Syms.  Martine is one of the most prominent names in the contemporary art world. Her work encompasses sculpture, digital art, video, publishing, and photography, and has been shown in dozens of galleries and iconic art institutions worldwide. In 2022, she made her directorial debut with 'The African Desperate', and she's currently working on her second feature. Martine is as fun as she is brilliant! We discussed shame, astrology, Sapphic poetry, badmind people, awkward stages, visibility, and so much more.  - Deep Reading lists for every episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @martinesyms  

Camilla Blackett originally hails from Reading in the UK but is now based in Los Angeles. Camilla started her career as one of the “teenage consultants” writing for the original UK production of Skins before making the move to LA in 2012, where her screenwriting career quickly skyrocketed. Camilla and I have been friends for many years and I thought it would be interesting to share some insight into the life of a successful writer in LA. We discussed why the Hollywood trade union strikes of 2023 set an important precedent for the creative industries at large; how streaming changed the landscape of TV writing; why LA and London offer the ideal dual bases for a creative life, and the advice Camilla gives to anyone hoping for their big break in her industry. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @thecamillard  

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Deep Read #33 is a conversation with the writer, editor, and organiser Haley Mlotek. Haley is the author of a new book titled, ‘No Fault: A Memoir of Romance and Divorce', which is both a social and cultural history of divorce and a personal account of Haley's own experiences. We discussed the cultural canon of 'divorce stories', being vulnerable on the page, 'abolishing the family', the social fabric of Montreal, and much more.  - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @haleymlotek    

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Nathalie Olah is a writer, cultural critic, and the author of 'Bad Taste: Or the Politics of Ugliness'. We discussed how complex hierarchies of taste shape our visually saturated era, the commercialisation of the professional class, and the search for beauty in a spiritually ugly world (plus much more). - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @nathalieolah

My guest today is the LA-based health coach Daphne Javitch, founder of the platform Doing Well. We talked about her definition of optimum health (and the people she thinks embody it), why wellness is essentially a time management issue, and how we can think about wellbeing communally as well as personally. Plus: simple tips for feeling better in 2025. Please note that this conversation was recorded before the LA wildfires broke out.  - Deep Reading lists for every episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @doingwell

Deep Reading lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Deep Read #30 is a conversation with Céline Semaan, a Lebanese-Canadian artist, designer, writer, and the founder of Slow Factor, the environmental and social justice non-profit. Céline recently published her first book, A Woman is A School. Part memoir, part cultural anthropology, A Woman Is a School tells Céline's story as a war survivor and child refugee, and creates an archive for the powerful Indigenous knowledge and wisdom of the Global South. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @theslowfactory @celinecelines

Deep Reading Lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - Today's guest is renowned brand expert Ana Andjelic, author of the forthcoming book 'Hitmakers: How Brands Influence Culture'. Ana and I talked about personal branding, marketing in visual culture, and what she considers the biggest brand hits and misses of 2024. - @andjelicaaa @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary  

Deep Reading Lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is Marcelo Gutierrez, a world-renowned make-up artist and author of the recently published book, 'Nothing Precious'. We spoke about how he learned to see the world through artists' eyes, his creative community in NYC, and his favourite make-up look of all time (among many other things). - @marcelogutierrez @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary         

My guest today is Clemence Poles, a creative director, photographer, curator, and the founder of Passerby – an online magazine and community that celebrates the women who pass us by. Passerby features the cool creative women in New York, LA, and London, yes – but it also platforms the scientists, archivists, nurses and lawyers whose stories are rarely shared, much less celebrated. Clemence and I talked about our changing notions of success, the current saturation of curation culture, and the return of gatekeeping, among many other topics. I hope you enjoy the conversation. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @clemencepoles passerbymagazine.com

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - Today's Deep Read is a conversation with Leigh Patterson, editorial director and founder of the Moon Lists. Among many other things, Leigh and I spoke about why, in our attention economy, creating a ritual around the details of our daily existence is so valuable: if we are incapable of choosing where our focus lies, who will ultimately decide for us? - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @themoonlists    

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is Lucy Jones, author of the massively successful  Matrescence: On the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Motherhood. In this very vulnerable episode, we discuss hypnobirthing, maternal mental health, and the neoliberal optimisation of motherhood (plus so much more). - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @lucyfjones  

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is Mindy Seu: designer, professor, researcher, and editor of 'Cyberfeminism Index' in which “hackers, scholars, artists, and activists of all regions, races and sexual orientations consider how humans might reconstruct themselves by way of technology.” Featuring more than 700 short entries of multimedia activism, the Index is A rich resource for anyone interested in technology, feminism, and the intersection between the two. After her book was recommended by the New York publicist Gia Kuan on a previous episode of this very podcast, I knew I wanted to speak more with Mindy about her broad range of interests and ideas. In this epsiode we cover everything from publishing as an art practice, to TikTok restocking videos, to the etymology of the word ‘ergonomic'. I hope you enjoy it! - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @mindyseu    

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is Recho Omondi, host of The Cutting Room Floor. You might have been following Recho's podcast since its inception in 2018. Or you may have heard of Recho just recently, after a clip from her January 2024 interview with Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def went very, very viral. Either way, Recho is a thinker and interviewer to have on your radar. I hope you enjoy the conversation - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @omndi

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - Today's episode of Deep Read is a conversation with Anna Z Gray, writer and founder of Club Vintage, the self-described “department store of vintage sellers”.  I met Anna several years ago when we were both living in New York City and Anna was writing ‘Things I Would Buy If I Didn't Have to Pay Rent' - a very funny shopping newsletter filled with beautiful pieces you  won't find on an IG influencer's Amazon storefront. These days, Anna still writes the newsletter and has also parlayed her distinctive taste into Club Vintage, which offers a platform for vintage sellers to sell their wares from stylish brick-and-mortar locations in New York and LA.  Having long appreciated Anna's idiosyncratic writing voice and curious approach to life, I was glad to have the opportunity to speak with her about consumerism, curation, cults, and much more. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @annazgray / @clubvintageorg  

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is the journalist and editor, Olivia Singer. Since getting her start in fashion features at Another Magazine, Olivia has risen the ranks of British style media, later going on to work as fashion news director at British Vogue before assuming her current title as Global Editorial Director of i-D Magazine. In an extremely noisy media landscape, Olivia possesses a clear, unique voice that manages to rise above the din and has a distinct monochromatic uniform to match. I like Olivia because she takes her job seriously but not herself, and she has intelligent opinions on everything from feminism to fashion resale sites as you'll hear in the conversation. I hope you enjoy it. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @oliviajsinger  

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is the photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis (aka @sheekswinsalways - her long-standing Instagram handle that has an unexpected backstory, as we discussed during the podcast!) Shaniqwa is one of those friends I've known for so long that I can't quite remember when we met. Suffice to say it was a while back. Over the years, it's been a pleasure to watch Shaniqwa gain recognition as a prolific and highly-regarded image-maker, who subjects include Cardi B, David Byrne, Erykah Badu, and former President Barack Obama in the last few years alone. Even though we've known each other for so long, this conversation was the first time I've had the chance to properly ask Shaniqwa about her upbringing as a native New Yorker, her experiences navigating the white male-dominated photography industry as a Black woman, and her philosophy on building a creative career that goes the distance. We also talk at length about her photographic inspirations, her artistic philosophy and, of course, the books that have shaped her. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary

Deep Reading Lists for each episode can be found at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is the publicist and creative consultant, Gia Kuan. Raised between Taipei, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and Australia, Gia is now based in New York City, where she runs the go-to PR firm for the city's coolest and most cutting-edge fashion brands. On a muggy New York day in October, we sat down to discuss her nomadic childhood, her early days in (and later, running!) the club, and her thoughts on PR in an era of ubiquitous personal branding, among many other things. I hope you enjoy the conversation.  @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @giakuan

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - This episode is a conversation with Missy Flynn, co-owner and founder of beloved London restaurant, Rita's. I've been eating at Rita's since it was a pop-up in a rowdy Dalston nightclub and have dined all its iterations since – mostly recently, at its current home on Soho's charming Lexington Street. As fellow born-and-raised Londoners, the conversation between Missy and I inevitably turned to the city - our thoughts on its past and present, and our hopes for its future. We also spoke about what social media is doing to dining and food culture, the joys of eating out in New York, and the books Missy turns to when she's craving food for thought, excuse the pun. I hope you enjoy the conversation. - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @missyyflynn  

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is the creative director, Juliana Salazar. Juliana and I became internet friends a little while back and have now managed to become IRL friends who sometimes cross paths when she passes through London, as she did earlier in the year. While Juliana was in town I managed to sit down with her to have this discussion, in which we discuss the meaning of personal style, the refinement of taste in a digital era, and the highs and lows of life as a creative multi-hyphenate. I hope you enjoy the conversation! - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @julianasalazar  

Deep Reading Lists for each episode are available at phoebe.substack.com - My guest today is Ana Kirova, CEO of Feeld –" a dating app for open-minded individuals". Founded in London in 2014, the app now has hundreds of thousands of users worldwide and offers over 20 Sexuality and gender identity options – making it the go-to for anyone seeking a connection beyond the heterosexual, cis-gendered end of the dating spectrum. I had a fantastic time talking to Ana about the way that our romantic, sexual, and familial lives are rapidly evolving – as well as how broader cultural and economic shifts play into the ways we have sex and fall in love. I hope you enjoy our conversation.   - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @feeldco

Deep Reading lists for every episode are available at phoebe.substack.com   My guest today is the author Sheena Patel, whose debut novel I'm a Fan was published to widespread acclaim in 2022.   We had a wide-ranging conversation about her experience of writing her debut novel, her decision to spotlight the very darkest impulses of human nature, and why she hopes I'm A Fan will age badly. I hope you enjoy the conversation!     - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @imightbesheenapatel

Deep Reading lists for every episode are available at phoebe.substack.com My guest today is Isabella Burley, former Editor-in-Chief of DAZED, current CMO of Acne Studios and founder of Climax - a distributor of specialist materials. We talked about the lightbulb moment that led to Climax, her thoughts on the growing value of rare books and cultural ephemera, and how she manages multiple projects without burning out. I hope you enjoy the conversation! - @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @climaxbooks  

Further Reading Lists are available at public-library.online @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @chchchen - My guest today is the DJ and promoter Louise Chen - who also happens to be my long-time friend! Born and raised in Luxembourg, Louise moved to Paris in her early twenties, where she co-founded the iconic club night, Girls Girls Girls. Since, then she's built a thriving career DJing at clubs, parties, and festivals worldwide, as well as hosting a regular NTS radio show, CheNTS, from her new homebase of London. Anyone who has heard Louise DJ in a club knows she's guaranteed to fill a dance floor in minutes, and anyone who has had a conversation with her knows she's incredibly astute on topics from politics to fashion to her speciality genre, pop culture. My chats with Louise can and do go anywhere -and this one is just a small sampling of her range. I hope you enjoy it!

Further Reading Lists are available at public-library.online @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary @msamykey - My guest today is the author and poet, Amy Key, whose debut novel, 'Arrangements in Blue: Notes on Love and Making a Life', came out last month. Inspired by Joni Mitchell's seminal 1971 album Blue, the book is a poignant exploration of what it means to live without romantic love. Writing with great honesty and vulnerability - and also, beauty -  Amy recounts her, often painful attempts to reconcile with her long-term single status in a world obsessed with coupledom. But Arrangements in Blue is also a celebration of the joys of solitude and a manifesto for the importance of decentering romantic love in our lives and pouring into all the other relationships and practices that sustain us. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

My guest today is Kieran Yates, a prolific cultural journalist and the author of a new book: 'All The Houses I've Ever Lived In': Finding Home in a System that Fails Us' – a funny, poignant, and thoroughly-reported assessment of Britain's chronic housing crisis, told through the lens of Kieran's own experiences of housing precarity from childhood onwards. I hope you enjoy our conversation. - Further reading lists are available at public-library.online

My guest today is the acclaimed stylist, publisher, and creative consultant Francesca Burns (@franburns). We spoke about how fashion helped form her identity; her rise in the industry; her approach to getting dressed now; and her thoughts on being described as a "super-stylist". I hope you enjoy the conversation! - Further reading lists are available at public-library.online

*DEEP READ-ing Lists for each episode are available at public-library.online*   My guest today is Elijah: DJ, producer, artist  manager and now founder of Yellow Squares - a vessel for ideas on how to build a creative career in today's technology-driven world.   Originally conceived as an Instagram feed of punchy, Post It-style principles and questions  Yellow Squares has become an evolving medium for Elijah's own creativity -  one that he has translated into live talks in locations from Tokyo to Sao Paolo and an album produced in collaboration with grime MC Jammz. Elijah's optimistic but clear-headed philosophy has had a positive and expansive impact on the way I think about my own creative work, and I think it could do the same for yours. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

*Deep Read-ing Lists for each episode are available at public-library.online* My guest today is the writer, curator and broadcaster, Lou Stoppard. Not long after completing a degree at Oxford University and an MA at Central Saint Martin's, Lou was made editor at Nick Knight's pioneering fashion platform SHOWStudio, where became known for her in-depth live interviews with the likes of Kanye West and Wolfgang Tillmans. Since then, Lou has written for The New Yorker, Aperture, and The New York Times, edited books on iconic fashion partnerships and the allure of swimming pools for Rizzoli, and curated exhibitions at London's Somerset House and the Het Nieuwe institute in Rotterdam. I really enjoy Lou's curious, wide-ranging approach to her work, and it was a pleasure to learn more about the ideas and inspirations that have shaped her career.

*Deep Read-ing Lists for each episode are available at public-library.online* My guest today is the author and journalist, Oliver Burkeman. I first interviewed Oliver back in 2019, when he was writing ‘This Column Will Change Your Life' for The Guardian. Since then, he has become the best-selling author of ‘Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals' -which is a thoughtful and thought-provoking challenge to our futile modern obsession with 'getting everything done'. Its core message - to embrace your limits, accept mortality, and give up on the belief that you will ever complete your to-do list - is a much-needed antidote to the productivity gospel that has dominated our culture for all too long.   

Phoebe speaks to Yoon Ahn, Creative Director of AMBUSH and Director of Jewellery for Dior Homme. Together they discuss Yoon's journey from being an isolated teenager in the suburbs of Seattle - where she found inspiration in the fashion magazines and books in her local public library - to her current life overseeing a full-blown AMBUSH Universe. They also delve into the art of free thinking in a noisy world, the impact of nightlife on Yoon's creative process, and what she sees as her ultimate purpose. A reading list to accompany this conversation can be found at public-library.online   @yoon_ambush @ambush_official @phoebelovatt @phoebelovattpubliclibrary             

Phoebe speaks to Clem MacLeod – founder and editor of the literary magazine, Worms – about writer culture in London and New York; the joys of self-publishing; and the enduring significance of books and bookmaking. An accompanying reading list for this episode can be found at public-library.online

Phoebe speaks to her longtime friend Sharmadean Reid - founder and CEO of The Stack (and previously, WAH Nails) - about her evolving approach to feminism, selfhood, and personal finance. They also discuss Sharmadean's life-long love of reading, and her forthcoming book 'New Methods For Women: A Manifesto for Economic Independence', in which Sharmadean distills "ancient teachings, the wisdom of her favourite authors, and her own experiences with business, leadership and as a co-parenting mother into 10 of the most valuable life lessons." An accompanying reading list for this episode can be found at public-library.online

Phoebe speaks to Belfast-born, London-based journalist Rachel Connolly. Writing for titles including The New York Times, The Guardian, and The London Review of Books, Rachel writes explores topics as diverse as the ugliness of NFTS, the banality of high street clothing – and the complicated dynamics of contemporary morality.  A reading list to accompany this conversation can be found at public-library.online Follow @phoebelovatt and @phoebelovattpubliclibrary for more

Phoebe speaks to the broadcaster and writer Zakia Sewell. You might know Zakia from London's NTS Radio, where she currently holds down the breakfast slot on Thursday and Friday mornings. She's also produced and hosted several audio documentary series for the BBC, in which she explores ideas of Britishness - past and present - by following ancient thread lines of music, nature, and her own rich mixed heritage.  A reading list to accompany this conversation can be found at public-library.online Follow @phoebelovatt and @phoebelovattpubliclibrary for more

Phoebe Lovatt speaks to Danielle Pender, founder of Riposte magazine and author of Watching Women and Girls – a new collection of short stories which explores the ways that women are looked at, the ways we look at each other...and the ways we look at ourselves.  A reading list to accompany this conversation can be found at public-library.online Follow @phoebelovatt and @phoebelovattpubliclibrary for more.