The Cut

CHANI is the second largest astrology app on the market, even though its founders have prioritized growing slowly and sustainably. Today we speak to its founders, Chani Nicholas and Sonya Passi about their company's mold-breaking benefits package, what they think about work culture today, and how other companies might follow their lead.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2014, Sophia Amoruso was the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal and her book #Girlboss was a New York Times bestseller – plus responsible for coining the hashtag-turned-cultural-phenomenon. Since then her company has folded and the "girlboss" has been declared all but dead... yet Sophia is haunted by its ghost. Today, she addresses the legacy of the phenomenon, what makes her cringe when she reads her book today, and how she's remaking her life with new ambitions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chelsea Fagan first started The Financial Diet as a personal blog about her own financial mistakes. Now it's a cross-platform media company run by a small team of women who work four days a week and share profits. This week, we talk to Chelsea all about the finances of her business. Plus, why she spent 50k of her own cash publishing a romance novel – and how she made it all back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Aurora James was launching her luxury shoe line, Brother Vellies, she didn't know that she'd eventually launch a non-profit and an equity fund dedicated to supporting black-owned businesses. But after the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 that's what she did. Today, we talk to Aurora about how that's going, and how she keeps her own company aligned with her values. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imara Jones didn't necessarily set out to be the founder of a news organization: her company, TransLash Media, grew out of a documentary series she made in 2018 about being trans in the age of Trump. The organization has been reporting on the trans community ever since — reporting that is now more urgent than ever. So today, we speak to Imara about the election and how she's leading in this moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo love a steamy, swoony romance novel. They also love a good business opportunity (Claire & Erica were behind the beloved yet shuttered retail company Of a Kind). And as they got deeper into the romance genre, they saw one: people don't just read romance novels – they build universes around them with fan fiction and lively TikTok discussion. So Claire & Erica launched 831 Stories, an entertainment media company built around romance novels. Today, we chat about what that really means, and how they've learned to work together over their 14-year business partnership (spoiler: it involves learning to fight).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2018, Puja Patel was named editor-in-chief of Pitchfork, the legendary music criticism publication. She had a vision for the site: make it more accessible, maybe a little less pretentious. Then, in January this year, Condé Nast announced that GQ would absorb Pitchfork. Immediate uproar ensued — both from fans and musicians. Puja left the company. Today, she talks about what happened, how she negotiated her own power within a legacy institution, and what's next for music criticism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, the start of a new special series about work. Hosted by friend of The Cut Samhita Mukhopadhyay, former executive editor of Teen Vogue and author of The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning. We'll talk to women at the top of their fields, each with different perspectives on ambition and success. Women business leaders who pay their employees almost as much as they make. Women who have been held accountable — unfairly, or fairly — for their management decisions. And women who are very careful about the opportunities they say yes to. That's where we start, with celebrity esthetician and skincare expert, whose products have a cult-like following: Renée Rouleau.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Actor, producer, and entrepreneur Taraji P. Henson talks to Lindsay about her illustrious career, including her roles in Hustle & Flow, EMPIRE and, most recently, The Color Purple. Plus, Henson talks about her fight for equal pay in the industry, her work in mental health advocacy through her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, and why she's recently partnered with Kate Spade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Female athletes, both college and professional, continue to make gains in pay and TV-airtime equity, shatter records and break into once male-dominated sports.  Today's conversation delves into those topics and more with three accomplished athletes. It comes to you from a rooftop panel at this year's South by Southwest conference.  Guests: Dina Asher-Smith, World Champion and the fastest British woman in history. Haley Rosen, former professional soccer player and founder and CEO of Just Women's Sports and Chloe Kim, American snowboarder and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the summer of 2018, host Lindsay Peoples wrote a piece called Everywhere and Nowhere, What it's Really Like to be Black and Work in Fashion. It shook the table and ushered in a conversation on race in the industry. She interviewed over 100 people, including designer Tracy Reese—who's been working in fashion for more than five decades. For the fifth anniversary of the piece, Lindsay spoke to Tracy about what's changed, how far the industry has come, and how much work still needs to be done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode illuminates an essential foundation of Black life: namely, Black love.  A new book from Zando Press assembles letters and original illustrations on the topic from celebrated Black writers and thinkers. The collection, Black Love Letters, explores the concept of Black love in all its facets, from diasporic connection to familial and community care to romance. Its array of contributors includes Dr. Imani Perry, Michael Eric Dyson, Tarana Burke, and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Lindsay spoke to Natalie Johnson, who conceived of and co-edited Black Love Letters with Cole Brown, about the process of bringing the idea to life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamila Wideman has a fascinating career trajectory that's spanned law, advocacy, and basketball—and mentorship has been a thread stitched through all of it.  Wideman made history in 1997 when she was drafted for the inaugural WNBA season by the Los Angeles Sparks. While there, she launched an afterschool program for marginalized teens, "Hoopin' With Jamila." After playing four years in the league, she went on to attend NYU Law.  As an attorney, she represented incarcerated people and low-income populations facing eviction. Now, Wideman works for the NBA, as Senior Vice President for Player Development. She works with rookies to help them acclimate to life as a professional athlete, and guides players in thinking about their lives holistically off the court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our guest on In Her Shoes this week is Geraldine Chung, the founder of the beloved online fashion brand LCD.  It began as an online destination, showcasing an inspired mix of emerging independent designers. The brand grew fast—within a few years, Chung went on to open a brick and mortar location in Los Angeles.  But like so many other small businesses, LCD took a big revenue hit during the pandemic. It's been difficult for small brands like it to regain stability, much less profitability. Earlier this month, Chung announced in a very candid Instagram post that she's shutting down the business. We wanted to talk to her about how she reached this decision, and ask her to reflect on what she learned in a decade of building and evolving the brand in a changing retail landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a little over a month since the Cut wrapped its coverage of Paris Fashion Week. It's time to take the long look back at the full year in fashion. With industry vet and Cut Editor-At-Large Cathryn Horyn, we review the standout designers and trends of 2023.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mara Hoffman started her eponymous label in 2002 out of her Upper East Side apartment. More than a decade in, she had an epiphany about the fashion industry: without sustainable practices, it was a toxic business that was bad for the earth.  And with the perspective of becoming a new mom, she was also thinking about her legacy differently. Hoffman began transforming her business practices, with a commitment to sustainability as a core principle.  This fall, Hoffman was awarded the Environmental Sustainability Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. On today's episode of In Her Shoes, we'll explore how she thinks about sustainable growth, and talk about the impact she wants to make on the wider fashion industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has been a trailblazer pretty much her entire political career. In 2010, she was the first Black woman elected to the Boston City council and then would later go on to become the first Black woman elected Congress from Massachusetts. As a member of congress, she's been a constant voice on issues like reproductive rights, healthcare and criminal justice reform. In this episode, she talks about her political career, her journey dealing with alopecia and what she's hopeful about in this current political climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Audie Cornish is a journalism vet whose voice was our north star on NPR's, All Things Considered for ten years. After being a public radio girl for most of her career, she's embarking on a new journey. She's now hosting a weekly Podcast on CNN called The Assignment with Audie Cornish. She talked about leaving NPR, her career in public radio and of course, what it's been like starting something new. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year marks the 50th anniversary of hip hop since the genre first erupted on the scene in the Bronx. On this episode, we hear from Bevy Smith, Debra Lee and music writer Kiana Fitzgerald on how far hip hop has come and how much work still needs to be done when it comes to women in the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Olivia Rodrigo releases Guts, we take stock of the singer-songwriter who seemed to come out of nowhere, fully realized as an artist, back in 2021. How did Olivia surprise us so much before, and can she repeat her success a second time? Sam chats with Lindsay Zoladz, pop music critic at The New York Times, about the dualities of Olivia Rodrigo: She's an artist who is both quiet and loud, young and old at heart, and a former Disney child star whose lyrics are a gut punch. We also trace her inspirations from Alanis Morisette to Taylor Swift and explore why we can't get enough of Olivia's music in a year that's seen the pop culture power of women and girls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, host Lindsay Peoples wrote a piece called Everywhere and Nowhere, What it's Really Like to be Black and Work in Fashion. It shook the table and ushered in a conversation on race in the industry. She interviewed over 100 people, one of them being designer Tracy Reese who's been working in fashion for over five decades. For the fifth anniversary of the piece, Lindsay spoke to Tracy about what's changed, how far the industry has come and how much work still needs to be done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the end of Britney Spears's conservatorship in November of 2021, most of her fans rejoiced. But conspiracy theories have a subset of #FreeBritney fans convinced she's still not really free. They focus on what they see as oddities or glitches in some of her Instagram posts. Vox reporter Rebecca Jennings says there are even theories that Britney has been replaced with AI or a body double. Rebecca and Sam talk about her current piece for New York Magazine and get into the TikTok sleuthing of this extreme set of Britney fans, how the conspiracy theories mirror QAnon, and what Britney herself thinks about her fans' actions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tracy Margolies is the Chief Merchandising Officer at Saks Fifth Avenue. She continues to create innovative conversations and connections in fashion, changing the way we think about brands and shop them too. In this episode, Tracy talks about her career, her start in the industry and what it's like balancing motherhood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kenya Moore sits on the Mount Rushmore of Real Housewives legends but she's been Gone With the Wind fabulous since before the show. The forever beauty queen has given us quality content since she joined the franchise in 2012. On This episode from January, Kenya talks about her career, her journey through motherhood and what it was like going through those grueling challenges when she starred in the Reality TV show, Special Forces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katori Hall has a way of making the most dynamic, interesting characters come to life and there's been no better display of that than the world she's created on the show P-Valley. On this episode, Katori talks about her career, her writing process and what's next in her journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bevy Smith knows how to command a room and she's had our attention for over two decades. Her Ted Talk was one of the most viewed of 2022 and her book, Bevelations: Lessons From a Mutha, Auntie Bestie serves as the ultimate guide in reinventing yourself. On this episode, Lindsay and Bevy get a chance to catch up and talk about why it gets greater later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2016, Maggie Smith experienced what it was like to go viral. Her poem, Good Bones was shared all over the internet. Celebrities shared it. Mothers who could relate shared it. Even Meryl Streep read at an award show. After that moment, her life changed. In her memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, She details for us exactly how her life changed in the most painful but necessary ways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christy Carlson Romano was ubiquitous on the Disney Channel in the early 2000s, starring in ‘Even Stevens,' ‘Kim Possible,' and ‘Cadet Kelly.'  But after the roles stopped and the checks dried up, she lost money to psychics, struggled with family relationships, and grappled with addiction. Now she processes those experiences on her popular YouTube channel, with videos like “Why I Don't Talk to Shia LaBeouf.” She talks with Sam about overcoming her past, tapping into nostalgia to find new audiences, and advocating for changes in the entertainment industry for child actors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debra Lee is truly in a league of her own. With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment business, she was often one of the first and only women in the room. As the former CEO of BET, she was at the forefront of curating Black culture with fidelity. Now she finally gets a chance to tell her story. On this episode, she talks about her new memoir, I am Debra Lee, which details her rise to the top and the struggles along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Atsuko Okatsuka is the comedian whose video you've probably shared with one of your friends. She has this adorable innocence and instant relatability that makes her so charming and convincing on stage. On this episode, she talks about how she got into comedy, Asian American representation in media and what it's like going viral. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Margaret Cho is undeniably a comedy giant and a stand up legend who paved the way for so many women in comedy we see today. She gave Asian American women the liberty to be loud, vulgar, quirky and outright hilarious. Her comedy hits on the topics of race, gender, politics, sexuality and all the controversial things we're not supposed to talk about. On this episode she talks about her career and how race has shaped her comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shiza Shahid has been impressive pretty much all her life. At 14, she was working as a volunteer in women's prisons. At 18, she was off to Stanford. A few years later, she returned to her home, Pakistan, where she co-founded the Malala fund with now Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Malala Yousafzai. These days, she's running the cookware company, Our Place that has all the Insta girlies in a frenzy. The all-in-one Always pan has been an internet fave since it popped up on the scene, but the brand has a larger mission of telling stories through meals that bring people together. On this episode, Shiza talks about her business, transitioning from the nonprofit world and what her day-to-day is like running a company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sit down, be humble? Naw, not Robin Thede. She's uncontestedly hilarious and she knows it. On this episode, she spills the details on the fourth season of a Black Lady Sketch Show, and gives us a little advice on how to take up space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has been a trailblazer pretty much her entire political career. In 2010, she was the first Black woman elected to the Boston City council and then would later go on to become the first Black woman elected Congress from Massachusetts. As a member of congress, she's been a constant voice on issues like reproductive rights, healthcare and criminal justice reform. In this episode, she talks about her political career, her journey dealing with alopecia and what she's hopeful about in this current political climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Hollywood's most powerful stylist, Law Roach has been the image architect for the biggest names in the industry — Zendaya, Celine Dion, Priyanka Chopra, Anne Hathaway, Ariana Grande, and Anya Taylor-Joy, to name just a few — yet he still struggles as one of the few Black stylists working with A-list talent and luxury brands. This past weekend after the Oscars, Hollywood's biggest night, Law posted on Instagram a stamp graphic of one word: “retired.” The caption read, in part, “The politics, the lies, and false narratives finally got me.” On this episode, we take a stroll in his shoes. Law sat down with the Cut's editor-in-chief, Lindsay Peoples, to give us the details on everything from what led to this moment in his life and retirement to what will happen to all of his clients at the Met Gala, racism in fashion, and what's next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Phillip is a voice and a face that's guided us through the news an anchor on CNN. Two years ago, she graced the cover of The Cut and on this episode, Lindsay and Abby reminisce on what that moment in time was like. They talk about Lindsay's first cover as Editor in Chief of the The Cut and what's changed for both her and Abby since. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we're sharing with you a panel Lindsay moderated at the New Museum a few months ago with artists Miles Greenberg and Salome Asega. Miles is a performance artist and sculptor who's known for using the physical body as sculptural material. Salome is the Director of New Inc at the New Museum and her work explores and critiques the speed in which technology develops. In this episode, they talk about the role art plays in technology and what that means for the future of art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tory Burch is one of the designers who defined the 2000s. From the timeless ballet flat, to the signature Tory Burch emblem, her brand put a mark on an era and continues to remain a household name. She does this all while empowering women along the way. We talked about her upcoming collection, the plight of ambitious women and the evolution of the Tory Burch Brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Land of the Giants, here is the first episode of this season, Dating Games. When Tinder launched in 2012, it changed dating culture and our expectations around dating forever by leveraging the iPhone and gamifying the dating experience. But did the rise of dating apps make finding romance easier or harder, and what are the consequences of playing a game that never ends? Subscribe to Land of the Giants to get new episodes every Wednesday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paulina Porizkova has been famous just about her entire life. As a model in the 80s, she was once one of the highest paid supermodels in the world. Back then, she was known for being seen and not heard. At this stage in her life, she's more focused on telling her story. Her Book, NO FILTER: The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful, touches on her career as a model, unpacking the grief of her husband's death and the way we see aging women in society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kenya Moore sits on the Mount Rushmore of Real Housewives legends, but she's been Gone With the Wind fabulous since before the show. The forever beauty queen has given us quality content since she joined the franchise in 2012 and now, she's taking on a new challenge. Kenya is one of the participants on the New Fox reality show Special Forces, which puts celebrities through the test of what it's like to be a military special forces recruit. We talked about her career, her journey through motherhood and of course, what it was like going through those grueling challenges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the Lower East Side on Orchard Street, there's a colorful little store with a bejeweled beaded banana handle. It's Susan Korn's baby, the Susan Alexandra Store. Susan's aesthetic is like if Lisa Frank, Betsy Johnson and Hello Kitty had a baby. There's beaded purses, key chains, dog collars, wallets, jewelry and all the little trinkets to delight your inner child. It's a place you can't just talk about, you have to experience it. So Lindsay and her producers took a little field trip. For the first time on In Her Shoes, we go In Her Store. On this episode, we get to tour the Susan Alexandra store, learn more about Susan as a designer and how she got started in the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alyssa Shelasky is a writer in the truest form. She's written for magazines, she's written her own book, and now, the Sex Diaries column she edits for New York Magazine is being made into a docu-series for HBO. In this episode, Alyssa talks about what it was like putting Sex Diaries on screen, the stories that have stuck with her through the years, and how she personally balances all she does while being a mom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it mean to make a binge-able show that people will rewatch for years to come? On this episode, Issa shares about what makes storytelling meaningful, why taking time to herself is so important, and what she has planned for her next steps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eva Longoria Baston is a true renaissance woman. Most of us were first introduced to her as Gabrielle Solis in the Show Desperate Housewives but she's walked many different paths since her time on Wisteria Lane. The actress, producer, director, activist, entrepreneur and most recently, podcast host, joined us to talk about all of her projects, stepping behind the scenes and how her activism has shaped her work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Audie Cornish is a journalism vet whose voice was our north star on NPR's, All Things Considered for ten years. After being a public radio girl for most of her career, she's embarking on a new journey. She's now hosting a weekly Podcast on CNN called The Assignment with Audie Cornish. She talked about leaving NPR, her career in public radio and of course, what it's been like starting something new. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carri Twigg understands how storytelling shapes our reality. She's the Co-founder and Head of Development for Culture House media, a Black, Brown and woman owned production company that centers the voices of those most marginalized in the industry. Culture house is behind the series, Growing up on Disney plus which came out earlier this fall. It follows the lives of ten young adults as they navigate their adolescent years. Most recently, Culture House produced Hair Tales on Hulu and OWN, which tells the story of Black hair through the decades and features women like Issa Rae, Oprah and Ayanna Presley as they walk us through their own personal hair journeys. We talked to Carri about shifting careers, how she started Culture House and the importance of telling our own stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jurnee Smollett has been on screen since before she could talk. Her career spans three decades, from sitcoms, to thrillers, to feature film. She's done it all and she's only 36. This summer, she starred in the Netflix film Spiderhead alongside Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller. In her latest film, LOU, she plays a desperate mother on the hunt to find her kidnapped daughter. On this episode, she about her journey through Hollywood, breaking through being pigeon-holed in her career and her new film, LOU out now on Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kristina Blahnik walks in the footsteps of her incomparable uncle, Manolo and as CEO of the Manolo Blahnik brand, those shoes are absolutely divine. After taking over the position in 2013, she's been able to expand the company from six to 80 employees globally and two standalone shops to 20 boutiques, all while keeping the staple artistry of the luxury shoe brand Manolo started just over 50 years ago. In this episode, she talks about maintaining the Manolo Blahnik legacy, the brand's impact in pop culture and what she hopes for the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this episode of In Her Shoes, we're doing something a bit different. This summer Lindsay interviewed Michael R. Jackson in partnership with The New Museum. He's a renowned playwright, composer, lyricist and the creative, brilliant mind behind the Broadway musical, A Strange Loop. The show has been a giant hit on Broadway for the past year and has been a critic fave for its entire run. It won a 2020 Pulitzer prize for Drama and a 2022 Tony Award for Best Musical. They talked about what it was like writing the show, his personal creative influences and representation in art. This is a taped recording of their live conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eva Longoria Baston is a true renaissance woman. Most of us were first introduced to her as Gabrielle Solis in the Show Desperate Housewives but she's walked many different paths since her time on Wisteria Lane. The actress, producer, director, activist, entrepreneur and most recently, podcast host, joined us to talk about all of her projects, stepping behind the scenes and how her activism has shaped her work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices