Back Row with Amy Odell

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As the founding editor of beauty magazine Allure, Linda Wells has seen it all, from the dawn of La Mer to the current age of plastic surgery overload. Now the editor of AirMail Look, she's been covering the craziest procedures, from rib-cracking and reshaping to $500k facelifts.

She discusses how plastic surgery has gone completely off the rails — and where this wild trend is going.

CHAPTERS:

01:15 – Beauty Trends of the 1980s

03:45 – The Wildest Trends in 2026

08:15 – The Growing Visibility of Plastic Surgery

15:05 – Why Surgeons Are Hunting for New Procedures

17:30 – The Sport of Celebrity Speculation

20:25 – Facelift Prices Are Up 400%

23:45 – The Risks of an International Operation

26:50 – Subscribe to Listen to the Full Episode!
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It started with turkey meatballs and ended with an endorsement deal that led the internet to call her "Gwynicide." Gwyneth Paltrow has had quite a slew of viral moments this month.

I sat down with branding expert and sociologist Ana Andjelic — CMO, author of the Sociology of Business newsletter, and host of the Hitmakers podcast — to talk about what this means (if anything) for Brand Gwyneth.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – The Turkey Meatballs and the Arugula Meme

05:30 – Inside the Jade Egg Era of Goop

09:30 – The Trae Stephens Interview and the AI Weapons Controversy

18:00 – The 51 Park Israeli Real Estate Ad and the Backlash

21:00 – The Three Pillars of the Gwyneth Brand

24:30 – Is Goop Still Relevant?

26:00 – Why Goop Kitchen Is Struggling in New York

31:00 – Is Gwyneth an Asset or a Liability Now?

34:00 – Can Kinship Ventures Actually Succeed?
📰 SUBSCRIBE to the Back Row Newsletter: https://www.backrow.net/subscribe

Amy's Gwyneth book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Gwyneth/Amy-Odell/9781668005774

Follow Ana Andjelic:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ana_andjelic/

↳ Sociology of Business: https://andjelicaaa.substack.com/

🎙️ Hitmakers podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3pmW3iyjF9pl65QgVcabPK
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Frances Solá-Santiago is a reporter for The New York Times's Wirecutter product review site, where her whole job is to test clothing and interview experts about how to find the best stuff for the best value. She's done extensive research into which chemicals sneak into our clothes — and what we, as consumers, need to know about them. In this episode, she reveals how we can shop consciously, some of her favorite picks for bags and clothes, and much more.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

01:30 How Wirecutter Actually Tests Clothes

06:00 Does Higher Price Mean Better Quality?

09:00 Vintage vs. New Coach Bags — What the Lab Found

10:00 Why Everyone Is Suddenly Worried About Their Clothes

12:00 PFAS Explained — What Forever Chemicals Are

16:00 Who's Most at Risk — You, Garment Workers, or the Planet?

21:30 Which Certifications Can You Actually Trust?

25:30 Health Washing Is the New Greenwashing

35:00 The Frankie Shop Blazer Test

39:30 Why Going 100% Natural Isn't a Guarantee

41:00 Where Regulation Is Headed

49:30 Is Dry Cleaning Safe?

Follow Frances Solá-Santiago

📰 The Wirecutter (NYT) - https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/authors/frances-sola-santiago/

📸 Follow Frances on Instagram: @fransolasantiago
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Celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger joined me on the Back Row podcast to talk about dressing Meryl Streep for The Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour. Just as that winds down, she's getting ready to dress Lupital N'yongo for The Odyssey press tour.

How does she do it? What goes into these viral press tours? A whole lot more than picking out pretty dresses.

CHAPTERS:

01:02 – The Craziest Moments from The Devil Wears Prada 2 Press Tour

05:10 – Her Strategy for Styling Meryl Streep

11:05 – Dressing the Actor vs. the Character

12:50 – Meryl’s J. Crew Cerulean Sweater

19:20 – Micaela’s “Meta Dressing Approach”

24:20 – Collaborating with Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt

26:55 – Getting Brands to Open the Archives

34:35 – Fashion Emergencies on the DWP2 Tour

35:50 – Styling Lupita Nyong'o for The Odyssey

40:20 – Crafting a Moodboard

44:50 – Micaela’s Advice to Aspiring Stylists

Follow Micaela Erlanger :

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micaela/?hl=en

Website: https://micaelaerlanger.com/
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Sustainable fashion darling Everlane just sold to Shein, the industry's least sustainable company. What does this shocking deal say about both companies, along with the state of "sustainable" fashion?

I spoke with Ken Pucker, former Timberland COO and professor at Tufts University, one of my favorite experts on this topic. He explains why Everlane was never all that "sustainable," why Shein would want this, and why it's hard to be optimistic about the future of fashion.

CHAPTERS:

01:05 – Breaking Down the Shein Everlane Acquisition

04:30 – Shein’s Innovative Instant Fashion Model

07:20 – How Everlane Ended Up in Bed with L Catterton

12:00 – Ken’s Take on the Future of “Sustainable” Fashion

16:00 – The Greenwashing Problem

18:45 – Everlane’s Radical Transparency Promise

22:15 – The Status of the New York Fashion Act

27:35 – Why Does Shein Even Want Everlane?

30:00 – Which Brands Could Be Next?

34:00 – Ken’s Advice for Sustainable Consumers

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