The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan Alyssa Vingan

To kick off the summer, Alyssa sits down with Emily Kirkpatrick, author of the “I 3 Mess” celebrity fashion newsletter, to unpack the sprawling Cannes red carpet. Topics include: the evolution of the naked dress, how Cannes has retained its mystique in the highly commercialized red carpet ecosystem, fashion houses betting big on the movie biz, using Cannes as a backdrop to promote new careers (Romy Mars) and brands (Bella Hadid), celebrities making political statements without saying anything at all, a plea to get Tom Ford back in the director’s chair, and who was best dressed at this year’s event. 

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This week, Alyssa catches up with Marie Claire’s editor-in-chief for a play-by-play of her incredible climb up the masthead at legacy publications like Vanity Fair, Glamour, InStyle, Elle, GQ, and Harper’s Bazaar. Nikki gives a firsthand account of the post-2007 recession vibe shift in media and the days when digital editors were seen as “the weird kids in the corner,” and opens up about how staying curious, being a fast learner, admitting what she doesn’t know, gaining confidence through daily practice (and by osmosis from colleagues), building solid relationships, and being nice have helped her land where she is today.

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After nearly drowning in the sea of Met-related content, Alyssa and Tyler discuss the ROI of brands pouring budget into the event, how the red carpet media machine could benefit from a major refresh, why the gala needs to bring back gatekeeping, the commentator conundrum, whether a Galliano exhibition could actually happen, why guests are so sartorially risk-averse, and what could help restore the Met Gala to its former glory.

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Alyssa sits down with the founder of Dimepiece to unpack her fascinating career journey — from producing Coachella brand activations to bringing “trill vibes” to a storied auction house — before a layoff eventually inspired her to launch her own platform. Brynn discusses the pros and cons of being a one-woman operation, the importance of community, trusting your gut, knowing your worth, finding balance between your on- and offline lives, being your silly self in traditionally stuffy environments, and not letting the haters get you down. 

For more The New Garde, head over to patreon.com/TheNewGarde.