Garmology - A podcast about clothes, and stuff.

Nick Johannessen

Garmology is a podcast about our clothes, old and new, how they are made, and the impact they have, from a perspective of making, buying, wearing, collecting, evaluating and appreciating. With interesting guests, the aim is to provide a non-fashion view of the world of our clothes. Expect plenty of opinions! Garmology is made by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast at buymeacoffee.com/garmology Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

  1. Garmology: Knitwear and numbers - With Laurence of Woolkind (#172)

    14 uur geleden

    Garmology: Knitwear and numbers - With Laurence of Woolkind (#172)

    In this episode of Garmology, Nick heads to Edinburgh to meet Laurence, founder of Woolkind—a colourful knitwear brand built on a deceptively simple idea: what if clothing was made exactly how people wanted it, and made to last?  A former accountant, IT specialist, and software executive, Laurence left a successful corporate career during the pandemic to pursue a lifelong obsession with knitting. What emerged is Woolkind, a made-to-order knitwear business where customers choose colours, garments are produced one at a time, and every detail—from the wool source to the sewing thread—is scrutinised with almost obsessive care.  The conversation explores customisation, craftsmanship, sustainability, traceability, wool sourcing, the economics of small manufacturing, and the challenge of building a business without falling into the endless cycle of trends and overconsumption.  From knitting machines and merino wool to Black Friday alternatives and the myth of recycled polyester, this is a fascinating discussion about making things properly—and finding joy in the process.  You can find Laurence and Woolkind at Woolkind.com and on Instagram as @woolkind   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can  buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

    1 u 55 m
  2. Garmology: Inside the Reality of Modern Fashion with Anthony Princi (#171)

    18 jun

    Garmology: Inside the Reality of Modern Fashion with Anthony Princi (#171)

    In this episode of Garmology, Nick heads to London to meet Anthony Princi — designer, educator, and founder of Fashion Department. What unfolds is an intense, honest, and deeply practical conversation about how fashion actually works behind the scenes. Anthony shares his journey from Australia to Paris and London, working across every level of the industry—from tailoring at Levi’s to designing for major brands—and how that experience led him to build Fashion Department: a platform focused on bridging the massive gap between fashion education and real‑world industry skills. Together, they dive into what really makes a garment work: construction, process, logistics, and communication—not just creativity. From tech packs and manufacturing relationships to deadstock, overproduction, burnout, and the illusion of sustainable fashion, this episode challenges many of the assumptions people have about the industry. It’s fast‑paced, brutally honest, and packed with practical insight—an essential listen for anyone serious about clothing, design, or how things actually get made.  00:00 – Intro  01:20 – Who is Anthony Princi?  05:10 – What is Fashion Department?  10:40 – Why fashion education doesn’t prepare students  18:30 – Creativity vs logistics in design  24:50 – What is a tech pack (and why they fail)  33:10 – Working with manufacturers (the reality)  45:00 – Why skill matters more than creativity  52:40 – The truth about working in big vs small brands  01:05:20 – Overproduction, stock, and sustainability  01:18:10 – The reality of starting a fashion brand  01:30:00 – Digital tools vs physical making  01:42:30 – Why designers need to understand materials  01:52:00 – The obsession with having a brand  02:00:00 – Final thoughts You can find Anthony and the Fashion Department on the web at fashiondepartmentlondon.com and on Instagram as @fashiondepartment.ld Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can  buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

    2u 2m
  3. Garmology: Retail, Craft, and the Future of Menswear - With Jason Pecarich  of Division Road(#169)

    15 mei

    Garmology: Retail, Craft, and the Future of Menswear - With Jason Pecarich of Division Road(#169)

    In this episode of Garmology, Nick is joined by Jason Pecarich, founder of Division Road—one of the most thoughtful and quietly influential retailers in modern menswear. From heritage footwear and natural fabrics to presentation, service, and the future of quality retail, this is a wide‑ranging conversation about what really makes clothes worth caring about.  Jason shares his unlikely journey from fashion and architecture into retail, why Division Road became a design‑led retailer rather than a brand, and how the business evolved from a Seattle storefront into a destination showroom set on open farmland in Virginia. Along the way, they explore heritage as a concept, why it’s been diluted, why good manufacturing is becoming rarer, and why clothing should be fun—not rule‑bound cosplay.  They also dig into footwear, tailoring, natural fibres, the labour crisis in manufacturing, why some products cost what they do, and why fewer, better things still matter. Thoughtful, honest, and refreshingly free of hype, this episode is for anyone who loves well‑made clothes—and wants to understand why they matter.  Division Road is at divisionroadinc.com Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can  buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

    2u 8m
  4. Garmology: What’s Really in Your Clothes? With Lydia Wendt of California Cloth Foundry (#168)

    3 mei

    Garmology: What’s Really in Your Clothes? With Lydia Wendt of California Cloth Foundry (#168)

    In this episode of Garmology, Nick is joined by Lydia Wendt, founder of California Cloth Foundry and a leading voice in clean, non‑toxic textiles. Fresh from the Netflix documentary Plastic Detox, Lydia explains how clothing—especially performance and “sustainable” fashion—can be far more chemically complex (and harmful) than most people realise.  Together, they unpack greenwashing, organic cotton myths, plastic fibres, petrochemical dyes, and why “performance” often comes at a hidden cost to human health and the environment. From natural indigo and plant dyes to compostable garments, compost‑tested cutting waste, and healthier alternatives to elastane, this wide‑ranging conversation challenges how—and why—we make, buy, and wear clothes today. It’s nerdy, eye‑opening, and surprisingly hopeful—and will almost certainly change how you look at the label inside your clothes.  You can find California Cloth Foundry at clothfoundry.com This episode is also available on YouTube, search for Garmology or the direct link here.   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can  buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

    1 u 50 m
  5. Curtains First, Clothes Later: Fashion Fictions Explained - With Amy Twigger-Holroyd (#165)

    13 mrt

    Curtains First, Clothes Later: Fashion Fictions Explained - With Amy Twigger-Holroyd (#165)

    In this episode of Garmology, Nick speaks with Professor Amy Twigger‑Holroyd, a designer, researcher, and academic specialising in Alternative Fashion Systems at Nottingham School of Art and Design. Amy shares her path from knitwear design and running a slow‑fashion label to becoming a leading researcher on sustainability, remaking, participatory textile practices, and what she calls fashion fictions. She explains how mainstream fashion systems limit imagination and reinforce unsustainable consumption—and how speculative, playful “fictional worlds” can help people imagine alternatives. The conversation explores remaking and mending, the cultural significance of handmade clothing, the psychology of fashion, participatory workshops, the blurring of fictional and real-world practices, and the ways collective imagination can inspire actual change. Nick and Amy also discuss sustainability fatigue, hope, ritual, meaning in clothing, and how fashion might evolve into something more connected, joyful, and human. Amy is on Instagram as @amytwiggerh More information about Fashion Fictions fashionfictions.org The open-access version of the book can be found here.   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can  buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

    1 u 47 m

Info

Garmology is a podcast about our clothes, old and new, how they are made, and the impact they have, from a perspective of making, buying, wearing, collecting, evaluating and appreciating. With interesting guests, the aim is to provide a non-fashion view of the world of our clothes. Expect plenty of opinions! Garmology is made by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast at buymeacoffee.com/garmology Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

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