Is Designer Dead?

The Designer
  • 5.0 (8)
  • FASHION & BEAUTY

Is Designer Dead Podcast is a funny take on fashion culture, hosted by Kris Harvey, Elaina Joyner, and Chelsea Jackson. As fashion lovers and business professionals, they explore everything from trends to iconic designers, pop culture, and the business side of fashion. Tune in for lively discussions, plenty of laughs, and a down-to-earth, entertaining look at the world of style and everything in between.

Episodes

  1. 1D AGO

    Is Designer Dead? | BHM x NYFW Part 2: Ebony Fashion Fair, ANTM Doc & AI in Fashion

    In this episode of Is Designer Dead?, we start with the legacy of Ebony Fashion Fair, the groundbreaking traveling fashion show created by Eunice Johnson that brought luxury fashion to Black audiences across the United States for decades. At a time when Black models were largely excluded from runways and magazines, Ebony Fashion Fair created visibility, opportunity, and a platform that helped reshape the industry. Next, we talk about the new America’s Next Top Model documentary and revisit the cultural legacy of one of fashion television’s most influential—and controversial—shows. From launching modeling careers to the growing criticism about how contestants were treated, we discuss how ANTM shaped the public’s understanding of fashion, beauty standards, and the modeling industry. Then we get into the conversation sparked by Law Roach styling Lauren Sánchez Bezos, a moment that set off debate online about celebrity styling, power, and influence. What does it mean when one of fashion’s most respected stylists is dressing someone entering one of the most powerful social circles in the world? And why did this moment generate so much discussion across the fashion community? Finally, we discuss the CFDA’s partnership with OpenAI, which signals how seriously the fashion industry is beginning to take artificial intelligence. As AI tools become more integrated into creative industries, we explore what this partnership could mean for designers, brands, and the future of fashion innovation. From fashion history to industry controversy to technology’s growing role in design, this episode asks the question we always come back to: Who shapes fashion culture—and where is the industry headed next? If you enjoy fashion commentary, runway analysis, and smart (sometimes slightly snarky) takes on the industry, you’re in the right place. Subscribe to Is Designer Dead? for weekly conversations about fashion culture, industry news. IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    39 min

  2. FEB 27

    Is Designer Dead? BHM X NYFW: Olivier's Balmain Era, Sergio's Blue Gown and Brand Overvaluations

    Black History Month meets New York Fashion Week — and yes, we’re taking attendance. We kick things off with Designer Dosey Do, breaking down fashion’s latest musical chairs: Olivier Rousteing exiting Balmain, Pieter Mulier entering Versace, and Grace Wales Bonner entering the Hermès menswear conversation. Who’s repositioning? Who’s inheriting pressure? And who’s stepping into a valuation narrative they didn’t ask for? Then it’s time for Runway Read. Sergio Hudson celebrates 10 years — and yes, that blue gown gets its moment. We unpack longevity, power dressing, and what Black excellence looks like on today’s runway. Finally, in Designers, Deficits & Dividends, we get into the Pat McGrath bankruptcy conversation. Was it market reality — or overvaluation mixed with strategic missteps? We’re talking expansion pressure, positioning confusion, and what happens when brand perception outruns operational performance. Because at Is Designer Dead?, we don’t just watch fashion. We analyze it. IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    43 min

  3. JAN 16

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 8 (Part 2): Old Guard Out, New Guard In, and Red Carpet Foolery With Guest Jérôme Lamaar (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Jérôme Lamaar, we zoom out and look at what’s finally happening in fashion right now. After seasons of anticipation, a new wave of designers is actually showing — and the question is whether the industry is ready to support them, or just ready to aestheticize them. We talk about what feels real versus what feels rushed, and why the gap between hype and longevity keeps widening. We also get into modern style wars — from Lindsay Lohan’s recalibrated image to Hailey Bieber’s minimalist dominance — and what these opposing aesthetics say about taste, timing, and control. Is this about personal style, or about who has the better machine behind them? From there, we break down red carpet gimmicks, viral moments that feel engineered, and why so much fashion now reads as strategy first, design second. Are these stunts pushing culture forward, or just keeping the algorithm fed? We wrap with predictions: who we think will last, what aesthetics are peaking, and what the next era of influence might actually reward — originality, restraint, or something else entirely. As always, this isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about paying attention. IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    53 min

  4. JAN 8

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 8 (Part 1): NYFW, Fashion Tech & Who Decides Fashion’s Future Anyway? — featuring Jérôme Lamaar

    From the Bronx to the front row—and he never skipped a step. We sit down with Jérôme Lamaar, the creative who started at Baby Phat at just 15, rose through the ranks, and built a career grounded in culture, instinct, and longevity. Jérôme opens up about his youth in NYC, dressing Andra Day for the Met Gala, recent styling Dennis Rodman , and his unfiltered take on the current state of New York Fashion Week. No fluff. No gatekeeping. Just real perspective. Part 1 is live. IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    43 min

  5. 11/06/2025

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 7: Wintour’s Exit, Bezos’s Fashion Empire & The Redemption of Lindsay Lohan

    The fashion world is officially entering a new era — and we’re here for the drama. In this episode, we unpack reports of Anna Wintour’s looming exit from Vogue and what Chloe Malle’s ascension could mean for Condé Nast and the future of fashion media. From there, we follow the thread to Jeff Bezos’s ever-tightening grip on both fashion and retail — from Amazon’s influence on what we wear to his quiet control over major publications — and why we’re pushing back against the tech-ification of taste. But it’s not all doom and discourse. We give out a love letter to Lindsay Lohan — her chaotic Y2K fashion reign, her comeback era, and why she remains one of pop culture’s most unexpectedly enduring style icons. Because even if the industry is changing, a Lohan fashion moment will always be forever. Tune in for a mix of industry insight, nostalgia, and a little shade — only on Is Designer Dead? IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    43 min

  6. 10/10/2025

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 6: Bankruptcies, Booms & Pop Girlies — Featuring Ronny Oppong of MUGGD Skin

    This week on Is Designer Dead?, we’re joined by our very first guest host, Ronny Oppong, founder of Muggd Skin, for a deep dive into fashion’s latest rollercoaster. We unpack the recent SSENSE bankruptcy and what it signals about the state of luxury e-commerce, explore TJX Group’s surprising revenue surge and how off-price retail is winning the post-pandemic economy, and discuss Rachel Scott’s appointment at Proenza Schouler — a move that could redefine the brand’s creative direction. But it wouldn’t be Is Designer Dead? without a little pop culture chaos — we wrap things up with our fan-favorite segment, Choose Your Fighter: Pop Girlie Edition, where we debate which reigning pop icons are dominating the cultural moment right now. Fashion, finance, and a little friendly chaos — this episode has it all. IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    1h 8m

  7. 08/28/2025

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 5: Kimora Lee, Carrie Bradshaw & the Culture of Cool

    From sneaker drops to stilettos, this week we’re unpacking the price of cool. We start with Supreme’s fall from hype heaven (remember when Jordans were the ultimate flex?) before diving into Baby Phat’s comeback and why Life in the Fab Lane still lives rent-free in our heads. Then it’s onto Carrie Bradshaw’s latest chaos in And Just Like That…—where the clothes may be kooky, but our opinions are even louder. And finally, respect to all the girls braving So Kates: because yes, beauty really is pain.  IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    34 min

  8. 07/16/2025

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 4: Who Runs The Runway? Beyoncé, Women Fashion Designers, and Who Gets To Sell Their Company?

    In Ep 4 of Is Designer Dead?, we unpack the Cowboy Carter effect, why women still don’t dominate fashion design, and who really gets to exit on their terms (spoiler: not everyone’s Rhode to a big payday looks the same). IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    45 min

  9. 06/05/2025

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 3: Men’s fashion we love, Coach is back, Labubu must go

    We’re back and questioning everything. In this episode, we talk about the comeback of brands we once left behind—Coach, Calvin Klein, and the genius of Glen Martens at Margiela. We also get into our Labubu ick (seriously, why?), the men’s fashion moments giving us life (Jacquemus’ Cali vibes and Amiri’s evolution), and what all of this says about where fashion is headed.  IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    42 min

  10. 05/13/2025

    Is Designer Dead? Ep 2: Date Nights, Daddy MBJ & the Tariff Taboo

    We’re spiraling over Michael B. Jordan’s Sinners looks and breaking down exactly what to wear when you’re trying to turn heads on a date night (whether it’s a soft launch or a full seduction). Then we take a sharp left into China tariffs — because your cute corset top might be caught in a global trade war. Fashion, flirting, and foreign policy? You know we had to do it.  IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    50 min

  11. 04/10/2025

    EP 01:01 Is Designer Dead? What is the State of Designer Fashion?

    Is Designer Dead? is your weekly dose of fashion chaos, culture commentary, and hot takes hotter than a front-row seat at Paris Fashion Week. From Demna's antics to the state of modern design, we break down what’s iconic, what’s idiotic, and ask the question — is the designer era over, or just getting started? IG | @isdesignerdead TikTok | @isdesignerdead YouTube | @IsDesignerDead

    58 min
  • 11 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Is Designer Dead Podcast is a funny take on fashion culture, hosted by Kris Harvey, Elaina Joyner, and Chelsea Jackson. As fashion lovers and business professionals, they explore everything from trends to iconic designers, pop culture, and the business side of fashion. Tune in for lively discussions, plenty of laughs, and a down-to-earth, entertaining look at the world of style and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    The Designer
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Is Designer Dead?
  • Show Website
    Is Designer Dead?