Back Row with Amy Odell

World-renowned Real Housewives expert Dame Brian Moylan joins Amy Odell on the Back Row podcast to talk about Rachel Zoe's debut on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! They analyze what Rachel and Bravo gain from her joining the cast and why fashion people are so eager to get on this show. Then they recap all of Rachel's scenes in the first two episodes of season 15, and do some investigative journalism on Mauricio "Mo" Umansky's disturbing Chanel couch. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro to Dame Brian Moylan 02:41 - Why did Rachel join the cast? 07:26 - Why fashion people are joining Real Housewives 11:09 - Recapping Rachel's scenes in episode 1 12:38 - DOES MAURICIO HAVE A CHANEL COUCH? 13:28 - Why are all the Birkins unclasped? 27:11 - Rachel and Roger's shocking split 33:22 - Rachel cooks bacon and eggs 36:00 - What is Rachel implying about Roger's girlfriend?! FOR PART TWO OF THIS PODCAST, sign up for Back Row Premium in ⁠Apple⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠. In part two, Brian and Amy recap RHOBH season 15 episode 2 and play the game "Cast or Pass," in which Amy gives Brian a fashion person and he decides whether or not to fantasy cast them as Real Housewives. Links & Resources: Back Row newsletter Follow Amy on Instagram Brian Moylan Instagram RHOBH Vulture recaps The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the audio version of the Back Row newsletter published December 9, 2025. 0:16 - Fashion enters its "great unsettling" 1:47 - Prada Group acquires Versace 2:24 - Broader instability across the fashion industry 4:00 - Loose Threads news roundup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech journalist and creator​ ⁨@TaylorLorenz⁩ joins Amy Odell on the Back Row podcast to explain how social media has completely reshaped fashion. From the backlash against fashion creators to why facts barely matter online, they dive into Vogue World, The Row's viral sample sale, and more. Taylor, formerly at The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, now runs her own newsletter, podcast, and YouTube channel covering the creator economy. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Amy Odell welcomes Taylor Lorenz 00:53 – Why fashion people are frustrated with social media 01:49 – Why audiences trust creators more than experts 02:42 – How algorithms reward outrage 03:36 – Why being first beats being accurate 04:25 – “Facts don’t matter”: the validation economy 05:55 – Platforms secretly boost and suppress creators 06:41 – Why follower count no longer matters 07:29 – The death of critics (and why creators can’t be honest) 08:15 – Will AI actually help creators? 11:40 – How creators really make money in 2025 12:38 – Advent calendars, meme marketing, and virality 14:23 – The Row sample sale goes viral 16:55 – Can fashion brands control their image? (No.) 18:36 – The famous "Open letter to The Row" 19:32 – Brands vs creators: a toxic relationship 20:20 – Why brands can’t stop creators from posting 22:05 – Why chasing access will break your heart 22:49 – Anna Wintour’s decline and cultural relevance 25:08 – Vogue World and the struggle for relevance 26:41 – The Met Gala red carpet isn’t what it used to be 29:46 – The Devil Wears Prada prequel problem 30:38 – What it takes to survive online long-term 32:13 – Why Becca Bloom fascinates people 33:15 – The obsession with “capitalism slop” 34:07 – Hustle culture and the fantasy of success Links & Resources: Back Row newsletter https://amyodell.substack.com Amy Odell Instagram https://www.instagram.com/instamyodell/ Taylor Lorenz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz User Mag (Newsletter): https://www.usermag.co/ Power User (Podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/5iganPXXEoTDB9lIQzY7Fh https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/taylor-lorenzs-power-user/id1733535260 Creators / links mentioned "Open Letter to The Row" (Neelam Noted): https://neelamahooja.substack.com/p/open-letter-to-the-row-we-need-to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Hermès playing cards are my go-to." Chapters: 01:35 - VIC no. 1: The Expat Living in Dubai 03:10 - VIC no. 2: The Personal Shopper for Upper East Siders 03:32 - VIC no. 3: The expat living in Hong Kong 05:31 - VIC no. 4: The New Yorker who's feeling uninspired 06:42 - VIC no. 5: The Personal Stylist to Upper East Side Billionaires and Centi-Millionaires Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fashion critic Rachel Tashjian joins Amy Odell to unpack the biggest shifts happening right now in fashion media. From Vogue’s future to the creator vs. critic debate, AI-generated fashion models, $26,000 Versace dresses, and why fashion discourse seems to be getting meaner. Rachel, formerly the Fashion Critic at the Washington Post and now Senior Style Reporter for CNN, breaks down: Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Amy Odell welcomes Rachel Tashjian 00:21 – Rachel’s new role at CNN 02:34 – Why video matters in fashion journalism 03:54 – Are people still reading? Changing media habits 04:22 – Amy on books, audiobooks, and audience shifts 05:49 – The rising tension in fashion discourse online 07:16 – When commentary overshadows the clothes 08:22 – Algorithms flatten expertise in fashion 09:29 – Creators vs. traditional editors: a 15-year evolution 10:43 – Substack, TikTok, and where fashion criticism lives now 11:35 – Access, honesty, and the cost of true criticism 12:46 – Do creators need editors? The “no safety net” problem 13:19 – Dior controversy: when brands exclude influencers 14:31 – Should influencers follow critic standards? 15:35 – Does Vogue still matter in 2025? 17:06 – Why Vogue covers still trigger huge reactions 18:33 – Anna Wintour’s influence across culture 19:32 – How AI is about to transform fashion media 20:55 – Performative fashion vs. post-Instagram design 22:33 – Can AI replace fashion creators? 23:54 – AI’s role in fashion advertising and image-making 24:43 – Will AI replace human fashion voices? 25:31 – The future: will Vogue become just covers? 27:14 – The price conundrum: $26,000 dresses and who they’re for 28:55 – What fashion brands really want from the public 30:49 – TikTok’s misinformation problem in fashion 31:49 – The Vogue rumor and how fake fashion news spreads 31:57 – Three fashion creators Rachel loves 33:29 – Three fashion creators Amy loves Links & resources: Back Row newsletter https://amyodell.substack.com Amy Odell Instagram https://www.instagram.com/instamyodell/ Rachel Tashjian CNN announcement: https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2025/10/07/rachel-tashjian-joins-cnn-as-senior-style-reporter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprophetpizza/ Creators mentioned Kim Russell @TheKimbino: https://www.instagram.com/thekimbino/ Jay Tibbits: https://www.instagram.com/jaytibbitts/ Rashida Renée @:howtobeafuckinglady: https://www.instagram.com/howtobeafuckinglady/ Mandy Lee @OldLoserinBrooklyn: https://www.instagram.com/oldloserinbrooklyn/ Timothy Chernyaev @relaxitsonlyfashion on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@relaxitsonlyfashion?lang=en Fashion Roadman: https://www.youtube.com/@FashionRoadman/videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hype for The Devil Wears Prada 2 (out May 2, 2026) is already off the charts. In this special holiday episode, listen to an excerpt from Amy's book Anna: The Biography about how The Devil Wears Prada book and film came to be — and how Anna Wintour really felt about all of it. Listen to the Anna audiobook on: Spotify, Apple, or Audible. Or get the book in print here. Amy's latest book Gwyneth: The Biography is also available in audio on: Spotify, Apple, or Audible. You can get the book in print here. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from Anna by Amy Odell, read by Imogen Church. Copyright © 2022 by Amy Odell. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And a bunch of other pieces from her clothing line. This is my story. Check out the photos in the Back Row story. 2:16 - Trying the gray T-shirt and jeans 4:23 - Trying the legendary black pants 5:10 - The oversized gray suit 6:13 - The Blair midi dress (one with the rouching) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brown may be the new black — but brands are the new cults. Amy talks to CUNY professor, author, and ex-marketing executive Dr. Mara Einstein about how brands exploit cult-like marketing tactics to get us to buy, particularly during events like Black Friday. They discuss the real reason brands pushed Christmas shopping before Halloween (!) this year; how brands get us to buy in a world where we're increasingly disconnected from each other; why the "attention economy" is really the "anxiety economy"; and more. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro to Dr. Mara Einstein and her research 00:52 - How brands are like cults 04:43 - How the luxury industry employs scarcity marketing to get people to buy things like Birkin bags 06:59 - The power of scarcity marketing 09:52 - How the economic blackout might affect retailers on Black Friday in 2025 12:45 - How brands like Lululemon and Cos harvest your data 16:54 - Why the "attention economy" is really the "anxiety economy" 19:47 - How brands "rage bait" 28:32 - How fashion marketing got people to buy Lucky Strike cigarettes in 1934 35:03 - Dr. Einstein weighs in on the de-influencing trend Links & resources: • Amy Odell's Back Row newsletter — • Get Dr. Mara Einstein's book: ⁠Hoodwinked⁠ How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults • Listen to Dr. Einstein's podcast, Hoodwinked in Apple: Or Spotify Credits: Produced by Amy Odell. Edited by Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko. #FashionPodcast #BackRow #fashion #blackfriday #shopping Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Atlantic staff writer and Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves author Sophie Gilbert joins Amy to talk about All's Fair. The new Ryan Murphy show starring Kim Kardashian has received uniformly dire reviews — yet has triumphed in the face of its badness with pretty respectable ratings. Is this the end of competency in culture? Did All's Fair's creators intend for this show to be so terrible? Plus what Kardashian's captivating blankness, on unflinching view in All's Fair, says about the state of culture today. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: All's Fair and its reception 02:27 The show's themes and stars 05:02 Why the Kardashians took off as reality stars 06:53 All's Fair's depictions of plastic surgery and the Kardashian-Jenner influence on plastic surgery more broadly 11:54 Kris Jenner's 70th birthday party and depictions of extreme wealth in popular culture 20:02 Are we reaching the end of competence in culture, as we are in politics? 24:15 Why girlbossing is back 29:07 Comparing All's Fair's fashion to And Just Like That's 32:32 What does Ryan Murphy really think of women? 37:21 How Kim Kardashian is handling the show's scathing reviews 41:16 Sophie on the most surprising thing she found when researching her book 'Girl on Girl' 46:49 Sophie's thoughts on Lily Allen's astonishing new album about the dissolution of her marriage Links and resources: Get Sophie's book: Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves Read Sophie's All's Fair review in The Atlantic. Read Sophie's essay about how money is ruining television in The Atlantic. Read Jill Filipovic's essay, "The End of Competence." Read Amy's All's Fair fashion review or listen to it as a podcast in Spotify or Apple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Anna Wintour's last Vogue cover as editor-in-chief, featuring Timothée Chalamet, Amy counts down her top 10 most influential covers from over the course of her career. Which ones would you add to the list? (0:23) Why Timothée's cover was a big surprise (1:18) What the social media commenters said about the cover (3:01) The cover countdown begins (6:08) Countdown halfway point (9:14) Anna's number-one most influential cover (10:08) Back Row commenters weigh in on Amy's list and make their picks (12:20) Loose Threads (fashion news highlights) featuring All's Fair's terrible reviews, Kris Jenner's birthday party, and more. This is the audio version of the Back Row newsletter published November 11, 2025. Links & resources: • Amy Odell's Back Row newsletter • Anna: The Biography, by Amy Odell • "Ugly clothes for ugly times" by Raquel Laneri Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy interviews Marisa Meltzer, author of It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin, about how Birkin became one of the most famous fashion icons of the sixties. Marisa talks about how she became the inspiration and namesake for the Hermès Birkin bag, and whether or not she was ever paid for this distinction. She also reveals how Birkin really felt about the Birkin bag becoming more famous than her — and much more. (1:19) An excerpt from the audiobook of Amy's latest book, Gwyneth: The Biography (2:52) Jane Birkin's early life and upbringing, including how she met her husband John Barry when she was 17; and how she ended up moving from London to Paris and meeting Serge Gainsbourg (6:55) Birkin's significance as an icon of Swinging 1960s London (8:28) Birkin was an It girl in the pre-tech age. Can you reverse-engineer being an It girl today? Or does the algorithm sap people of the required mystery? (12:09) How romantic relationships vault It girls like Birkin and Gwyneth Paltrow. (14:14) The Birkin bag origin story. (18:57) Did Hermès unfairly co-opt Birkin's name for a massively profitable bag? How did she feel about it? (22:16) How much Hermès paid Birkin for use of her name. (25:57) How Birkin handled aging out of her It girl status. (Or did she become an It dame?) (31:00) Was Jane Birkin ambitious? (32:34) Amy and Marisa play a game: It girl or not an It girl? Featuring: Alix Earle, Lauren Sánchez, Anna Wintour, Apple Martin, and more. Links & resources: Amy Odell's Back Row newsletter It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin, by Marisa Meltzer Listen to Amy's book Gwyneth: The Biography in Apple, Spotify, and Audible. Check out Amy's biography of Anna Wintour, Anna: The Biography. Credits: Produced by Amy Odell. Edited by Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy sits down with Ryan Bailey, host of So Bad It's Good, to analyze Victoria Beckham's Netflix docu-series. They discuss how it compared to David Beckham's docuseries and RJ Cutler's docs about Martha Stewart and Anna Wintour; what makes Victoria so appealing; what the show blatantly left out; and how the Victoria Beckham fashion line is actually performing as a business. For more, follow So Bad It's Good with Ryan Bailey. Follow Ryan on Instagram and YouTube. Read Amy's earlier review of Victoria Beckham in Back Row. Time stamps: (00:00) Introduction to Ryan Bailey and His Podcast (01:09) Exploring the Beckham Docu-Series (04:36) Family Dynamics and Tabloid Drama (06:42) Victoria Beckham's Media Presence (08:26) Victoria Beckham's Fashion Journey (12:00) Insecurities in Celebrity Culture (15:53) Business Success and Challenges (21:17) Victoria Beckham's Fashion Brand and Industry Respect (22:51) Target Audience and Market Positioning (25:13) Body Image and Fashion Industry Challenges (27:03) The Pressure of Being a Nepo Baby (29:43) Owning Privilege and Public Perception (30:48) The Future of Celebrity Brands (34:24) Comparative Analysis of Celebrity Documentaries Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Row's sample sale just wrapped in New York City. The slew of haul vlogs fans of the brand posted after pillaging the sale resulted in some of the best content involving influencers since the Fyre Festival. What do these tell us about the brand and the current state of shopping culture? Amy explores. This story originally appeared in the Back Row newsletter. Also discussed in the show: The only The Row haul parody you need. Amy's earlier reporting on The Row from Back Row: Can the Olsens Make The Row the Next Hermès? Banana Republic is GOOD, friends. Check out this shirt dress and this button-down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Avery Trufelman, the host of the Articles of Interest podcast, talks to Amy about her new season, how the military influenced gorpcore and modern preppy clothing, Greta Lee's new Vogue cover, and more. This is an extended version of the Back Row newsletter that published on October 21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Odell (author of Gwyneth: The Biography) interviews Linus Karp and Joseph Martin, stars and creators of the hit play with music, Gwyneth Goes Skiing — a send-up of the 2023 trial involving Gwyneth Paltrow and retired optometrist Terry Sanderson. Amy talks about her interview with Terry Sanderson for her book; Linus and Joseph talk about their research process for the play; props (yes, they visited the Goop store); and why this viral courtroom moment translated so well to the stage. Gwyneth recently discussed Amy's book in British Vogue, and the three discuss that, too. Guests: Linus Karp & Joseph Martin 🔗 Links & Resources • Buy Gwyneth: The Biography • Listen to Gwyneth: The Biography in Spotify • Gwyneth Goes Skiing tickets / info (NYC → Aspen → LA) Support the Show • Follow Back Row: https://amyodell.substack.com/ https://www.instagram.com/instamyodell/ • Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amy_odell 00:00 — Intro: 'Gwyneth: The Biography' + 'Gwyneth Goes Skiing' 00:29 — How Gwyneth and Terry Sanderson ended up in court 01:40 — A preview of 'Gwyneth Goes Skiing' 03:30 — Research: the play and the book 09:00 — Portraying Terry Sanderson & Gwyneth Paltrow 18:00 — Goop store visit & props 22:00 — Amy recalls interviewing Terry Sanderson 28:00 — Discussing Gwyneth's response to 'Gwyneth' in British 'Vogue' 31:00 — Closing thoughts Credits Host and producer: Amy Odell Editing: Amy Odell and Jonathan Voytko Recorded October 17, 2025 Photos: Anna Clare (Courtesy of Awkward Productions) Video: Courtesy of Awkward Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy reviews Victoria Beckham's new Netflix documentary, which sheds light on how she went from maligned tabloid star to the founder of her own fashion brand — and how she made over her image to earn the industry's respect. Plus, "Loose Threads" about Anna Wintour, Victoria's Secret, and more. This episode originally ran in the Back Row newsletter. Subscribe to Back Row on YouTube for more stories like this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy is joined by Dana Thomas, fashion journalist and New York Times bestselling author of Deluxe, to pick spring 2026 Fashion Month Awards. Categories include: Most Baffling Success; Best Debut; Most Polarizing Collection; and more. For more stories like this, subscribe to the Back Row newsletter and Amy's YouTube channel. Get more from Dana Thomas in her Style Files newsletter. Books referenced: Amy's Anna: The Biography; Dana's Gods & Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy reviews designer Matthieu Blazy's historic debut collection for Chanel. This podcast is based on this issue of her Back Row newsletter. Also referenced: this "Retail Confessions" column where a former Chanel sales person talks about what it was really like working in the store selling to some of the world's wealthiest people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, it happened. At long last, Jonathan Anderson showed his first Dior women’s collection. Is everyone happy now? Well, not really. Read this story in Back Row and see the images discussed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m Amy Odell. You may know me from writing New York Times best-selling biographies of Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow. Or my first book, Tales from the Back Row: An Outsiders View from Inside the Fashion Industry. I'm turning my popular Back Row newsletter into a podcast, covering everything from what's happening at luxury brands like Dior and Loro Piana, to trends in athleisure, to pop culture phenomenons like Emily in Paris or the Barbie movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices