Back Row with Amy Odell podcast | Listen online for free

Available Episodes

5 of 20

Rachel Zoe's 'Real Housewives' Debut (with Brian Moylan)
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
--------
44:34
--------
44:34
Versace's Second Shocker and Fashion's Great Unsettling
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
--------
5:13
--------
5:13
How Social Media Broke Fashion (and Everything Else) with Taylor Lorenz
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
--------
34:53
--------
34:53
What Fashion's Wealthy 'Very Important Clients' Want and Gift for the Holidays
"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
--------
9:26
--------
9:26
Is Vogue Still Relevant? Rachel Tashjian on Fashion’s Power Shift
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
--------
34:14
--------
34:14