Podcasting & Audio
From 2015 to 2016, The Seams was an independently produced podcast and NPR series that explored the politics, business, psychology, anthropology, and history of clothes and fashion, from high-end, special-occasion garments to mass-market, everyday workwear and athleisure. Hosted by former NPR correspondent Jacki Lyden, we worked always keeping this motto in mind: Clothing is our common thread. In every stitch, a story.
Veterans and Mercenaries, Helmets and Camo
Nov. 10, 2015
In honor of Veterans Day, we hear about the style signatures of a modern mercenary, Airborne Ranger, and D.C. alpha male; talk camouflage sports uniforms with ESPN's Paul Lukas; and get war stories from war reporters, whose combat-zone memories have become works of art.
Fashion Inspirations and Aspirations, in Three Acts
Oct. 30, 2015
We explore the transformative force of fashion in conversations with stylist, longtime editor, and reality-TV guy Joe Zee, who’s just published a memoir; the women on the catwalk and in the audience of the Ebony Fashion Fair; and E.P. Cutler, the historian and critic behind the new book Art + Fashion: Collaborations and Connections Between Icons.
Is the Fashion Business Helping, or Ignoring, the Disabled?
Aug. 2, 2015
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has mandated better access for the disabled in so many areas, but what about fashion? Advocates and student designers discuss what the fashion industry is, or could be, doing for differently abled bodies.
Finding Flow: Gender Fluidity, Parkour Style, Taoist Stories, and Career Comebacks
June 28, 2015
Blurring gender lines. Flying urban ninjas. Honoring Taoist deities. Rising anew from the dot-com ashes. This episode explores how people have sought flow through fashion and used it to sustain their mojo.
American Style at Versailles and the Short, Fast Life of Luxury Fashion
April 20, 2015
Versailles, 1973: A deteriorating palace. Liza Minnelli. Lots of champagne. And a giant pumpkin. Also in this episode: The high-speed world of high-end fashion and how the business became so frenzied.
Bangkok Cops, New York Cool, Mexico Craftsmanship
March 29, 2015
The full-length debut episode of The Seams podcast! We go to Mexico, Thailand, and New York for stories about how Frida Kahlo, indigenous traditions, art history, and a not-so-routine traffic stop inspire a novelist, a fashion designer, a style editor, and an entrepreneur. (Can you guess which one of these folks is in the slinky Geoffrey Beene gown?)