Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud

Nathaniel Mary Quinn is an American artist. Born and raised in Chicago, Quinn began drawing at an early age, and went on to receive an MFA from New York University in 2002 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana in 2023.  Quinn’s practice operates within a world of visual metaphor, in which identifiable forms and features are mobilized to reveal aspects of character. Memories and found images unite to form composite portraits that are at once neo-Dada and adamantly realist, evoking the intimacy and intensity of a face-to-face encounter. His first solo show was at London’s Pace Gallery in 2014, and his most recent exhibition was at the Chicago National Public Housing Museum, with a show called A Love Letter to my Mother. Quinn’s work is now held in major institutional collections, including the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Art Institute of Chicago; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Museo Jumex, Mexico City; and Centre Pompidou, Paris, amongst others. In 2026, Quinn created the art for the cover of the Rolling Stones album Foreign Tongues. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Nathaniel Mary Quinn discuss his drawings of gang members in the Chicago Projects, how Cubism informed his portraits, and making the Rolling Stones album cover. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grace Coddington is a British fashion editor, stylist, and model. After winning a Vogue model competition in 1959, Grace pursued a modelling career in London and Paris. Landing a job as Junior Fashion Editor at British Vogue in 1968, she worked under the legendary Bea Miller, and then as Fashion Director under a young Anna Wintour. Lured to New York by Calvin Klein in 1986 to be his design director, she was invited back to Vogue when Anna Wintour took over as Editor in Chief of American Vogue in 1988. Coddington worked as Creative Director at American Vogue until 2016.  Grace rose to wider fame as the standout of The September Issue, R. J. Cutler’s documentary about Vogue magazine. Since leaving Vogue in 2016, Grace has collaborated with Louis Vuitton and Astier de Villatte on capsule collections, styled for Vogue and W Magazine, and modelled for brands including MERIT. Coddington wrote an eponymous memoir in 2012, and is the author of the Phaidon titles Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue, Grace: The American Vogue Years, Marc Jacobs Illustrated , and Grace: Now, which was published this year. She has written and illustrated the series The Catwalk Cats with her partner Didier Malige, and is the muse for the three-book GingerNutz series, created by her close and frequent collaborator, the late Michael Roberts. She lives in New York City and Long Island with Didier Malige, her boyfriend of nearly thirty years, and their two cats, Bart and Pumpkin. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Grace Coddington discuss changing your hair after a breakup, Sex, and Anna Wintour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blindboyboatclub is an award-winning Irish author, documentary‐maker and podcaster. As a writer, he has published three collections of best-selling and critically-acclaimed short stories, blending myth, satire and the vernacular power of Limerick into fiction that is both darkly comic and profoundly humane. In 2026, these stories were adapted into a play “Animals” which is debuting at Ireland's national theatre, The Abbey.   He began his podcast in 2017, combining social commentary and insightful interviews, quickly gaining a large following. He regularly tours his podcasts globally, with sell-out shows where his mix of sharp wit, empathy and social insight draws audiences into bold conversations about culture, politics and the human condition. His screen work, including documentaries on modern slavery and the UK housing system, has won a Grierson award in 2025, an RTS award, a Sky Arts nomination and the BAFTA long list, establishing him as one of Ireland’s most distinctive documentary voices. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Blindboy discuss Autism, Alpha Male codes in the changing room, and if Psychoanalysis is like After-Sex talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Walker is an English photographer. He began taking pictures as a young boy and, after leaving school, worked in the Cecil Beaton archive at the Condé Nast Library before studying photography at Exeter College of Art.  After university, he moved to New York to assist Richard Avedon, before returning to England where he shot his first fashion story for Vogue aged just 25. He became known for his lavish tableaux and ambitious narrative-driven shoots on location around the world, working with extraordinary props and sets, often in collaboration with set designer Shona Heath. Walker has made six short films, including 2010’s The Lost Explorer and has created album art for artists including Harry Styles and Kate Bush. He has staged solo exhibitions at major institutions including The Design Museum, Somerset House, The Victoria and Albert Museum, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. Walker’s photographic prints are housed in private collections and in public institutions including the V&A and London’s National Portrait Gallery. His newest exhibition, Tim Walker’s Fairyland opens this week at London’s National Portrait Gallery.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Tim Walker discuss healing heartbreak through sex, being fired by Richard Avedon, and what is Extreme Beauty. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We recorded this episode in the summer before the announcement that Glenn Martens would be stepping down as Creative Director of Diesel. Glenn Martens is a Belgian fashion designer and the creative director of Maison Margiela.  Martens graduated first in his class from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and then worked as a Junior Designer at Jean Paul Gautier from 2008 to 2012. Martens had an eponymous label which released three collections, before he joined Y/Project in 2013, quickly becoming Creative Director following the death of co-founder Yohan Sefarty. Martens worked at Y/Project until 2024.  In 2020, he became the Creative Director of Diesel, where he redefined the brand’s approach to denim through experimentation with silhouettes, innovative washes, treatments and materials, while also introducing more responsible practices. He also led collaborations with the Tom of Finland Foundation and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty. Martens announced his departure from the role in September 2026, with his final show at Milan Fashion Week.  In 2025, Martens was announced as the new creative director at Maison Margiela, and will show his fourth major collection with the brand at Paris Fashion Week this month. Martens won the ANDAM Grand Prize in 2017 with Y/Project and received a special prize, the Family Fund Award, from ANDAM in 2020.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Glenn Martens discuss being a good leader, the sexiness of women’s necks, and designing Chloë Sevigny’s wedding dress. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carlos Acosta is a Cuban dancer, choreographer, and director. Acosta won the Prix de Lausanne aged 16, and became the youngest Principal at the English National Ballet in 1991, aged 18. Acosta returned from classical ballet in 2016 after 28 years of performance. During his ballet career, he wrote and choreographed Tocororo, which broke box office records at Sadler’s Wells when it premiered. He also choreographed Royal Ballet productions of Don Quixote and Carmen. In August 2026 Acosta returned to the Royal Opera House stage for a weeklong run of shows, including performing Havana Suite with his eldest daughter Aila In 2016, Acosta established his dance company Acosta Danza, which tours the world and has a training academy in Havana and London. Acosta is curating a double bill of his company at Sadler’s Wells in October 2026. He became the Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2020, reinvigorating the company with commissions including Black Sabbath the Ballet.  Acosta has written two books; his memoir, No Way Home published in 2007, and a novel titled Pig’s Foot. Yuli, a film inspired by his life, was released in 2019, with Acosta playing his adult self. In 2015 Acosta was awarded a CBE and earlier this year he received an Honorary Doctorate in Oxford.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Carlos Acosta discuss sugar addiction, ballet dancers’ smiles, and the importance of male ballet dancers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Martine Syms is a multidisciplinary artist working across film, video, photography, and publishing. Born and raised in California, she studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and gained an MFA from Bard College. From 2007 to 2012, she co-directed Golden Age, an artist-run space in Chicago, and had her first solo exhibition at Bridget Donaghue gallery in New York in 2015. She has exhibited at international art institutions including the ICA, MoMA, Sadie Coles HQ, and the Walker Art Museum. Syms has published several books including PICTURES 2014-2024 and SHE MAD, and has her own publishing imprint, Dominica Publishing, which publishes artist books and zines. Syms practice combines conceptual grit, humour and social commentary. Her videos and installations are highly technical, reflecting her acute attention to detail in cinematography, sound and editing. Syms uses filmmaking as a means of storytelling to uncover personal and societal truths and employs sound to foster dialogue and form/perform identities. In 2023, she made her feature directorial debut with The African Desperate, and is premiering her new film RW-LO in a solo show at Sadie Coles HQ in September 2026. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Martine Syms discuss matching your nails to your underwear, Taurean energy, and Original Sin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony Vaccarello is a Belgian fashion designer. Born to Sicilian parents in Brussels, he studied law for one year before moving to the renowned La Cambre art and design school. Upon graduation, Vaccarello spent two years working for Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi in Rome, and then launched his eponymous label Anthony Vaccarello in 2009. Since 2016, Vaccarello has been Creative Director of Saint Laurent. During his ten years at the helm of the brand, Vaccarello has upheld Yves Saint Laurent’s creative legacy with irreverent modernity. Across his tenure, he has steadily reinforced the House’s identity with coherence and authority, mixing genres, and empowering a highly desirable vision. Through Vaccarello’s work, Saint Laurent has developed relationships with cultural icons from Madonna to Charlotte Gainsbourg, Connor Storrie to Charli XCX, and Zoe Kravitz to Kate Moss. In 2023, after working with some of cinema’s leading directors including Pedro Almodovar and Jean-Luc Godard, Vaccarello established Saint Laurent Productions, with the house being the first luxury brand to support filmmaking. Since then, Saint Laurent Productions has supported films from luminaries including Paolo Sorrentino, Claire Denis, David Cronenberg, and Jacques Audiard. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Anthony Vaccarello discuss the ankle fetish, Saint Laurent women, and how he wanted to dress his mother. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Sedaris is an American author and humourist.  David’s first book, Barrel Fever, was published in 1994, and he has since published fourteen books including Calypso, and Me Talk Pretty One Day, with his essay collections regularly appearing on the New York Times’ bestseller list. His latest book, The Land and Its People, was published in May 2026. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and to NPR. His BBC Radio 4 series, ‘Meet David Sedaris’, won a BBC Audio Drama Award in 2026. In 2019, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is the recipient of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, the Jonathan Swift Prize for Satire and Humor, and the Terry Southern Prize for Humor. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and David Sedaris discuss loving Comme des Garçons, his bullying father, and living in a nudist colony. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RERUN: In the first episode of Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, I was joined by the legendary fashion master of avant-garde gothic elegance Rick Owens as he lies on the couch. Rick Owens is known for his preoccupation with distortion and exaggeration of the human form through clothes. Together he and I talk about how this plays out with his own physical transformation; what are his current obsessions; and how nothing could be cooler than not having to hold a glass in his hand when he (rarely) walks into a social situation. Honest and insightful, this is a conversation with one of fashion's most enigmatic figures that you won't want to miss. Rick Owens is an American fashion designer. Born and raised in Porterville, California, Owens studied pattern-making and draping at Los Angeles Technical-Trade College, launching his eponymous label in 1994.  Since 2003, he has lived in Paris with his partner Michele Lamy, in a five-story townhouse which serves as both home and atelier.He has launched five fashion labels, a furniture line, and written four books on his own work and two about the designer Larry LeGapsi, who he has cited as a major inspiration Owens was a recipient of the 2002 Perry Ellis Award for emerging talent, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the CFDA in 2017, the Cooper-Hewitt Design Award for fashion design, and Menswear Designer of the Year Award at the 2019 CFDA Fashion Awards.  His first museum exhibition and retrospective, chronicling over 20 years of his life's work, entitled, "Subhuman Inhuman Superhuman" opened at the Triennale di Milano in 2017, and in 2025 the Palais Galliera showed a retrospective of his work entitled “Temple of Love”. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Rick Owens discuss nipples, his authoritarian father, and the freedom of wearing a heel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RERUN: Zadie Smith was one of my first recordings of Fashion Neurosis. She arrived on a bicycle in the pouring rain, a more typical June day in London 2024. I didn't know Zadie well, but she owned a couple of my velvet suits and she is one of those writers who dresses as brilliantly as she writes. Writing is such a glamorous thing. Seeing a body clothed with style makes me wonder how that person thinks. This is why I was so keen to see Zadie Smith lying on my couch -  to see her and to hear her.  - Zadie Smith is a British novelist, essayist, and short story writer.  She is the author of six novels and her first book White Teeth was completed during her final year at Cambridge University. Published in 2000, White Teeth became an instant international bestseller - winning numerous awards, making her one of the most sought after and widely read young literary figures. Smith’s most recent book is The Fraud, published in 2023. She is also the author of two short story collections, including Dead and Alive published in 2025, and a play, The Wife of Willesden. Zadie Smith has lived in Rome and New York, where she taught fiction at Columbia, then joining New York University as a tenured professor of fiction in 2010. In 2023, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Zadie Smith discuss the importance of lipstick, being inspired by the fashion of fictional characters, and losing her entire wardrobe in a fire. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:21 What are you wearing today? 00:01:19 Obsessions 00:02:20 Zadie’s Mother’s Style 00:05:44 Fashion Dreams 00:08:00 Beauty and intelligence 00:12:18 Where to start an outfit 00:14:52 Clothing individuality 00:19:30 If you fancy someone… 00:24:40 Clothes to improve mood 00:33:00 Shyness 00:41:20 Nudity 00:43:30 Dressing like literary figures 00:47:00 Hair 00:50:14 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RERUN: I never expected to have Kate Moss as a Fashion Neurosis guest. I knew she hated being filmed and is famously private. I had been doing little experiments with set ups before Covid and one day we were having tea together and I showed her. ‘I want to do this,’ she said. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I knew I must have made something good if Kate wanted to be part of it. Her episode will always be one of my favourites. Her brilliant irreverent wit is second to none.  - Kate Moss is an English model. Born in Croydon, she started modelling aged 15 after she was scouted in an airport. She rose to fame in the 90’s during the era of the Supermodel, quickly becoming the most sought after of them all. She is beloved by photographers and designers for her remarkable ability to bring a kind of spellbinding magic to the table. Her work ethic is legendary and she has an instinct for recognising a good idea before anyone else – and wanting to be involved. When I started my brand and decided to have my first catwalk show in 1994, I got a call from Storm Models saying ‘Kate will walk in your show’. I could scarcely believe what I was hearing. This was a typical act of the generosity and imagination she is also known for. Kate Moss holds the world record for appearing on the most Vogue covers: 78 of the ‘Big Four’, 43 of them British Vogue. As well as starring in countless ad campaigns she has designed collections in collaboration with various fashion brands including Top Shop, Longchamp, and Zara; guest edited magazines; and created her own skincare and beauty range Cosmoss. In 2002 – just as she became pregnant with her daughter Lila she sat for a naked portrait by the artist Lucian Freud which was later sold at Christie’s for £3.93 million. She is more in demand at age 50 than she has ever been – both in front of the camera and as a celebrity guest on the front row. Kate Moss is a cult name, and her face is recognized throughout the world. She is a private person and rarely gives interviews. She is loved and admired for her iconic sense of style, no one puts a look together like she can. She is famous for her humour and charm, casting a kind of dazzling spell on those who meet her – it is known as ‘being Mossed.’ In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Kate Moss discuss Fashion Police, wearing a heel to feel naked, and sitting for my father Lucian. 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:18 What are you wearing today? 00:01:14 Childhood fashion 00:03:10 Body 00:06:20 Clothes that make you feel different 00:08:00 Dressing up friends 00:12:00 Where to start with an outfit 00:14:19 Fashion police 00:20:57 Attractive clothing 00:22:14 If you fancy someone… 00:25:49 Walking for Vivienne Westwood 00:32:03 Supermodel era 00:37:13 Stripping and nudity 00:39:18 Clothes to improve mood 00:39:55 Presents 00:41:51 Fashion kinks 00:46:35 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A live, audio-only recording from my conversation with Laurie Anderson at the Tribeca Festival in June 2026. Laurie Anderson is an American writer, director, composer, visual artist, musician, and vocalist whose groundbreaking work spans art, theater, experimental music, and technology.  She has created numerous multimedia stage performances, published ten books, and been nominated for five Grammy Awards, with her visual art exhibited globally at institutions including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, and the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Anderson has a BA in Art History from Barnard College and an MFA in Sculpture from Columbia University, and has been a fixture of the New York avant-garde art scene since the 1970s. Her notable early performances include Duets On Ice and Institutional Dreams. She shot to global fame in 1981 with the release of her song “O Superman”. She made her directorial debut in 2015 with the film Heart of a Dog. In 2021 she delivered the Charles Eliot Norton Lectures at Harvard University, Spending the War Without You: Virtual Backgrounds. In 2024, she premiered ARK: United States Part 5 at Factory International in Manchester, released her studio album Amelia on Nonesuch Records, and was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as the Gold Medal for Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  She currently has two installations at the Venice Biennale Arte 2026, titled In Minor Keys. Her latest album, Let X=X, was released in May 2026. In this special live episode of Fashion Neurosis at Tribeca Festival in June 2026, Bella Freud and Laurie Anderson discuss extreme courage, loving Lou Reed, and Sigmund Freud. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shania Twain is a Canadian songwriter and artist. She is a five-time GRAMMY Award winner, and the top-selling female country-pop artist of all time.  Born in Ontario, Shania Twain experienced a childhood fraught with deprivation. From the age of 8, her mother would take Shania to perform after hours in local bars in order to raise grocery money, but also to showcase the extraordinary talent of her daughter. Through her bold and boundary-pushing lyricism and musical style, Twain helped redefine country music for a global audience, opening the door for the genre-blending sound and cultural crossover shaping country and pop music today. Often nicknamed the Queen of Pop, Twain has released seven acclaimed studio albums, with more than 100 million albums sold worldwide. Her era-defining catalog includes timeless hits such as “Any Man of Mine,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “You’re Still the One,” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!”. In 2022, the career-spanning documentary Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl, was released, with an accompanying Highlights album. In July 2026, Shania released her seventh full-length album, Little Miss Twain, which marks her most personal and introspective work to date, and was a special guest for Harry Styles during his Wembley Stadium residence. A renowned fashion icon and enduring cultural force, Twain continues to influence generations across music, style, and pop culture. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Shania Twain discuss taking her horse on tour, Dolly Parton, and being attracted to great hair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

RM is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, music producer, and the leader of pop royalty BTS.  His discography includes solo mixtapes RM (2015) and mono. (2018), as well as solo albums Indigo (2022) and Right Place, Wrong Person (2024), which showcase his remarkable versatility across genres. BTS have released ten studio albums since 2014, are among the world’s best-selling musical acts, and have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards worldwide. As a creative powerhouse and avid art enthusiast, RM is renowned for crafting profound lyrics often inspired by various art forms. He has an extensive personal art collection with a focus on both contemporary and antique Korean art, and is curating an exhibition with SFMOMA for late 2026, pairing Korean artists with Western ones.  His flexible and philosophical approach to music and ability to push creative boundaries with cutting-edge collaborations has led him to work with a diverse range of artists, including Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak, Lil Nas X, Mahalia, and more. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and RM discuss Stendhal Syndrome, Rick Owens, and the mantle of leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rashida Jones is an award-winning American actor, writer, producer, and director with a dynamic body of work spanning film, television, and documentary filmmaking. Her extensive acting credits include Sofia Coppola’s On The Rocks, The Social Network, Celeste and Jesse Forever, as well as the television series Parks and Recreation, The Office, Angie Tribeca and Sunny, which Jones executive produced. Jones will star in Lena Dunham’s upcoming film Good Sex, alongside Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo. In 2025, she received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her performance in “Common People,” the premiere episode of the latest season of Black Mirror.  In addition to her work in front of the camera, Jones has built an acclaimed career as a writer, director, and producer. She co-directed the Grammy and Critics Choice Award–winning documentary Quincy and co-directed and co-produced the short documentary A Swim Lesson, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Academy Awards. Her directing credits include episodes of the television shows #blackAF and Angie Tribeca. Jones co-produced the Emmy-nominated documentary Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On.  Jones co-wrote the film The Invite with longtime creative collaborator Will McCormack, directed by Olivia Wilde, which was recently released. Additional writing credits include the Black Mirror episode “Nosedive,” the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4, and the Independent Spirit Award–nominated Celeste and Jesse Forever, in which she also starred. Jones and McCormack also run the production company Le Train Train, through which they have developed and produced a range of film and television projects. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Rashida Jones discuss fathers with style, Sofia Coppola, and falling in love with Kermit the Frog. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flea, born Michael Balzary, is a musician, writer and actor. He is one of the founding members and the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Flea is a legend in the musical fraternity. His style, both sartorially and musically is instantly recognizable and brings an emotional charge to everything he is involved with. Flea met Anthony Kiedis in high school in Los Angeles, and they formed the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1982. The band achieved major mainstream success with their album Blood Sex Sugar Magik in 1991. The band most recently released their thirteenth album, Return of the Dream Canteen, in 2022.  In 2001, Flea co-founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, which is dedicated to supporting young people in learning about and performing music In 2019 Flea released his memoir Acid for Children, which describes his chaotic and turbulent childhood until forming the Red Hot Chili Peppers.Flea has won six Grammys and has just released his first solo album, Honora, which sees him pick up the trumpet once again and includes collaborations with Nick Cave and Thom Yorke.In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Flea discuss unpredictable parents, finding freedom in music, and the role of the moustache. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leïla Slimani is a French-Moroccan writer. Born in Rabat, Morocco, she moved to Paris aged seventeen to study media and journalism at Sciences Po.  She is the author of seven books published in the English language. Her debut Adèle was published in 2014, followed by Lullaby, which made Slimani the first Moroccan woman to win France’s most prestigious literary prize, the Prix Goncourt. Her non-fiction work Sex and Lies compiles accounts of sex and sexuality from Moroccan women she had interviewed while on a book tour, while The Scent of Flowers at Night is a meditation on art, life and the craft of writing. Since 2020, Slimani has published a trilogy of semi-autobiographical works, beginning with The Country of Others, followed by 2022’s Watch Us Dance and I’ll Take The Fire, released in 2025. A journalist and frequent commentator on women’s and human rights, she is French president Emmanuel Macron’s personal representative for the promotion of the French language and culture. She has served as a jury member at Cannes and as a judge for the International Booker Prize. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Leïla Slimani discuss the attraction of Russian novels, how grief can lead to creativity, and phobias. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charli xcx is a British musician, artist, and actor. Raised in Essex, she recorded her first album at the age of 14, and was discovered after posting demos on MySpace and performing at East London raves. She has since released six studio albums, with her seventh album Music, Fashion, Film releasing on the 24th of July.   One of the defining artists of our time, Charli moves seamlessly between the experimental and the mainstream, building a career characterised by reinvention, collaboration, and a singular approach to artistry that has influenced both the sound and visual language of contemporary culture.  Her work has earned widespread critical acclaim including five BRITs and three Grammy Awards, as well as the prestigious Ivor Novello Songwriter of the Year award in 2025, cementing her status as one of contemporary pop’s most influential creative voices. Beyond music, Charli has become a defining presence in fashion and contemporary image-making and has expanded her creative practice into film, where she acts, writes, produces and scores projects, including a recent collaboration with John Cale of the Velvet Underground on the Wuthering Heights soundtrack. In 2026, Charli starred in and produced the film The Moment, a mockumentary about the musician preparing for a world tour, and is set to feature in films by directors including Gregg Araki, Takashi Miike and Romain Gavras. In this episode, Bella Freud and Charli xcx discuss Music in Fashion, working with the legendary John Cale, and when being jealous is the greatest compliment to a peer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Currin is an American painter. Currin is widely recognised for his figurative oil paintings in which themes of sexual personae and historical painterly genres appear in surreal and sometimes disconcerting guises. Oscillating between a graphic sexuality and playful symbolism, Currin captures the tones and textures of everyday life with an acute sensitivity and a meticulous attention to detail. Currin has exhibited internationally at galleries including Sadie Coles, Dallas Contemporary, Museo Stefano Bardini in Florence and Gagosian in New York. His first solo show was at White Columns in 1989, and in 2003, a mid-career survey of his paintings travelled to the Serpentine Gallery, the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.  His most recent exhibition is Opening Credits at Sadie Coles HQ in London.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and John Currin discuss the importance of clothes in his paintings, Jarvis Cocker, and the nuance of Sean Connery vs Clint Eastwood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Colm Tóibín is an Irish writer. Born in Enniscorthy, he is the author of eleven novels, including The Master, Brooklyn and The Magician, and two collections of stories.  His novel Brooklyn was an immediate bestseller on publication and was adapted into an Oscar- nominated film starring Saoirse Ronan in 2015. His most recent novel Long Island is a sequel to Brooklyn. In his new short story collection The News from Dublin, these luminous short stories delve into the days and nights of those living far from home: lives of great longing, at a great distance from past lives and past selves. Colm Toíbín has been three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2021, he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature. He was appointed the Laureate for Irish Fiction 2022-2024, and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford in 2025. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Colm Toibin discuss string underpants, playing tennis with Pedro Almodovar, and Irish trauma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stephen Jones OBE is a British milliner and designer, highly regarded as one of the most radical of the 20th and 21st centuries. Jones studied at St Martins, spending his evenings at the Blitz club, immersed in London’s fashion and punk scene in the 1970s. In 1980, Stephen opened his first millinery salon in the heart of London. This shop was visited by rock stars and royalty, from Diana Ross to Diana, Princess of Wales. Over four decades later, Jones’s era-defining designs continue to attract a celebrity clientele which includes Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger, and British Royalty. Since the early 80s Stephen Jones has collaborated with designers from Vivienne Westwood and Claude Montana through to his current work with Thom Browne, Christian Dior, and Matières Fecales. Jones’ hats have been an integral component in some of the most memorable runway events of the past four decades, including his work on John Galliano’s spectacular Maison Margiela Haute Couture SS24 show presented under the Pont Alexander III. Jones was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours, and received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the British Fashion Council in 2008. In December 2024, he was named British Accessories Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Stephen Jones discuss being a 1970s punk, fashion breakdowns, and communicating through a hat. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peaches is a Canadian singer songwriter, producer, director, and performance artist. She first catapulted to stardom with her 2000 debut album, The Teaches of Peaches, which introduced the world to her sexually transgressive, fiercely assertive and captivating persona. Since then, Peaches has released four more trailblazing albums, won the prestigious Polaris Heritage Prize, collaborated with everyone from Iggy Pop and Daft Punk to Christina Aguilera and Yoko Ono, and had her music featured in cultural watermarks like Lost in Translation and The Handmaid’s Tale. In addition to her musical output, Peaches has directed over 20 music videos, co-curated a photo book of her life, What Else Is in The Teaches of Peaches, created a host of immersive installations and performative works, and penned the electro-rock opera Peaches Does Herself, which was adapted into a film shown at over 70 festivals.  The subject of two acclaimed documentaries, Peaches Goes Bananas and Teaches of Peaches, Peaches has also played the title role in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Brecht’s The Seven Deadly Sins and continues to perform her widely lauded one-woman show, Peaches Christ Superstar. In February 2026, Peaches’ released her first album in over ten years, No Lube So Rude.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Peaches discuss Jesus Christ Superstar, being outlandishly normal, and having her shoelace tied by John Malkovich. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jerry Hall is an American model and actor who rose to fame in the 1970s, becoming one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels. Born and raised in working-class Texas, she was discovered at 16 on a beach in St. Tropez, and moved to France to model, sharing a Paris apartment with Grace Jones and Jessica Lange. She has been photographed by the greatest photographers including Helmust Newton and David Bailey, and by 1977 she had graced the cover of 40 international fashion magazines. Hall was a muse to the artist Andy Warhol and fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez, and sat for Lucian Freud when she was eight months pregnant. Her appearance on the cover of Roxy Music’s Siren became one of the defining images of the decade and cemented her place within both fashion and popular culture. Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger became a glamorous, high profile couple in 1977, marrying in Bali in 1990. They are the parents of four children, including fellow models Georgia May and Elizabeth Jagger. In 2021, Hall returned as the face of Saint Laurent, fronting the Spring/Summer 2022 campaign, photographed by David Sims. She starred in Dolce & Gabbana’s 2024 beauty campaign alongside her daughter Georgia, and became the face of Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion. She appeared on the cover of Perfect Magazine in 2024, and Harper’s Bazaar España. In 2025, she was honored as part of Chloé’s portraits campaign, celebrating the brand’s most iconic women.  In 2026, the year she turns 70, Jerry has joined the cast of Celebrity Traitors, further cementing her status as one of Britain’s most enduring and entertaining cultural figures. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Jerry Hall discuss dressing up with Grace Jones, being married to Mick Jagger, and discussing cleaning products with Andy Warhol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

FKA twigs is a Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter, producer, dancer-choreographer, visual artist and actor. Raised in Gloucestershire, twigs moved to London aged 17 and became embedded in the underground art and club scene. She released her debut EP EP1 in 2012, and breakthrough album LP1 in 2014, establishing herself as a singular creative force who writes, directs, and physically embodies her work. Her subsequent albums Magdalene (2019), Eusexua (2025), and Eusexua Afterglow (2025), melded movement, experimental sound, and cinematic storytelling.  In 2022, she became the youngest solo artist ever to receive NME’s “Godlike Genius” Award, recognizing her impact as a boundary-breaking innovator across disciplines. In addition to her musical achievements, twigs has worked as an actor in films including The Crow, The Carpenter’s Son and most recently starred alongside Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel in Mother Mary. This week, it was revealed that twigs will portray Josephine Baker in a new biopic written and directed by Maïmouna Doucouré. twigs has graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ, Dazed, and i-D, and fronted major campaigns for Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Apple, and Sotheby’s - where her durational performance The Eleven became one of the institution’s most-attended live exhibitions. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and FKA twigs discuss creating new language inspired by David Cronenberg, the Madonna Whore complex, and the difference between dance and doing extraordinary feats with the body. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Levy is an Emmy award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Levy is the son of actor and comedian Eugene Levy. Dan Levy became a sensation for his work on Schitt’s Creek, one of the most beloved shows on television, which he co-created and featured in with his father Eugene Levy and which also starred Catherine O’Hara. The series garnered countless awards, and a total of 165 nominations, including nine Emmy wins for its sixth and final season. Levy launched a film and television production company, Not a Real Production Company, in 2022. Levy made his directorial debut with Netflix’s, Good Grief, an original film that he wrote, produced and starred in, released in 2024. Levy produced and starred in the Loewe’s advert Decades of Confusion alongside Aubrey Plaza, and produced the documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, about Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan’s 1990s all-female music festival Lilith Fair. His new Netflix series, Big Mistakes, is a family crime comedy series which Levy co-created, stars in and executive produced.Levy is a life-long fashion obsessive, and worked to source vintage or second-hand the majority of the clothing worn by the Schitt’s Creek cast. He is a great friend of Jonathan Anderson and had his own eyewear company, DL Eyewear. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Dan Levy discuss being a High Fashion Introvert, the allure of Anthony Vaccarello’s shoulder, and the genius of Peaches and Rachel Sennott. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kristen McMenamy is an American model. Born in Pennsylvania, she rose to fame in the 1990s as part of the legendary group of Supermodels including Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista.  McMenamy was a muse to Peter Lindbergh and Karl Lagerfield, and her short dark hair and bleached eyebrows made her an icon of the early 90s grunge scene, appearing in the famous American Vogue “Grunge and Glory” spread shot by Steven Meisel and styled by Grace Coddington.  Known for her unconventional, androgynous look, she has worked with many of the world’s most iconic fashion photographers, including Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Steven Meisel, Arthur Elgort, Tim Walker, and Juergen Teller, who described her as “the best model I have ever worked with”. After taking a hiatus to raise her children, McMenamy returned to modelling in the mid 2000s. She is more in demand than ever, a favourite of Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford and has appeared on a multitude of covers including British Vogue in 2022. She regularly walks in the shows of top designers including Miu Miu, Tom Ford, and Valentino. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Kristen McMenamy discuss how insecurity can make a good model, Karl Lagerfeld, and the artistry of the selfie. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arlo Parks is an English singer-songwriter, and poet. Born and raised in Hammersmith, West London, Parks released her first EP Super Sad Generation aged 19, going on to win the Mercury Music Prize, a Breakthrough Artist Brit Award, and Grammy nominations for her first album Collapsed in Sunbeams, released in 2021. Parks performed at Glastonbury and Coachella, opening for artists including Billie Eilish and Harry Styles. Parks’ second album, My Soft Machine, was Brit-nominated and included a song featuring musician Phoebe Bridgers. Parks toured this album globally, and it was named one of the Best Albums of 2023 by Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Billboard. In 2023, Parks released a debut poetry collection, The Magic Border, and has cited poets including Sylvia Plath, Allen Ginsberg, Mary Oliver and Ezra Pound as influences on her lyricism. Her newest album, Ambiguous Desire, is inspired by the clubs and nightlife scenes of New York, London, and Los Angeles, where Parks has lived since 2021, and was released in April 2026. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Arlo Parks discuss favourite album covers, restlessness, and drive. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thom Browne is an American fashion designer, who is widely recognized for challenging and modernizing our contemporary uniform and tailoring. By questioning traditional proportions, Browne’s designs consistently convey a true American sensibility rooted in quality craftsmanship and precise tailoring. Browne began working in fashion in the late 1990s for brands including Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. In 2001, Browne began his eponymous label with five suits in a small “by appointment” shop in New York City’s West Village and, in the years following, expanded his business to include ready-to-wear, accessories and fragrance collections for men, women and children. Browne has dressed leading figures across culture, including Teyana Taylor, LeBron James, Diane Keaton, Janelle Monae, and Timothee Chalamet. Browne has also become known for his highly conceptual runway presentations which have gained global attention for their thought provoking and dramatic themes and settings. In 2023, Browne became the Chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and has been honored with the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award four times, the GQ Designer of the Year, the FIT Couture Council Award, and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award.His designs are recognized by museums around the world including the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Mode Museum Antwerpen. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Thom Browne discuss how individuality is heightened by a uniform, long vs short runway shows, and how sadness can be uplifting. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lynne Ramsay is an award-winning director and writer. Born and raised in Glasgow, Lynne made the short film Little Deaths during her time at the National Film and Television School, which won the 1996 Prix du Jury at Cannes. In 1998, she wrote and directed the short film Gasman, starring her brother James, which won the BAFTA short film award and another Prix du Jury. Her feature film debut was the 1999 film Ratcatcher, which won numerous awards, follows a young boy growing up in working-class Glasgow during the bin workers strike in the 1970s. She has since written and directed four feature films, often adapting books such as Morvern Callar, which starred a young Samantha Morton as a woman grieving her boyfriend’s suicide at a party resort in Spain, We Need To Talk About Kevin, and You Were Never Really Here. Her latest film, Die My Love, is produced by Martin Scorsese and stars Jennifer Lawrence as a new mother suffering post-partum psychosis, whilst her husband played by Robert Pattinson struggles to cope with her illness. Lynnw Ramsay studied photography at Napier College Edinburgh, and much of her film work has been inspired by photographers including Robert Frank, Richard Billingham and Nan Goldin, influencing her meticulous use of colour and framing. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Lynne Ramsay discuss the working class Glasgow Intelligentsia, seizing the moment on a film shoot, and the generosity of Martin Scorsese’s brilliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Riz Ahmed is an Academy and Emmy Award winning actor, director, musician, and writer. Born and raised in Wembley, Ahmed studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, going on to study acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Ahmed’s breakthrough role was in the 2006 film The Road to Guantanamo. He has starred in the satirical film Four Lions, the HBO award-nominated series The Night Of, and The Sound of Metal, for which Ahmed received a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards. More recently, Ahmed has featured in Wes Anderson’s latest film The Phoenician Scheme, and plays the titular role in Aneil Karia’s modern adaptation of Hamlet. In October, Riz will be seen alongside Tom Cruise and Sandra Hüller in DIGGER, Alejandro Iñárritu’s first English language film since The Revenant. Ahmed is the founder of the award-winning production company, Left-Handed Films, which has produced films including the 2020 feature film Mogul Mowgli, and the 2020 short The Long Goodbye, both of which were written by and starred Ahmed, which won an Academy Award for Best Short Film. Ahmed has written, produced, and starred in a forthcoming comedy series for Amazon Prime titled BAIT, following the struggles of aspiring actor Shah Latif, whose life takes a surreal turn as he navigates an existential crisis and a bizarre conspiracy. His performance has been described as ‘dazzling, with sharp comic timing and a mega-watt charisma.’ As a musician, his career has spanned two decades across battle rap, techno, a successful American band Swet Shop Boys, and most recently, his critically acclaimed, award-winning 2020 solo album “The Long Goodbye”. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Riz Ahmed discuss the importance of Hamlet today, using colour to represent different personalities, and how to speak by just listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Byrne is a musician and visual artist. He was born in Dumbarton, Scotland, moving to Canada aged 2, and later Maryland, where he was raised in Baltimore. Byrne studied photography, performance, and video at RISD and the Maryland Institute College of Art, before moving to New York in the early 1970s.  In 1975, Byrne co-founded the group Talking Heads, who released eight studio albums before splitting up in the early 1990s. The band made the concert film Stop Making Sense in 1984, directed by Jonathan Demme, which in 2024 was remastered and re-released by A24.  Byrne established the record labels Luaka Bop and Todo Mundo, which have released music by artists including William Onyeabor, Cornershop, and Floating Points. As a solo musician, David Byrne has released over 10 solo albums, the most recent Who Is The Sky? released in 2025, and collaborated with artists including Brian Eno, St Vincent, and Olivia Rodrigo. He has written soundtracks for films including Bernando Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, for which Byrne won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Byrne has written several books including Bicycle Diaries and How Music Works, and in 1986 wrote, directed, and starred in True Stories, a musical collage of discordant Americana released in 1986. His theatrical work includes his 2019 American Utopia tour which was transferred to Broadway and a film version directed by Spike Lee, and his immersive theater production Theater of the Mind from 2022, which will be shown in Chicago in March 2026. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and David Byrne discuss The Big Suit, the joy of Vampire movies, and being useless at dinner party conversations. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fecal Matter are a fashion design and artist duo made up of Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj. The two met at fashion school in Montreal in 2012, and formed Fecal Matter in 2014. Matières Fécales, the duo’s brand, was founded in 2025, and creates unique garments defined by their phrase “Provoke Society”. The brand is known for their post-human aesthetic and ethos of unlimited freedom and radical self-expression, with products spanning fashion, film, politics and music. Matières Fécales’ name reflects its mission to capture the beauty and grotesque of the human experience, whilst also challenging the codes of luxury culture. They debuted at Paris Fashion Week with a FW25 collection, positioning themselves as one of the most notable shows of the season and a fresh voice pushing boundaries in contemporary fashion through razor sharp tailoring and couture-like silhouettes. Hannah and Steven are respected and adored by members of the fashion elite including Rick Owens, Christian Louboutin, and milliner Stephen Jones. They have collaborated on shoes with Louboutin and created headpieces with Jones. They live and work in Paris. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Fecal Matter discuss falling in love, their dream of dressing Oprah, and exploring identity in the face of punishment. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Erin O’Connor is a British supermodel, writer, and advocate. She grew up in the West Midlands and was scouted as a teenager at the iconic 90’s cult show The Clothes Show live. Erin O’Connor’s modelling debut was in i-D magazine in 1996, shot by Juergen Teller. She soon rose to prominence, walking the runway for esteemed designers including Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, Versace, John Galliano and Jean-Paul Gaultier. More recently, Erin has walked for Tom Ford and Willy Chavarria. Karl Lagerfeld once described O’Connor as “one of the best models in the world” and Erin has been photographed by industry giants including Richard Avedon, Steven Meisel, Nick Knight, Mario Testino, David Bailey, Patrick Demarchelier, Peter Lindbergh and Tim Walker. Erin featured in the Channel 4 documentary This Model Life in 2003, and has since written and presented two documentaries about fashion for BBC Radio 4, as well as contributing articles to British Vogue, The Times, i-D, and GQ. Alongside her modelling, Erin is an advocate for model well-being and mental health. Through her position as Vice Chair of the British Fashion Council Erin founded Model Sanctuary, a non-profit initiative, providing support and resources for models during fashion week.  Since 2011, Erin has been an ambassador for Save the Children and is an ambassador for Borne, a UK-based medical research charity dedicated to preventing premature birth and improving outcomes for mothers and babies. In recognition of her substantial contributions to fashion and charitable causes, Erin was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Erin O’Connor discuss walking for Alexander McQueen, coming from a working class background and being described as aristocratic, and holding her own against an unfriendly Feminist. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard E. Grant is an actor, director, writer and presenter. Born in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), his father worked for the British government and Grant grew up as part of an ex-pat community in the country. He made his film debut in 1987 as the titular character in Withnail & I, about an alcoholic out-of-work actor. Grant played a series of eccentric characters in the 1990s, from a fashion designer in Robert Altman’s Pret-A-Porter, to a villain terrorising Bruce Willis in Hudson Hawk, and the manager of the Spice Girls in Spice World. More recently, Grant has starred in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Emerald Fennel’s Saltburn, and Can You Ever Forgive Me? for which he received Golden Globe, BAFTA and Oscar nominations as Best Supporting Actor.  In 2005, Grant made his directorial debut with Wah Wah, a fascinating account of his childhood in former Swaziland. He has written several books, his most recent A Pocketful of Happiness in 2023, about his grief following the death of his wife Joan Washington from cancer after 38 years of marriage. Richard E. Grant has become a muse to fashion designers on the catwalk, walking for Burberry AW25 and Miu Miu SS26.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Richard E. Grant discuss his narrowly avoiding being shot by his father, his life long crush on Barbra Streisand, and how to play comedy straight. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Gainsbourg is an actress and musician. The daughter of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, she was born in London and raised in Paris. She made her acting debut at the age of 13 playing Catherine Deneuve’s daughter in the film Paroles et Musique, and her musical debut the same year with the song “Lemon Incest” duetting with her father Serge. In 1986, she won a Cesar Award for her starring role in the film L’Effrontée. Her debut album was released the same year, produced by her father to accompany the film Charlotte For Ever, which starred a 15 year old Charlotte alongside her father Serge. Gainsbourg has since released four further albums, her most recent Rest in 2017, which explored her grief following the deaths of her father and sister Kate Barry. In 2009, Gainsbourg starred in Lars von Trier’s film Antichrist, for which she won the Cannes Best Actress award, marking the beginning of a collaboration between the actress and director. She went on to star in his 2011 film Melancholia, and 2013’s Nymphomaniac. Gainsbourg directed and produced a documentary about her mother, Jane par Charlotte, in 2021, exploring their relationship two years before Birkin’s death.  Charlotte Gainsbourg is a reluctant fashion icon, cited by all those with a love of fashion, independent film, and music as a truly original figure of glamour and cool. She has fronted campaigns for fashion houses including Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent, with YSL’s Anthony Vaccarello directing Gainsbourg’s most recent music video Blurry Moon. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Charlotte Gainsbourg discuss relationships with powerful fathers, her work with Lars von Trier, and love and grief. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist and author, recognized as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. Fluent in nine languages, she helms a therapy practice in New York City, serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies, and is an advisor to both Hinge and Culture Amp on the intricacies of human connection. Esther was born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium, the daughter of two Polish Jewish Holocaust survivors who owned a clothing shop. She gained a Masters degree from Lesley University in Expressive Art Therapy in the 1980s, and has lived in the United States with her partner, Jack Saul, for more than 40 years. Her celebrated TED Talks have garnered millions of views, and her bestselling books, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, are global phenomena which have been translated into more than 30 languages. Perel is also the host of the hit podcast Where Should We Begin?, which has captivated millions of listeners around the world for nearly a decade.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Esther Perel discuss Perel’s childhood in her parents’ clothing shop, the rules of dressing as a therapist, and fragile masculinity. Esther Perel’s podcast Where Should We Begin? can be found on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and her Substack is Entre Nous, estherperel.substack.com This is the last of our Fashion Neurosis in New York series - see you next time. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abiodun Oyewole is an American poet, painter and author, and one of the founding members of the music and spoken-word group The Last Poets. Born in Ohio, Oyewole was raised in New York by his aunt, whose love of jazz and gospel music greatly influenced him. He was given the name Abiodun Oyewole aged fifteen, by a Yoruba priest at a temple in Harlem. The Last Poets were formed by Abiodun Oyewole, David Nelson & Gylan Kain in 1968, releasing their first album in 1970. The group is credited, along with Gil Scott-Heron, as having had a profound effect on the development of the hip-hop genre.  Abiodun missed the launch of The Last Poets first album after being sentenced to four years in a North Carolina prison for robbing the offices of the local Ku Klux Klan. During his time in prison he attended a nearby college where he earned his B.A. degree. He went on to earn a Ph.D. from Columbia University, where he has served as a faculty member. Oyewole rejoined The Last Poets during its 1990s resurgence, with their latest albums released in 2018 & 2024, and he has also released several solo albums. Oyewole has published two volumes of poetry, Naked, 2020, and Branches of the Tree of Life, 2020, and an essay collection titled Black Lives Have Always Mattered.  Oyewole hosts Sundays @ 110 each week at his home in Harlem, opening his doors to fellow artists, encouraging performance and a shared creative experience. Oyewole is one of several poets credited for liberating American poetry by creating vocal, spontaneous, energetic and uncensored vernacular verse that paved the way for spoken word and hip-hop. He continues to write poetry every day.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Abiodun Oyewole and Bella Freud discuss how they first met, being treated as the Pope of Poetry, and spending time backstage with Nina Simone. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Wasser is a New York–based filmmaker, writer, and actor whose work blends razor-sharp comedy with raw emotional candor. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Wasser’s late father was the photojournalist Julian Wasser, who photographed 20th century cultural icons including Joan Didion and Jack Nicholson, and her mother Leslie Knauer is a musician who was in rock bands in the 1970s and ‘80s.  Wasser’s feature directorial debut, Messy - which she also wrote, produced, and stars in - was released in 2025. Messy is an intimate portrait of romantic humiliation, self-discovery, and reinvention in New York, drawing inspiration from the work of Nora Ephron and Carrie Fisher. As an actor, Wasser has appeared in acclaimed series including Rian Johnson’s Poker Face (Peacock), HBO’s Girls, and Search Party. She is currently developing her second feature, a modern-day New York comedy about the humiliations, disappointments, and occasional joys of adult life. Wasser continues to craft deeply personal comedic stories that interrogate identity, intimacy, and reinvention with an honesty and edge entirely her own.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Alexi Wasser discuss directing your own sex scenes, big feet, and the tyranny of looking for love. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christy Turlington Burns is the Founder and President of Every Mother Counts. Christy’s work in maternal health began after she experienced a childbirth-related complication in 2003—an experience that inspired her to direct and produce the documentary feature film, No Woman, No Cry, about the challenges women face throughout pregnancy and childbirth around the world. Under Christy’s leadership, over the past 15 years Every Mother Counts has invested nearly $50 million to support awareness raising, community-led solutions, and advocacy for systems change, with the goal of ensuring that the maternal health journey before, during, and after childbirth is safe, respectful, and equitable for everyone, everywhere. Before founding EMC, Christy received international acclaim as a model representing the world’s biggest fashion and beauty brands which she leveraged to become a health and wellness advocate. She authored a book about yoga, Living Yoga: Creating A Life Practice (Hyperion 2002), edited the book, Arrival Stories: Women Share Their Experiences of Becoming Mothers (Random House 2022) with Amy Schumer, and served as an executive producer for the 2023 Apple TV documentary series, The Super Models. In 2025, Christy was named to the inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list as one of the most influential people shaping the future of giving, and she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University in 2023. Christy graduated Cum Laude from NYU’s Gallatin School of Independent Studies and studied Public Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She has completed 10 Marathons on behalf of Team EMC and lives in New York City. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Christy Turlington discuss being roommates with Naomi Campbell, whether George Michael had a crush on Linda Evangelista, and advocating for women’s health. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hilton Als is an award-winning American writer, critic, and curator. He began his career as a staff writer at the Village Voice, and editor-at-large at Vibe. Hilton became a staff writer at The New Yorker in 1994 and a theatre critic in 2002, having contributed to the magazine since 1989.  Als has published several books, with his first, titled The Women, published in 1996. His 2013 book White Girls was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and in 2026 he will publish I Don’t Remember: An American Rhapsody, about the AIDS crisis. Als has also curated and written accompanying texts for multiple exhibitions, including a 2015 show in collaboration with the artist Celia Paul at the Metropolitan Opera’s Gallery Met, a 2017 retrospective of Alice Neel, and a 2022 show on Joan Didion at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.  Als was awarded a Guggenheim Award for creative writing in 2000, and in 2016 he received Lambda Literary’s Trustee Award for Excellence in Literature. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017 for his writing at the New Yorker and in 2018 received the City College of New York’s Langston Hughes Medal. Hilton Als is a teaching professor at the University of California, Berkeley, an associate professor of writing at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, and has taught at Yale University, Columbia University, Wesleyan University, and Smith College.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Hilton Als discuss wearing his mother’s hosiery under his jeans, Prince, and the power of love. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie Harry is an American rockstar, exploding onto the music scene as the platinum haired lead vocalist of Blondie. After gaining an Arts Degree from Centenary College in New Jersey, Debbie Harry moved to New York and worked as a Playboy Bunny and a dancer before forming Blondie in 1974 with Chris Stein, who was her romantic partner for 14 years until 1987. The band released its eponymous debut studio album in 1976 and split in the early 1980s, reuniting in 1997 - they have released a total of 11 studio albums. Harry also released five solo studio albums between 1981 and 2007. Debbie Harry had also had a successful acting career, appearing in lead roles in David Cronenberg's body horror Videodrome in 1983, and John Waters’ cult classic Hairspray. Her inimitable style has been the inspiration for many fashion designers and her luminous beauty and punk irreverence continues to make her an icon to multiple generations of music and fashion lovers. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Debbie Harry discuss dying your hair on a tour bus, Andy Warhol, and Sex, Drugs, & Rock & Roll. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Helena Bonham Carter is an English actress. Known for her portrayals of interesting, singular women, she rose to fame playing Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View in 1985, and the titular character in Lady Jane in 1986. In 1999, Bonham Carter broke free of her “English rose” reputation by playing femme fatale Marla Singer in Fight Club. She portrayed the malevolent witch Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter franchise, and more recently played Princess Margaret in The Crown, for which she was nominated for several awards. Helena will star in a new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials for Netflix in January 2026. Helena Bonham Carter has two children with the director Tim Burton. They met in 2001 on the set of Planet of the Apes, and the couple went on to collaborate on seven films including Corpse Bride and Alice in Wonderland, until their separation in 2014. Known for her love of bloomers, long skirts and Victorian style, Bonham Carter launched her fashion line The Pantaloonies in 2006. She has starred in campaigns for Marc Jacobs and Prada, and cited Vivienne Westwood and Marie Antoinette as her style inspirations. Bonham Carter has been the recipient of a BAFTA Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, an International Emmy Award and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as receiving nominations for two Academy Awards, nine Golden Globe Awards and five Primetime Emmy Awards. She was made a CBE in the 2012 New Year Honours list for services to drama. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Helena Bonham Carter discuss androgynous dressing, prominent bums, and the word Cunt being the new compliment. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Willy Chavarria is an American fashion designer. Born and raised in California, he studied graphic design at the Academy of the Arts, and got his start in clothing design working in the shipping department at Joe Boxer, eventually taking on a role in the company as a designer. Willy Chavarria worked at Calvin Klein as the Senior Vice President of Design until 2024. He launched his eponymous label in 2015. Known for his melding of politics and fashion, Willy’s clothing aims to uplift the underrepresented, and he has frequently collaborated with organisations to advocate for social justice. His designs draw on his Mexican-American heritage, and he recently presented his SS26 collection HURON at Paris Fashion Week. Chavarria has been awarded the 2022 Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Award in Fashion Design, was the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year in 2023 and 2024, and in 2025 was named one of TIME100’s ‘Most Influential People of 2025’ and nominated for the Designer of the Year award at The Fashion Awards in London. On this week’s episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Willy Chavarria discuss politics in fashion, his fashion icons, and designing as a public service. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Annie Leibovitz is one of the most influential contemporary American photographers. Born in Connecticut, Leibovitz moved frequently in her childhood due to father’s position in the US Air Force. She took her first photos in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. After studying painting at the San Francisco Art Institute, Leibovitz began working at Rolling Stone magazine, and after three years was named their Chief Photographer. She photographed every major band of the era, and famously took photos of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, hours before Lennon was murdered. In the 1980s Leibovitz moved to Vanity Fair, and has since had a hugely successful career in fashion and celebrity photography and portraiture, photographing influential figures including Queen Elizabeth II, Demi Moore, Kate Moss, Barack Obama and George Clooney. She has exhibited in major galleries and museums, including MoMA and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and has published several monographs of her work, including WOMEN, a 2025 re-edition of the original 1999 book alongside a new volume, published by Phaidon. She was designated a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and in March 2024 Leibovitz was inducted into the Académie des Beaux-Arts. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Annie Leibovitz discuss Susan Sontag, the magic of dance, and the Rolling Stones. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard Russell is a record producer, musician, and the owner of XL Recordings. Richard joined XL as an A&R Scout in 1991, and in 1992 released the single The Bouncer with XL co-founder Nick Halkes, which was featured on Top of the Pops and led to a record deal. Russell pursued a career at XL, and by the mid-1990s was co-owner and chairman of the company. He has worked with artists including Gil Scott Heron, whose final album he produced, Radiohead, Jamie xx, FKA twigs, M.I.A, and Adele, who Richard discovered in the 2000s.  Since 2018, Russell has released Mercury Prize nominated albums under Everything Is Recorded, a project that has collaborated with artists including Florence Welch, Sampha, and Giggs. He is also half of the duo Sam Morton, with Samantha Morton, who released their debut album Daffodils and Dirt in 2024. In 2021, Richard published his autobiography Liberation Through Hearing, which details his sudden diagnosis with the rare auto-immune disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome in 2013.  Celebrated for his instinctive, human approach to sound and collaboration, Russell received the 2025 Music Producers Guild Inspiration Awards in recognition of his "fearless approach to creativity and unwavering commitment to artistic freedom.” In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Richard Russell discuss getting to know Gil Scott Heron through writing to each other, business and creativity, and freedom through music. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

IB Kamara is a stylist, journalist, musician, and creative director. Born in Sierra Leone, IB moved to The Gambia as a child to escape from civil war, settling in London aged sixteen. Kamara studied Fashion & Communication at Central St Martins, where he began interning with legendary Buffalo stylist Barry Kamen. In 2016, IB curated an exhibition titled 2026 at Somerset House, exploring the concept of a utopia of Black Masculinity. As a stylist, he has worked with fashion houses including Chanel, Burberry, Stella McCartney, and Commes Des Garcons, who he designed hats for. In 2021, Kamara became Editor-in-Chief of Dazed and Confused magazine, editing the publication with a focus on including contributors from underrepresented areas of the fashion industry. Since 2024, he has been Creative Director of Virgil Abloh’s brand Off White. In October 2025, IB released his debut EP Pop Romance, inspired by Off White’s SS26 collection. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and IB Kamara discuss liberation through fashion, making great porridge, and the joy of dressing others. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rosalía is a Grammy award winning Spanish singer-songwriter. Her work transcends genre, blending folk, avant-pop, hip-hop, jazz, reggaeton, and traditional flamenco. Born and raised in Catalonia, Rosalía has a degree in Flamenco Interpretation from the Catalonia College of Music, basing her second album El Mal Querer on her thesis, inspired by a 13th century Occitan poem. Her third album Motomami was released in 2022 to widespread critical and popular acclaim, and was her second album to win a Latin Grammy. Rosalía’s newest album, Lux, was released in November 2025, exploring themes of feminine mystique and transformation, and includes songs in 14 different languages. Rosalía made her acting debut in Pedro Almodovar’s 2019 film Dolor y Gloria (Pain and Glory), and will star in the upcoming third season of Euphoria. Her album covers and music videos are influenced by historical and religious artistic imagery. She is known for her love of fashion which aligns with the themes and aesthetics of her music. Rosalía has won 11 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammys, four MTV Music Video Awards, and three UK Music Video Awards. She is widely considered one of the most successful and influential Spanish singers of all time. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Rosalía discuss the art of flamenco, supermodels, being naked, and Chloë Sevigny. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexa Chung is a presenter, writer, model, and photographer. A muse to many in the creative industry, Alexa is globally recognised for her impact on fashion and culture. After modelling in her teenage years, Alexa went on to host the Channel 4 music show Popworld, with a signature satirical humour that has made her hugely popular. She has since hosted TV programmes for MTV, BBC, and Netflix. After her sellout capsule collection with M&S in 2016, she launched her own brand Alexachung in 2017, earning the Breakthrough Designer Award from Harper’s Bazaar. She has collaborated with other brands including Madewell and Barbour, and has a Mulberry bag named after her.Alexa Chung is a three-time recipient of the Fashion Icon Award and has appeared on the covers of Vogue, ELLE, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has written regular columns for The Independent, British Vogue, and in 2013 published her book It. She is currently a writer for the Financial Times fashion. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Alexa Chung discuss what makes an ‘It’ girl, her admiration for Mrs Prada, and her escape from the 2004 Thailand tsunami. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arthur Jafa is an American artist. Raised in Mississippi, he studied architecture and film at Howard University, and has been working as a filmmaker and artist for over four decades. He has had a successful career as a cinematographer, working on films including his ex-wife Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust, Spike Lee’s Crooklyn, and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Jafa has also directed music videos for musicians including Solange and Jay-Z. In 2005, Jafa stepped away from the art world for a while, re-emerging in 2016 with his spectacular work of video art Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death, which combined and edited disparate found and original footage documenting the Black experience in America. Other notable video works include The White Album from 2018, which won the Golden Lion for best artist at the Venice Biennale. Arthur Jafa’s extended practice is widely considered to be at the forefront of contemporary art, independent film and cultural theory today. Witnessing, celebrating and cataloguing the deep soul of Black life through images, Jafa has forged a groundbreaking trail in the rich terrain of Black representation. In his show at Sadie Coles HQ Gallery, Kingly St in London, on until December, Jafa exhibits new paintings and collage, alongside two new video works. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Arthur Jafa discuss checking Instagram first thing in the morning, wanting to frown like Roy Rogers, and the universal influence of James Brown. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tessa Thompson is an American actor. Her father is the musician Marc Antony Thompson who founded the musical collective Chocolate Genius Inc. She was raised between New York and Los Angeles, making her stage debut as Ariel in the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company production of The Tempest. Tessa has been nominated for two BAFTAs and a Primetime Emmy for her work in the 2021 film Passing directed by Rebecca Hall, and the 2020 film Sylvie’s Love. She is also known for her role as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok and as Bianca in the Creed franchise. Thompson founded her own production company Viva Maude in 2021, which has produced Hedda, the new adaptation of Hedda Gabler directed by Nia DaCosta, in which she plays the lead. Her fashion-forward style and elegance is the subject of much interest, and she is a muse to the American designer brand Rodarte. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Tessa Thompson discuss playing male roles, tidying up the house in a heel, and fashion not being armour. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American author, poet, and professor. Born in Vietnam, Ocean Vuong came to America aged two and was raised in Hartford, Connecticut, working in his mother’s nail salon from an early age. He received his BA in Nineteenth Century American Literature from Brooklyn College, and an MFA in Poetry from NYU, where he is now a Professor of Creative Writing. Vuong became an international literary sensation with his 2019 debut novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, which was based in part on his familial history. His second novel, The Emperor of Gladness, was published this year to further acclaim. Vuong is known for his distinctive elegiac prose and his heart and mind-expanding interrogation of the English language through his poems, essays, and novels. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Book Award, the Mark Twain Award, the T.S. Eliot Prize and the MacArthur “Genius” Grant. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Ocean Vuong discuss the obsession of style as a brand, how self adornment can be a medicine, and the dopamine effect of a good sentence. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Cronenberg is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. Credited with creating the body horror genre, Cronenberg has written and directed over twenty feature films including Videodrome, Dead Ringers, and Rabid, with his 1996 film Crash winning the Special Jury Prize at Cannes for “originality, for daring and for audacity.” In 2006 he was awarded the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award. Many of his films have become major cult classics, including his 1986 film The Fly, in which Jeff Goldblum plays a scientist who turns into a human-fly hybrid. David Cronenberg has appeared as an actor in cameo roles including in Gus Van Sant’s To Die For and Into the Night. In 2014 he published his first novel, Consumed. Whether his films are about body horror, or period drama like A Dangerous Method, a story about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, his works always raise deep thoughts and feelings; he has the ability to be funny while also exploring extreme and disturbing subject matter. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and David Cronenberg discuss dressing like Christopher Walken, adoring Sigmund Freud, and feeling good about being naked. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dame Zandra Rhodes is an English fashion designer. She originally became famous for her beautiful, wildly coloured textile prints, going on to design her first collection in 1969. She started experimenting with her own look, shaving her eyebrows and dying her hair bold colours until she settled on pink as her signature hue. She became a sensation in New York when Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of American Vogue, fell in love with her creations and immediately had her dresses photographed for the magazine, also calling up the top boutiques to demand they stock her collections. Rhodes became known as the ‘Princess of Punk’ when she designed a dress adorned with tiny safety pins which is now one of the most sought after dresses on the vintage market. She has dressed numerous celebrities including Diana Ross, Freddie Mercury, and Princess Diana. Zandra Rhodes founded the Fashion and Textile Museum in London in 2003, which hosts fashion exhibitions and textiles workshops. She was made a Dame in 2014 by Queen Elizabeth II for services to British fashion and textiles. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Zandra Rhodes discuss being an introvert while looking like an extrovert, her friendship with the cult actor and star of John Waters’ films Divine, and the charm of pink hair. Watch the full video episode on our Youtube and Substack, links in bio. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kojey Radical is a British musician and visual artist. Born and raised in East London, Kojey - real name Kwadwo Adu Genfi Amponsah - studied Fashion Illustration at the London College of Fashion and has been described as UK Rap’s ‘Renaissance Man’ in reference to his love of fashion and the disarming and dazzling way he wears clothes. He co-hosted the British Fashion Awards in 2023 and 2024. Throughout his teenage years he participated in poetry slams and spoken word events, releasing his first musical project Dear Daisy: Opium in 201. Kojey Radical’s first album Reason to Smile was nominated for multiple awards including the Mercury Prize. ‘Don’t Look Down’ is his newest album. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Kojey Radical discuss the empowering force of Mother Love, how a fish finger sandwich can be passive aggressive, and the awfulness of an Ugg boot with a lean. Watch the full video episode on our Youtube and Substack, links in bio. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Kushner is an American author and essayist. The daughter of two beatnik scientists, Kushner began her Bachelor’s degree in political economy at the University of California aged 16, and then moved to San Francisco and worked in nightclubs. After an MFA at Columbia, studying under Jonathan Franzen, Rachel Kushner published her first book, Telex from Cuba, in 2008, and has since published four novels, a short story collection, and a book of essays describing diverse subjects including her participation in an illegal motorbike race across Mexico and California. She has twice been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and won the Prix Médicis for her 2018 book The Mars Room. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Rachel Kushner discuss the evolution of their friendship over email, Don DeLillo's cool sideburns, and aspiring to manifest the life lessons of Dolly Parton. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amelia Dimoldenberg is an English comedian, writer, and the creator and presenter of her sensational Youtube series Chicken Shop Date. Chicken Shop Date began as a column in a youth club magazine, originally focusing on Amelia interviewing British grime artists in chicken shops around London. It has since expanded to one of the most popular series on Youtube, with Amelia interviewing some of the world’s most high profile actors, models, and musicians. Known for her dry, deadpan humour, Dimoldenberg has in recent years begun interviewing celebrities on red carpets, including at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Brit Awards. Her production company Dimz Inc. recently launched Dimz Inc. Academy, a week-long programme for young people interested in working in the creative industries. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Amelia Dimoldenberg discuss The Devil Wears Prada, the appeal of an awkward silence, and how sexy is embarrassing. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Malkovich is an award-winning American film star, theatre actor and director. After ten years in Chicago as an original member of the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Malkovich made his Broadway debut in 1984 as Biff in Death of a Salesman. He appeared in many highly acclaimed films throughout the 1980s and 1990s, gaining widespread attention and admiration in his compelling performance as Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons. In 1999, he starred as a surreal version of himself in Spike Jonze’s brilliant directorial debut Being John Malkovich which became an international sensation. Malkovich directed The Dancer Upstairs which was released in 2002. He won the Milton Schulman Award for the best director in 2016, after a multi-year run of his adaptation of the play Good Canary. He also wrote and directed three short films in collaboration with Bella Freud - Strap Hanging, Lady Behave, and Hideous Man. In 2002, John launched his own fashion brand Mr Mudd, with its debut menswear line “Uncle Kimono”. He has been repeatedly recognised as one of the greatest actors of his generation, and continues to maintain an idiosyncratic artistic output across film, theatre, television, and fashion. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and John Malkovich discuss his grandfathers obsession with Lassie, the inspiration behind the name of his fashion brand Mr Mudd, and the making of Being John Malkovich. Full video episode available to watch on Youtube now. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Fashion Neurosis Mashup I have pulled out some of my favourite moments with the fascinating guests who have graced the couch. I hope you enjoy. Please keep subscribing and liking if you can. See you in September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Knight is among the world's most influential and visionary image makers and the founder and director of award-winning fashion film website SHOWstudio.com. He has consistently challenged conventional notions of beauty and is fêted for his groundbreaking creative collaborations with leading designers, including Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. Nick Knight has produced advertising campaigns for clients including Burberry, Chanel, Fendi, Christian Dior, Lancôme, Swarovski, Tom Ford, Calvin Klein and Yves Saint Laurent. He has longstanding and ongoing creative relationships with various musicians, producing award-winning music videos for Björk, Lady Gaga and Kanye West.  His first book of photographs, Skinheads, was published in 1982, winning a DandAD award in 1996. He has since produced a twelve-year retrospective titled Nicknight, Flora, a series of pressed flowers and plants from the Natural History Museum, and Nick Knight, a retrospective monograph published by Harper Collins in 2009.  His work has been exhibited worldwide at various prestigious institutions, including Tate Modern, Victoria & Albert Museum, Saatchi Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, MoMA, Gagosian Gallery and Albion Barn. In 1993, Knight produced a permanent installation, Plant Power, for the Natural History Museum in London, subsequently on display for 15 years.  Nick Knight launched SHOWstudio in 2000, with an aim of showing the entire creative process from conception to completion. SHOWstudio has pioneered fashion film and is now recognised as the leading force behind this medium. Since its inception, SHOWstudio has worked with the world's most sought-after filmmakers, writers and influential cultural figures to create visionary online content resulting in the moving image, illustration, photography and the written word. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Nick Knight discuss sharing a pair of silver Doc Martens with school friends, how Lo-Fi can show the cracks and the beauty in photography, and how failure is an essential part of success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah Joe AKA Mia Khalifa is a Lebanese-American media personality, activist, and entrepreneur, known for her charismatic presence online and her bold advocacy work. She first rose to public attention in 2014 aged 21 when she was involved for just 3 months in the adult film industry. She has since transformed her platform into a powerful voice for body autonomy, immigrant rights, and breaking stigma around personal reinvention. Born in Beirut and raised in the U.S., Mia Khalifa brings a unique perspective shaped by her Middle Eastern roots and Western upbringing. Mia has been vocal about reclaiming her narrative, using her experiences to speak out against exploitation, online harassment, and the complexities of fame. Today, she’s built a strong presence on social media where she engages millions with her unfiltered commentary, humour, and insight. Mia is a businesswoman herself, founding her jewellery brand Sheytan in 2023. Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and redefining success on her own terms.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis Bella Freud and Mia Khalifa discuss curiosity versus desire, reading the dictionary at night, and how fashion can be a liberation from body shame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beth Ditto is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her hugely popular Indie rock band Gossip and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Her voice has been compared to that of Janis Joplin and Tina Turner. She is a much loved and respected figure in the fashion world, who has walked for Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier and appeared on the covers of numerous high fashion magazines including POP and LOVE.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Beth Ditto discuss how to cope with a compliment, being taught how to strike a pose by Kate Moss, and the authoritative wisdom of Rick Rubin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alessandro Michele, creative director of Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer. He is widely regarded as one of the most visionary and transformative figures in contemporary fashion. He came to prominence with his groundbreaking tenure as Creative Director of Gucci from 2015 to 2022, redefining the brand with his romantic, and gender-fluid aesthetic. Blending poetic historical references with radical reinvention, his designs both seduced and challenged conventional notions of beauty and luxury, making Gucci a symbol of artistic freedom and cultural commentary. Born in Rome in the 70's, he spent time at Fendi under Karl Lagerfeld and the Fendi sisters, and later at Gucci, where he worked for over a decade before taking the helm. Under his leadership, Gucci saw unprecedented creative and commercial success, sparking a new era of expressive, maximalist fashion. Beyond clothing, Alessandro Michele's impact extended into art, film, and social commentary, using fashion as a platform for self-expression and expanding horizons. His designs often explore identity, queerness, and beauty, earning him global acclaim as one of the most important designers of the 21st century. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis Bella Freud and Alessandro Michele discuss going to the same fashion school in Rome, the chic in making a wrong choice, and meeting the best people in the loos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lorde is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. She is a Grammy-winning artist and cultural force, known for her genre-defying sound, introspective lyricism, and striking creative vision. She gained recognition at the age of 16 with her breakthrough album Pure Heroine and the hugely successful single 'Royals'. She has redefined the contours of modern pop - merging poetic storytelling with minimalist, emotionally resonant production. To date, she has amassed over 18 billion global streams and 18 million album sales worldwide. She is a thoughtful and impressive presence in the world of music, experimenting with all aspects of identity and creativity including what she wears - and why.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis Bella Freud and Lorde discuss the purity of David Byrne, the guises of feeling feminine or masculine, a wearing matching Saint Laurent with Charli XCX. TW: This content may contain themes or material that some viewers may find sensitive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Haim is an American rock band made up of three sisters: Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim. Hailing from Los Angeles, the siblings grew up in a musical household, playing in a family band before forming HAIM in 2007. Their unique sound blends elements of classic rock, R&B, folk, and '90s pop, creating a genre-defying style that feels exciting, nostalgic and modern. The band gained major attention with their 2013 debut album Days Are Gone, and their album ‘Women in Music Pt. III’ (2020) was nominated for Album of the Year Grammy and compounded their status as one of the most innovative acts in contemporary music.  Known for their dynamic live performances and sibling chemistry, Haim has become a powerful presence in both indie and mainstream music scenes. They’ve collaborated with artists Taylor Swift, Kid Cudi, and Charli XCX. They have collaborated on 10 of their music videos with the legendary film director Paul Thomas Anderson; Alana Haim has also performed leading roles in two of his films. Their new album ‘I Quit’ launches on June 20th 2025. In this episode, Bella Freud and Haim discuss being obsessed with Phoebe Philo, the roles of sisterhood, and making music videos with Paul Thomas Anderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Courtney Love is an American singer, songwriter and actress, who rose to prominence as the lead singer of Hole, which she formed in 1989. Her life has been subject of intense media scrutiny, particularly her marriage to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain from whom she has a daughter Frances Bean, and her candid battles with addiction and personal loss. Among her distinguished acting roles, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her exceptionally brilliant performance in Milos Foreman's 'The People VS Larry Flynt. Courtney Love has continued her creative trajectory, challenging industry norms and championing female empowerment in rock. With decades of artistic influence and an enduring legacy of rebellion and resilience, she remains one of the most provocative, talented and influential women in modern music. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Courtney Love discuss pole dancing, freedom from addiction, and being asked to change the music by next door neighbour David Bowie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Jones is a multidisciplinary artist working with painting, installation, sound and performance. Jones explores a sense of self as a visual and visceral experience, using motifs and abstraction to grapple with the intangible emotional and psychological truths of being. Jones completed her BA Fine Art at Glasgow School of Art in 2013 and an MA Fine Art at the Royal Academy Schools, London, in 2019. Recent solo exhibitions include the Museum of African Diaspora, San Francisco, (2024), the Long Museum, Shanghai, China (2023) and the Chisenhale Gallery, London (2022). She was included in Mixing It Up: Painting Today at the Hayward Gallery, London (2021), followed by other institutional group exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C., Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Arizona (2022) and others. She was an artist in residence at The Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas in 2019 and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art in 2016. Jones’s work is housed in prominent institutional collections, including those of the Long Museum, Shanghai; Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam; Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; and Tate, London, where her piece 'lick your teeth, they so clutch' (2021) is currently on display as part of the Tate Britain's rehang. Alongside her painting and performance practice, Jones also designed the BRIT Awards 2024 trophy, which was presented to all winners. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Rachel Jones discuss Karaoke in art, the allure and threat of the colour red, and appearing in a Loewe campaign shot by Juergen Teller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Consani is an American model. She is also a social media star - performing brilliant and hilarious skits on tiktok, garnering her millions of followers and fans. A fearless advocate for trans visibility, Alex Consani is redefining beauty standards and electrifying the fashion industry. She burst onto the scene at just 12 years old and has since established herself as one of the top models in the world. She has walked for global fashion powerhouses including Tom Ford, Versace, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, and many others. In 2024, she made history as the first openly transgender woman to win the British Fashion Council’s Model of the Year award. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Alex Consani discuss being Trans in the fashion industry, what makes for an obsession, and great British slang. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Graydon Carter is a celebrated Canadian journalist, editor, and cultural commentator best known for his 25 years as the Editor of Vanity Fair. Born in Toronto, Graydon Carter began his career in journalism in Canada where he co-founded Spy magazine in 1986. The satirical monthly became famous for its sharp, irreverent take on media, politics, and celebrity culture, establishing him as a critical voice in American media. In 1992, Graydon Carter became the editor at Vanity Fair, transforming the magazine into a powerhouse of long-form journalism, celebrity profiles, and cultural commentary. Under his leadership Vanity Fair became known for its investigative reporting - breaking a number of key political scandals; also the much anticipated photographic spreads and covers featuring Hollywood stars, shot by the legendary photographer Annie Liebovitz. Graydon Carter stepped down from Vanity Fair in 2017, founding Air Mail, a digital weekly aimed at worldly readers interested in culture, politics, and style. With his signature wit and curatorial flair, he has published his memoir 'When The Going Was Good' with author James Fox. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Graydon Carter discuss the joys of ironing, creating desirable trinkets for people to 'take home' from the Vanity Fair party, and whether it was Aerosmith's Steve Tyler, or Kate Moss who actually said 'nothing tastes like skinny feels.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bethann Hardison is a pioneering force in fashion and activism in a career spanning over five decades. Emerging from Brooklyn in the late 1960s, she became one of the first Black models to gain prominence in both New York and European fashion scenes. Her runway appearances for designers Willi Smith, Calvin Klein, and Oscar de la Renta were groundbreaking, culminating in her legendary performance in the 1973 'Battle of Versailles' fashion show - an event which showcased five french and five American designers. Transitioning from modeling, Hardison founded Bethann Management in 1984, one of the first Black-owned agencies, where she mentored trailblazers Tyson Beckford, Nick Kamen, and Iman. In 1988, she co-founded the Black Girls Coalition with Iman, advocating for equitable representation and pay for models of colour. Hardison's activism continued with the launch of the Diversity Coalition in 2013, prompting global fashion houses to confront racial disparities. In 2019, she joined Gucci as Executive Advisor for Global Equity and Cultural Engagement. Hardison remains a revered mentor and advocate, co-directing the documentary Invisible Beauty, which reflects on her legacy and ongoing impact on the fashion industry. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Bethann Hardison discuss her first shoots with Bruce Weber, forming the Black Girls Coalition with Iman, and how she approached Brides Magazine about including Black, Asian and Latino women in their campaigns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam McKnight is one of the most celebrated hairstylists in the world. His career has spanned more than 40 years at the forefront of cutting edge fashion, beauty, and pop culture. Known for his creative vision, Sam McKnight has collaborated with top designers including Chanel, Fendi, Vivienne Westwood, and Balmain, and worked with all the legendary models and photographers including Patrick Demarchelier, Nick Knight, and Mario Testino. He has more Vogue covers than Kate Moss (200 globally) and he is a key force behind countless runway shows and advertising campaigns. He was famously the stylist behind Princess Diana’s iconic short hairstyle—an enduring image of elegance and modernity. In 2016, his exhibition Hair by Sam McKnight at Somerset House in London offered a rare look at the role of hair in fashion and culture. That same creative spirit lives on in his bestselling haircare line, Hair by Sam McKnight, designed to bring editorial styling to everyday routines. With a blend of artistry, innovation, and wit, Sam McKnight continues to influence the fashion industry while inspiring a new generation of creatives to think beyond trends and embrace the power of personal style. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Sam McKnight discuss Lady Gaga's wigs, how a haircut can make homelessness more bearable, and the moment Princess Diana asked him to cut all her hair off - and how it changed her life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marina Abramović is one of the most influential and groundbreaking performance artists of our time. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, she has spent over five decades pushing the limits of the mind, body, and spirit through art. Known for her extreme and often controversial performances, Abramović uses endurance, pain, vulnerability, and direct audience interaction to explore themes of identity. During her most celebrated artistic performance 'The Artist Is Present' at the Museum of Modern Art in 2010, she sat silently across from museum visitors for over 700 hours, creating powerful, wordless connections with almost a million strangers. Marina Abramović has also worked extensively to preserve and teach performance art, founding the Marina Abramović Institute, which focuses on long-durational performance and interdisciplinary collaboration. Her legacy continues to influence artists, thinkers, and audiences worldwide.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Marina Abramović discuss how happiness is not conducive to making great art; climaxing as a required element of a performance; and how 80 is too young for her to make a documentary about her life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Es Devlin is a British artist and stage designer celebrated for creating large-scale, emotionally resonant installations and performances that fuse light, music, language, and space. Her work has shaped the visual identity of global tours for artists including Beyoncé, Adele, The Weeknd and U2, while also redefining the theatrical landscape through her work with the Royal Opera House, National Theatre, and the Metropolitan Opera. Es Devlin brings a poetic sensibility to her immersive environments. Her public art installations—such as Forest for Change at Somerset House and Poem Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai—invite audiences to reflect, explore, and engage with urgent global themes. In October 2024 she unveiled CONGREGATION, a large-scale choral installation created in partnership with UK for UNHCR, The Courtauld and King's College London.  Es Devlin’s designs have been exhibited at major institutions including the V&A, the Serpentine Gallery, and the Venice Biennale. She is a Royal Academician, the recipient of numerous awards, and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to stage design.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Es Devlin discuss the logistics of raising a steel orb out of the sand in the Moroccan desert for the St Laurent menswear show; seeking out jumble sales in Time Out magazine when she was 11; and making a collage for her bedroom from a catalogue of Japanese art that turned out to be full of pornographic illustrations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hanif Kureishi is a British author, playwright, and screenwriter, widely regarded for his exploration of identity, race, and multiculturalism. Born in 1954 in South London, to a Pakistani father and an English mother, his major breakthrough came with his 1990 novel The Buddha of Suburbia, a semi-autobiographical story of a young man navigating life in 1970s London. The novel, celebrated for its wit and social critique, was later adapted into a BAFTA-winning TV series with a soundtrack especially written by David Bowie. In addition to his novels, Kureishi has written plays, essays, and short stories, and a number of award winning films including Intimacy directed by Patrice Chéreau, and the Oscar nominated screenplay, My Beautiful Laundrette, directed by Stephen Frears and starring a young Daniel Day Lewis. Kureishi’s work often reflects his candid approach to cultural integration, sexuality and societal norms, all of which have made him a distinctive and relished voice in British literature.  On 26 December 2022, while staying at the home of his partner Isabella D'Amico, Hanif fainted and woke up paralysed from the neck downwards. He thought he was going to die, crediting Isabella for keeping him calm and saving his life. He has written about the accident and his recovery process on social media and in his Substack blog 'The Kureishi Chronicles'. His brilliant and compelling memoir Shattered was published in 2024, and in September that year the BBC released a biographical documentary 'In My Own Words' directed by Nigel Williams.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Hanif Kureishi discuss Hanif's love of Tesco; developing a new method of writing with his son Carlo; and analysing his psychiatrist's dreams during his year long rehabilitation in hospital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Susie Cave is a British model and fashion designer. Her career started when she was scouted on holiday in New York by the famous model agent Bethann Hardison, who immediately sent her to Steven Meisel - his advice being to go back to school as she was only 14 years old. Her striking beauty and ethereal presence quickly earned her a place in high fashion campaigns and on magazine covers including more recently a Gucci perfume campaign and the cover of Another Magazine in 2020. In 2015 Susie launched her fashion brand The Vampire's Wife which became known for its blend of gothic and romantic aesthetics. Vogue described her immediately recognisable dress as the 'It dress'  and The Vampire's Wife quickly gained a devoted following, attracting celebrities from Florence Welch, Cate Blanchett, and Kate, Princess of Wales among its clientele. Susie’s designs are a reflection of her own personal style—romantic, mysterious, and deeply artistic—cementing her as a distinctive voice in the fashion industry. She is married to Nick Cave, the lead singer of The Bad Seeds. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Susie Cave and Bella Freud discuss how she was talent scouted by the legendary Bethann Hardison and her meeting with Steven Meisel age 14; the first time she saw her husband-to-be Nick Cave at one of Bella’s shows; and how grief can be channelled through creativity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bobby Gillespie is a Scottish musician, singer songwriter, and the lead vocalist in Primal Scream. He launched the band in 1982, at the same time as joining The Jesus and Mary Chain as their drummer, touring with both groups until he left a few years later to focus on the burgeoning success of Primal Scream. Bobby has the looks, talent and glamour of the archetypal rockstar - he wears his clothes with infinite style, and his onstage looks are part of his musical identity. He is married to the highly regarded stylist, Katy England, and is a regular in fashion circles - Primal Scream even recorded a song with supermodel, Kate Moss in 2011, called, 'Some Velvet Morning'. Bobby Gillespie published his memoir 'Tenement Kid' in 2021, describing his life growing up in a working class family in Glasgow, tracking his journey to fame, including his experiences of drug addiction - and how he overcame it. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Bobby Gillespie talk about their shared gratitude for the Punk era, how a pink jacket provided focus after falling off the stage in Italy and breaking his back, and the influence of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis on his road to sobriety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christian Louboutin is a French shoe designer. His signature red sole has become synonymous with glamour and sensuality, referenced constantly in popular culture by international superstars including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B as the shoes women aspire to own. Christian Louboutin was born and raised in Paris, with his parents and three older sisters. In 2014 he discovered that his biological father was of Egyptian heritage - the result of a clandestine love affair between his mother and a young Egyptian man. This revelation recontextualized many of his formative experiences growing up, wondering why he appeared different to his blonde, fair-haired siblings. Today, Christian Louboutin is considered to be the most famous high fashion shoe brand in the world. The word 'Loutoutin' has become an adjective - immediately denoting a classification of intense sexuality and classiness. The company has successfully branched out into men's luxury footwear, handbags, fragrances, and makeup. Christian remains at the helm of the business and its entire design process - a rarity in the fashion industry and for an empire of his size. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Christian Louboutin and Bella Freud discuss the story behind his iconic red soles; the meaningfulness of his creative collaboration with David Lynch; and his ability to wake up happy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Cooper Clarke is a British poet. He rose to fame during the Punk era, touring and performing with bands across the UK in the 70's. He has collaborated with some of the most revered artists of our time including the renowned Reggae poet and musician Linton Kwesi Johnson. His distinctive appearance has remained unchanged since he first exploded on the literary scene: long, jet black hair, a newsboy cap, and black sunglasses worn at all times -  paired with impeccable, skinny tailoring. John Cooper Clarke has transcended many hurdles in his life including heroin addiction, which he describes in his fascinating and upbeat memoir, ‘I Wanna Be Yours’. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, John Cooper Clarke and Bella Freud discuss their shared early influences from comic books; his relationship with the timeless fashion muse Nico; and why he still refers to James Brown for inspiration on how to look good.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julianne Moore is an American actor. She is one of the most highly revered performers of her generation, and her work has been recognized by multiple awards, including an Oscar. Her extraordinary gift for peeling back the artifice, portraying the unraveling of a beautiful, misunderstood woman is unparalleled - making her beloved by both independent directors and big studios in the film industry. Julianne is also the author of the children’s book, ‘Freckleface Strawberry’ about her experiences of establishing her identity as a young girl, eventually learning to love her pale complexion and red hair - for which she is so recognized and appreciated today. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Julianne Moore and Bella Freud discuss her being the chosen one for Tom Ford's film directorial debut; the delicate art of falling apart; and opening her dressing room door to come face to face with David Bowie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Haider Ackermann is a Colombian-born French fashion designer. He is the Creative Director of Canada Goose and the newly appointed Creative Director of Tom Ford. Adopted as a nine month old child by French-Alsatian parents, Haider's family traveled widely with his map-maker father, living in Algeria, Ethiopia and Iran, and eventually settling in the Netherlands when he was twelve years old. This blend of cultures that shaped him can be seen in his work, contrasting and resourcing dress-codes which incorporate flowing draped fabrics with more formal cuts. Haider Ackermann is much revered by his peers in the design industry; among many prestigious collaborations, he was also a guest designer for the Jean Paul Gaultier couture. He is sought after for special, red carpet creations by major stars including Timothée Chalamet and Tilda Swinton. On the day of his highly awaited first runway show for Tom Ford, we share a special episode of Fashion Neurosis where Haider Ackermann and Bella Freud discuss friendships and flirtations within the fashion industry, the unexpected joys of camping, and the significance of his enduring friendship with Tilda Swinton.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gwendoline Christie is an English actor. She exploded into peoples' consciousness as Brienne of Tarth in the phenomenally successful series, Game of Thrones, going on to feature in Stars Wars: The Force Awakens, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. She has appeared in other notable drama series, and most recently joined the cast of the hit show Severance, directed by Ben Stiller. As well as being a highly regarded performer, Gwendoline is adored by the fashion world, and has modelled in numerous fashion campaigns for some of the world's greatest designers. She has walked in catwalk shows for Thom Browne, Miu Miu, and most recently, John Galliano's last show for Maison Margiela.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Gwendoline Christie talks to Bella Freud about  how the job of her clothes is to be more herself; the impact of Galliano's work on her as a teenager - and how she realized a childhood dream by going on to collaborate with him.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Juergen Teller is a fine art and fashion photographer from Germany. His distinctive and instantly recognizable style has redefined the scope of what is possible in high fashion imagery and advertising. He has shot multiple campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Vivienne Westwood, Celine and Yves Saint Laurent, bringing his mix of glamour and lack of artifice to a vast audience. Alongside his fashion work, he has shot portraits of his family, his friends and some of the most recognizable faces of our time, including Pope Francis. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Juergen Teller joins Bella Freud on the couch to discuss the ways his relationship with his parents informed his work, why not to be afraid of time, and how life appears clearer through the viewfinder of his camera.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Honey Dijon is an American DJ and producer, hailing from the South Side of Chicago. She is known for her compelling remixes of major artists, including Beyoncé and David Bowie and her DJ sets that light up dance floors the world over - infusing both House and Techno. Honey is also much loved by the fashion world, having collaborated on soundtracks for Louis Vuitton and Dior. Aside from her sonic capabilities, Honey is famed for her chic style and her razor-sharp wit. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Honey Dijon and Bella Freud discuss their mutual love of The Artist's Way, and Honey's early experiences in the underground club scene in New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cate Blanchett is an Australian actor and film producer. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including two Oscars. One of the great performers of our time, Cate has the ability to both dazzle with that specific film star radiance, and blend into a natural setting - whether its a blockbuster movie, or an independent production of film or theatre. She is possessively coveted by the fashion design houses who vye for her to represent them on the red carpet - another of her multifarious talents. Throughout her career she has spoken out for the dispossessed, and she is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Cate Blanchett share stories of how both their mothers hand-made their school uniforms - Cate's mother even made her underwear. They also discuss Cate's role as Bob Dylan, and how putting a sock down her trousers helped her to change her body language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stefano Pilati is an Italian fashion designer. His talents have been employed and celebrated by some of the most distinguished fashion houses in the industry including Cerruti, Armani and Prada. He was the Creative Director at Yves Saint Laurent from 2004 until 2012 where he was responsible for some of the brand's most iconic designs and accessories including the Tribute sandal and the Muse bag - coveted by fashion obsessives the world over. Pilati's distinctive creative vision has long defied traditional gender stereotypes, with his menswear collections featuring both skirts and high heels. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Stefano Pilati discuss the intensity of his love of fashion which manifested from the age of six, and the importance of killer footwear. Portrait: Jacqueline Landvik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Princess Julia is a DJ and writer who has been a dazzling staple on the London club scene since the late 1970’s. She was of the most recognisable faces of the Blitz Kids - a subculture defined by sharp dress, angular haircuts and pale complexions.  Her distinctive style combined with her angelic beauty saw her become a muse to many; modelling in numerous fashion shoots and music videos over the years, including Visage’s iconic ‘Fade To Grey’.  Today Princess Julia’s sense of personal style remains as bold as ever, with meticulously planned outfits for every occasion; whether attending a fashion show or taking a trip to the corner shop.  In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Princess Julia and Bella Freud discuss the influence of punk, living between binaries and their shared love of a pulsing beat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Cave is an Australian musician, writer, artist and rock star. He is the instantly recognisable lead singer of The Bad Seeds which he formed in 1983 after the breakup of his former band The Birthday Party. Describing himself as wanting to look like a ‘big old spider’, he has a dazzling stage presence, framed by jet black hair, with a tall, long-legged silhouette. Nick maintains the loyalty and adulation of both indie fans and the mainstream; people are proud to show their love of his music. He has endured deep tragedy in his life, something he has written about in his blog The Red Hand Files. He is married to the designer and model Susie Cave, who is the subject of many of his songs. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Nick Cave and Bella Freud discuss how chaos is the enemy of creativity, the exhilaration of cold water swimming, and how an ankle boot is a deal breaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicky Haslam is an English interior designer. He is the founder of the interior design company Nicky Haslam Studio and has created homes for society figures, billionaires, and pop stars with exquisite taste including Bryan Ferry. He was born into an aristocratic family and after his recovery from polio as a child, he was educated at Eton, where he dyed his hair blonde and had his school uniform tailcoat customised with a red lining, which caused a scandal. Nicky Haslam has an unerring eye for recognising style: he introduced Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of American Vogue, to Yves Saint Laurent. He commissioned Diane Arbus to photograph Mae West. He is a society figure, at home in every milieu as long as the clothes and conversation are of the highest order. He is the author of the most sought after cult tea towel, issued every year at Christmas and inscribed with his dictum of ‘How Common’. Mostly things we all are, do, or love - like scented candles or loving your parents. In this episode Nicky Haslam talks to Bella Freud about dying his pubes; inventing the 60’s with David Bailey; and meeting Marilyn Monroe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Anderson is a Northern Irish designer. He founded his eponymous label JW Anderson in 2008 and has, gone on to become one of the most prolific and highly, regarded people in world of high fashion. He is the Creative Director of the Spanish luxury goods brand Loewe. He also creates extremely successful collaborations with the high street, brand Uniqlo. He has been working with the film maker Luca Guadagnino, creating costumes for the director’s last two films ‘Challengers’ with Zendaya and Josh O’Connor, and ‘Queer’ starring Daniel Craig. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Jonathan Anderson and Bella Freud discuss perfection and how his own feeling of imperfection is a driver to create beauty and romance for others; how he finds his references in art for the film costumes he has created; and how attractive and sexy it is when someone is able to draw. Portrait: David Sims  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Karl Ove Knausgaard is a Norwegian author. His autobiographical novel ‘My Struggle,’ released in six volumes, was heralded as a masterpiece all over the world. It has a huge appeal to both intellectuals and young people examining the existential purpose of life. During this conversation Karl Ove and Bella talk about the power of fathers; shame; and choosing the wrong clothes but with the right idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kristin Scott Thomas OBE is an English actress. Her career began with her first audition when she won the starring role in Prince’s directorial film debut ‘Under the Cherry Moon’, playing opposite him in the role of romantic lead. Kristin lived in France for a big part of her life. She speaks French fluently and has played the lead in many French independent films working with top directors. She remains possessively beloved by her British fans and has an ability to imbue the characters she portrays with an irreverence for convention and preoccupation with hilarious detail that strikes such a chord among her audience. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella talks to Kristin Scott Thomas about the joys of non-fancy underwear (when are ‘establishment grey security pants’ acceptable); the allure of wanting to be a nun; and walking in the Miu Miu show for Mrs Prada. Join Kristin Scott Thomas and Bella Freud for a conversation about how clothes can shape a character, and the connection between what we wear and who we are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daphne Guinness is an English singer songwriter, fashion designer, actress, film producer and muse to David LaChapelle. She is part of the aristocratic Guinness family, and she is known for her instantly recognisable style which includes a high, heel-less shoe and towering black and platinum hairstyle. Daphne has spent decades redefining what it means to be a true original, breaking away from her traditional background. From founding The Isabella Blow Foundation to releasing her latest album Sleep, her work and her performance transcends boundaries. Trained at the Slade School of Fine Art, Daphne went on to collaborate with fashion icons Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow. They were so much more than work relationships, more like acquiring a new family. For someone who would seem like an exhibitionist on first sight, Daphne is a shy person who pushes against her natural inclination to be hidden. She talks about her inspirations, how music has saved her life, and how she weaves fashion into every aspect of her existence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kate Moss is an English model. Born in Croydon, she started modelling aged 15 after she was scouted in an airport. She rose to fame in the 90’s during the era of the Supermodel, quickly becoming the most sought after of them all. She is beloved by photographers and designers for her remarkable ability to bring a kind of spellbinding magic to the table. Her work ethic is legendary and she has an instinct for recognising a good idea before anyone else – and wanting to be involved. When I started my brand and decided to have my first catwalk show in 1994, I got a call from Storm Models saying ‘Kate will walk in your show’. I could scarcely believe what I was hearing. This was a typical act of the generosity and imagination she is also known for. Kate Moss holds the world record for appearing on the most Vogue covers: 78 of the ‘Big Four’, 43 of them British Vogue. As well as starring in countless ad campaigns she has designed collections in collaboration with various fashion brands including Top Shop, Longchamp, and Zara; guest edited magazines; and created her own skincare and beauty range Cosmoss. In 2002 – just as she became pregnant with her daughter Lila she sat for a naked portrait by the artist Lucian Freud which was later sold at Christie’s for £3.93 million. She is more in demand at age 50 than she has ever been – both in front of the camera and as a celebrity guest on the front row. Kate Moss is a cult name, and her face is recognized throughout the world. She is a private person and rarely gives interviews. She is loved and admired for her iconic sense of style, no one puts a look together like she can. She is famous for her humour and charm, casting a kind of dazzling spell on those who meet her – it is known as ‘being Mossed.’ KM portrait: Luigi and Iango Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zadie Smith is a British novelist, essayist, and short story writer. She is the author of six novels and her first book White Teeth was completed during her final year at Cambridge University. Published in 2000, White Teeth became an instant international bestseller - winning numerous awards, making her one of the most sought after and widely read young literary figures. Zadie Smith has lived in Rome, also in New York where she taught fiction at Columbia, then joining New York University as a tenured professor of fiction in 2010. Her combination of cool style and intellect makes her a fascinating and alluring personality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kim Gordon is an American singer songwriter and visual artist, renowned for being the co-founder, bassist, guitarist and vocalist of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth. She has always been a figure of adoration and fascination for anyone interested in art and alternative forms of artistic expression. Her ability to be ahead of the game with the desires of the avant garde audience is legendary, whether it is with her music, clothes, or her personal style. This year she released her second solo album The Collective to huge critical acclaim. The Collective includes the hit single Bye Bye which became a mantra for people who enjoy being jolted out of familiarity. She is a magnet, also an introvert - this makes for an intriguing combination. Her quiet demeanour draws people towards her - it is exhilarating to be in her aura. She may not talk much, but what she does say means a lot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Courteney Cox is an American actress and filmmaker. She is internationally famous for playing Monica Geller in the sitcom Friends which ran from 1994 til 2004, and Gale Weathers in the horror franchise Scream. Her portrayal of Monica turned her into a cult figure beloved by seven to seventy year olds - reruns of Friends play throughout the day and it is as popular as ever. Courteney herself is a master of comic timing: modest and endearingly funny this is further enhanced by her remarkable semblance of normalness in spite of being one of the most recognisable people on the planet. When she had finished lying on the couch for our Fashion Neurosis interview, she said she liked to walk - and skipped off down Ladbroke Grove on her own. In this episode for Fashion Neurosis Bella asks Courteney how she feels about being naked; is she nice or naughty; and her ambivalence about 90's dressing and shoulder pads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trinny Woodall is the founder and CEO of the hugely successful makeup and skincare brand Trinny London. She first came into the British consciousness through her makeover TV show with Susannah Constantine 'What Not To Wear' which launched in 2001, and became compulsive viewing. She embodies a disarming authenticity and enthusiasm, and her name Trinny has become a mononym. In 2023 she published her bestselling book Fearless, which although it is a manual for finding your own style could easily be the title of her memoir - summing up her attitude to life and the many challenges she has faced in her time. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella asks Trinny about whether to compromise an outfit on the first date and when to be masculine or feminine in the boardroom. Trinny asks if she can analyze Bella.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric Cantona is the legendary French former professional footballer who played for Manchester United, retiring unexpectedly and to everyone’s dismay at the height of his success aged 30. He wore the iconic number 7 shirt with the collar turned up – something he turned into a trade mark look. Eric Cantona is revered and admired for his cryptic brilliance and his unpredictable approach to a direct question, as well as his winning game. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis Bella asks him about this upturned collar and how it came about; how he deals with restlessness, and why the way someone dresses overrides conventional ideas about attractiveness. Tune in to episode two of Fashion Neurosis to watch Eric Cantona on the couch as you have never seen him before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first episode of Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, join the legendary fashion master of avant-garde gothic elegance Rick Owens as he lies on the couch while Bella asks him leading questions from her analyst's chair. Rick Owens is known for his preoccupation with distortion and exaggeration of the human form through clothes. Together he and Bella talk about how this plays out with his own physical transformation; what are his current obsessions; and how nothing could be cooler than not having to hold a glass in his hand when he (rarely) walks into a social situation.  Honest and insightful, this is a conversation with one of fashion's most enigmatic figures that you won't want to miss.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices